Harvard urban design students studying Harvard and Allston

The Harvard Crimson :: News :: Bringing Allston to the Classroom

One group of students will focus on Allston this semester. For them, understanding Harvard’s presence in the area and how it interacts with the community—the future site of University’s new more than 200-acre campus—isn’t a casual interest: their grade depends upon it.

And for Harvard planners, whose proposal to build a new art museum in the area was stymied this month in the face of community outcry, Stockard’s teaching may prompt valuable lessons.

Following Stockard’s logic, understanding and integrating Allston’s identity into their plans should be a critical concern of Harvard planners as they work out the kinks of the master plan.

Gordon said that the University had to “do better than just being fair and transparent” in its negotiations.

“They have a lot to make up for, like the way they purchased land,” said Chu, pointing to one of the most frequent criticisms of Harvard’s presence in the neighborhood. “That’s something that people mention all the time.”