During the process of guest-editing the 'Change' issue of ArchitectureBoston magazine, we focused on an idea of change which is positive, proactive and forward-looking. And as we examined our city and our field, we found that--despite Boston’s pessimistic tendencies--optimism has never been so necessary and well-deserved.
Boston was recently named the top innovation city in the world according to the Innovation Cities Index, which is based on a city’s cultural assets, human infrastructure, and networked markets. Surprised? So were we, at first--but in fact, Boston is an incubator of technology startups, a hub of cutting-edge medical research, and a proving ground for experimentation in education and even theater, all set in a political environment that has a history of groundbreaking policies with national implications [read "Why Boston" for more on this topic].
So last night we gathered leaders of some of these world-changing industries to as what they think about innovation, in the hopes that we designers can learn more about how our work can continue to push Boston’s innovation economy forward.
The Innovation City panel discussion was hosted by Sasaki Associates, Hacin + Associates, and the Boston Society of Architects. In conjunction with the event, we produced Innovation City—a video that asks what an Innovation City is, and what kind of environment is necessary to foster the collaboration and experimentation on which innovation thrives. The video kicked off the panel, but we also hope that it will help catalyze a continued conversation throughout the Boston community. Please watch, share, and send your comments and ideas to [email protected]!
[Special thanks to Field Five for their wonderful work on the Innovation City video!]
Thank you to our panelists:
Assaf Biderman
Associate Director, MIT SENSEable Cities Laboratory
Jennifer Chayes
Managing Director and Distinguished Scientist, Microsoft New England
Bryan Koop
Senior Vice President, Boston Properties
Lara Lee
Chief Operating and Innovation Officer, Continuum
Jill Medvedow
Ellen Matilda Poss Director, Institute of Contemporary Art
Kairos Shen
Director of Planning, Boston Redevelopment Authority
Kathy West
Vice President of Real Estate and Facilities, Partners HealthCare
And our video participants:
Dawn Barrett
President, Massachusetts College of Art & Design
Barry Bluestone
Founding Director, Dukakis Center for Urban and Regional Policy
Sho-Ping Chin
FAIA, LEED AP, Principal, Payette
Eric Howeler + Meejin Yoon
Pricipals, Howeler + Yoon Architecture
Dennis Pieprz
Principal, Sasaki Associates
Tim Rowe
Founder and CEO, Cambridge Innovation Center
Leonard A. Schlesinger
President, Babson College
Daniel St. Clair
Managing Director, Investment and Development, Spaulding & Slye
George Thrush
Director of the School of Architecture, Northeastern University