CIW Event: The City of Neighborhoods Series: The Embrace

Boston is known as the city of neighborhoods. Each area with its own distinct history, architecture, and culture. Established in 1634, the Boston Common has served a community purpose for almost 400 years. Join us as part of the City of Neighborhoods Series where we tour the latest addition to Boston's community space.  

Located in America’s oldest public park, The Embrace is one of the largest memorials dedicated to civil rights and social justice. The 6,000-SF circular plaza surrounding the monument features granite custom-shaped pavers, benches and wall elements. Chosen for its historical significance as the site of one of the first civil rights marches, the “1965 Freedom Plaza” is made up of over 1,300 granite stone pieces in six different finishes with diamond-shaped pavers that evoke African American quilt making traditions.  Completed in December 2022 and opened to the public in February 2023, Skanska’s Boston team donated close to 2,900 hours in project management services, working with the Design Team and Artist Team from conceptual through final design, permitting, and construction.  This included, guiding Embrace Boston through determining the necessary permits from various city departments and agencies, acting as the steward of the budget and helping oversee the general contractor hired by the city to perform the work.
 
Together, The Embrace and The 1965 Freedom Plaza create a memorial which marks the first step in a transformative vision for the city of Boston.
 


Presented by:

Jonathan Evans
MASS Design Group - Principal in Charge for the Embrace
 
Jonathan Evans has built a career designing impactful projects that advance justice in the built environment. At MASS Design Group, he is a Principal leading the Boston Studio, where he stewards a portfolio of civic projects and housing developments. During his tenure at MASS, Jonathan served as the principal-in-charge of the architectural scope for “The Embrace” memorial. His civic work also includes the creation of public realm projects and master planning initiatives, primarily in communities that have been historically disadvantaged and underserved. 
 
Jonathan is a mayoral appointment to the Boston Civic Design Commission and he often serves as a lecturer at professional forums such as the National AIA Conference, NOMA, Mayor’s Institute for City Design, and the Affordable Housing Design Leadership Institute, and well as a studio critic at Boston-area architecture schools. 
 
Jonathan received his Bachelor of Science in Architecture from the University of Virginia and his Master in Architecture from the Harvard Graduate School of Design, where he was awarded the Alpha Rho Chi medal for leadership, service, and promise of professional merit. 
 
Chris Scovel
MASS Design Group - Project Architect for the Embrace
 
Chris Scovel joined MASS in 2011, working in different capacities on projects in East and West Africa, India, Haiti and the United States. He has led design teams for new construction and renovation healthcare and education projects across the globe, including the construction of the GHESKIO CTC and TB Hospitals in Haiti. 
 
More recently in his tenure at MASS, Chris has been working on a variety of Boston-based projects. These include a few recent projects undertaken with MASS’s Public Memory and Memorials team, such as “The Embrace” memorial and memorial work with King’s Chapel. Chris has been a valuable mentor on a broad range of projects and to many individuals at MASS. 
 
Prior to MASS, Chris worked as an architect in Boston providing design, project management, and construction administration expertise on multiple institutional projects. Chris is a registered and LEED-certified architect. He received his Master in Architecture from the Harvard Graduate School of Design.
Afterwards, join your colleagues for a reception with appetizers and a hosted bar!

Guy Fieri's Kitchen and Bar
186 Tremont Street
Boston, MA 02116

ATTENDEES

AGC MA Construction Inclusion Week Events

Construction Inclusion Week is the first effort to harness the collective power of general contractors, specialty contractors, subcontractors, and suppliers. This week aims to build awareness of the need to improve diversity and inclusion in the construction industry by providing content and resources.

Below you'll find a number of different events AGC MA is hosting during Construction Inclusion Week to help build awareness and and improve diversity in the industry.
 

BWiC/CFDI Open House October 16, 2023 5:00 PM - 8:00 PM Siena Construction Company Offices Learn more here.

Diversity Summit October 17, 2023 2:00 PM - 6:00 PM Boston University's Agganis Arena Learn more here.

Adopt-A-School October 20, 2023 10:00 AM - 1:00 PM Boston Area Schools Learn more here.

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