Boston Society of Landscape Architects Spring Fieldbook Volume 14.1 | Page 24

Project Curators
Nina Chase, Assoc. ASLA
Chris Merritt, Assoc. ASLA
Ruth Siegel, Assoc. ASLA
Carey Walker, Assoc. AIA

Sea Change Boston

Communications Team

On view at District Hall
75 Northern Avenue | Boston
April 7–June 4 2014
Opening reception: April 16, 6–8pm
Symposium: April 26, 9:30–5pm

Tera Hatfield
Emily Junker
Liz Juusola
Laura King
Jay Nothoff
Christian Spanring
Michael Tavilla

For more information and to register,
visit www.sasaki.com/seachange

Steering Committee
Steve Brittan
Robert L. Culver
Gina Ford, ASLA
Jason Hellendrung, ASLA
James Miner, AICP

Symposium Chair
Shaun O’Rourke, ASLA

Gina Ford, ASLA, is a landscape architect, principal, and chair of Sasaki’s
Urban Studio. Her work encompasses a wide range of scales and project
types, from public parks to large-scale landscape planning and waterfronts,
with particular emphasis on urban revitalization, public outreach, and
resilience. Gina’s experience is additionally informed by extensive research,
writing, travel, teaching, and competitions.

But to inspire the proactive—and, in some cases, expensive—
planning and design efforts needed to protect our city, we must
engender trust through clear communication with the public, our
government, and the media. The exhibition is designed to share the
Sea Change research with the broader community in a graphically
accessible and engaging format. For example, an interactive map
allows people to see how sea level rise will affect specifically where
they live and work. Personal stories illuminate the effects climate
change has already had on community members. The exhibition
also demonstrates vulnerabilities and design solutions at the
building, public space, and regional scale that collectively convey
why resilience efforts focused on one kind of vulnerability or a
narrow geographic area won’t be enough. An integrated, regional
approach is critical.
Events associated with the exhibition, including an opening
reception on April 16 and a day-long symposium on April 26, will
catalyze more detailed conversations among designers, city officials,
real estate leaders, academics, and the community. So while
we’re examining vulnerabilities and developing strategies, we’re
also exploring translation as a means of educating. How can we
best clarify complexity, without dumbing it down? It’s an important
question for this issue, and for how designers communicate in
general. We think it’s important for our practice, our business, and
our industry as a whole.
22

BSLA

“We’re also exploring
translation as a means
of educating. How can
we best clarify complexity,
without dumbing it down?”

BAC students collaborate with Dr. Paul Kirshen from the University of New Hampshire

2014 Boston Society of Landscape Architects Spring Fieldbook

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