Yoga Center in East Boston

This project was developed during a three-week summer study at Harvard University’s Graduate School of Design in 2023. The goal of the project was to propose a community space in East Boston on a 20’x100’ empty lot within a dense neighborhood of row houses.

In this predominantly residential setting, the design explores new layers between private and public spaces. Beginning with the question of how to “bond” the two blind facades flanking the site, the proposal introduces accessible pathways leading to a yoga studio and children’s indoor and outdoor play areas. Pedestrians are guided from the street into these spaces through a sequence of pathways, steps and ramps shaped by a universal design approach.

To make the yoga studio inviting and connective, transparent walls maximize visibility and capture morning and afternoon sun interchangeably throughout the day. In doing so, the project blurs the boundaries between public and private offering an inclusive and interconnected spatial experience that enhances the sense of community.