SEED 1: Barry Field in Charlestown for MyRWA

Teams Aquila, Corvus, and Dorado redesigned Barry Field as a welcoming public park for community members of all ages, abilities, and backgrounds to enjoy. The field is located next to Little Mystic Channel, a small water inlet located in the Charlestown neighborhood of Boston. This inlet was created in the late 19th century to support commercial railyard activity. Due to its location between an industrial port and residential areas, the channel and its surrounding land has served as an often-forgotten buffer zone that has seen limited investment in terms of maintenance and public amenities. The surrounding community is the most diverse in Charlestown, and has the lowest income in the neighborhood. In recent years the community has begun to experience the effects of climate change, with increased flooding in the area.

For the past few years, MyRWA engaged the community to gather feedback about what they need and want in a recreational space. This engagement allowed MyRWA to design and build the Little Mystic Plaza, which opened in 2025. MyRWA’s community engagement inspired our young designers and was an incredibly useful tool as they designed their project.

SEED 2: Climate Resilience Hub in Dorchester for DSNI

In Dorchester, 581 Dudley Street and 5 Howard Place are two vacant lots that make up one undeveloped area at the corner of Dudley Street and Brook Avenue and abutting Howard Place on the rear. This site has been vacant for many years, but has been in use by members of the community in different ways at different times. Some recall community gatherings and cookouts, others say they’ve worked to keep the lot clean. Some recall appreciating access to this site during COVID lockdowns. Some have expressed support for the selling of pinchos on the corner, while others view these snack vendors as a problem.

In 2020, several residents re-energized conversation about site planning. They brought their concerns to State Rep Liz Miranda, highlighting illegal activities and dangerous incidents, including multiple shootings in recent years. While the site has a long history of many uses, community pressure in fall 2020 brought this site back to the forefront as a space that needed investment and attention from leaders and community groups.

Miranda contacted DSNI to conduct a community process to determine how to develop the site and discuss the potential of Dudley Neighbors Inc, DSNI’s community land trust, to take over ownership of the site from the City of Boston. DSNI also recently received a grant to research how these two sites could serve as a climate resilience hub. Using community feedback and the climate resilience hub research, Teams Andromeda and Corvus developed unique concepts to explore what a climate resilience hub could look like on the site.

SEED 3: Toddler Center Play Space in Somerville for The Elizabeth Peabody House

Interns: Safiwah and Garabed

Mentor: Josue Cisneros, principal at Avid Engineers

The Elizabeth Peabody House’s toddler center at 59 Cross Street has limited outdoor space available to connect their youngest learners with nature while providing them with adequate physical play time. Currently, Elizabeth Peabody House utilizes several local public parks, requiring toddlers to walk and play in spaces that are not typically designed to serve that age group. Safiwah and Garabed developed concepts for an outdoor space in the garden of 59 Cross Street that connects nature and the importance and power of play with a calming space for children to be together. Their concept aligned with the limitations and goals of a historic preservation restriction that exists on the old church building, while also incorporating the characteristics of the Reggio-Emilia educational philosophy. Their design envisions a space where students can connect with nature and learn and play together.