MG Harvard Square

As I walked around East Cambridge, I couldn't help but notice how gentrified the neighborhood was. There were many parks and public open spaces that surrounded recently built multifamily residential buildings and various labs held in mid-rise structures. Well groomed landscaping and outdoor furniture created resting points for pedestrians. The image above shows a community garden where citizens can grow their own produce. The signs state that individuals should only pick what they planted. The openness and honor system of the public garden reflect the sense of community and shared responsibility of keeping each other accountable that is presumably present in the neighborhood. Relative to Central Square, the areas that I walked around in East Cambridge appeared more affluent and the parks, public gathering spaces, and infrastructure seemed to cater to those with greater disposable income.  I had been to Central Square a week prior when the weather wasn't as cold and remember se...

Beauty, Horror, History; A Trip through Harvard Square The illustrious history of Cambridge also holds the legacies and footprints of individuals who held reprehensible political views and committed inhumane acts. The following tour takes one through a journey of admirable architecture with close ties to deplorable individuals. 1. Lowell House - Coolidge, Shipley, Bulfinch, Abbott / 1930 Abbot Lawrence Lowell, for whom the house was named after,  was an anti-semite and racist 2. Wadsworth House / 1726 Benjamin Wadsworth, the first resident of the house, held four slaves who lived in the house 3. Carpenter Center - Le Corbusier / 1962 Charles-Edouard Jeanneret, known as Le Corbusier, was a fascist with anti-semitic beliefs 4. Sackler Building - James Stirling / 1985 The Sackler family has played a central role in the devastating Opioid Crisis 5. Agassiz Theater (House) - Alexander Wadsworth Longfellow Jr. / 1904 The building is named after Elizabeth Cabot Cary Agassiz, who was ...

https://www.archdaily.com/119384/ad-classics-carpenter-center-for-the-visual-arts-le-corbusier Harvard University’s Carpenter Center for the Visual Arts is one of the most important structures in America. Despite being on the National Register of Historical Places, the Cambridge Historical Commission has not given the building landmark status nor is it located in a Cambridge Historic District. Designed by Charles-Edouard Jeanneret, known as Le Corbusier, the Carpenter Center is the only structure by the revolutionary architect in the United States.  https://www.archdaily.com/119384/ad-classics-carpenter-center-for-the-visual-arts-le-corbusier The monolithic-like use of concrete and the implementation of Le Corbusier’s signature cylindrical load bearing columns known as pilotis create a uniquely vertical structure. A ramp that flows through the heart of the structure from Quincy street to Prescott street invites pedestrians to be curious. This architectural choreography designed by ...