Architecture & Urban Design
Allston’s best streets were built for ordinary families, and they’re beautiful. We study why, and how new buildings can earn the same affection.
Allston’s urban heritage
Between 1890 and 1940, Allstonians built courtyard apartments, commercial blocks and homes that gave middle-class families dignity and beauty on a budget. This illustrated field guide explains the patterns that make those buildings work: symmetry, base-middle-crown, solid foundations, rhythm and grand entrances.
Read the essayFifteen sites, reimagined
We photographed one-story retail strips, auto shops and parking lots across Allston-Brighton and used AI tools to sketch traditional, street-facing housing in their place. Then we priced every concept.
See the concepts
TodayAI concept
Related research
- Cost study · Oct 2026→
Traditional housing costs and by-right design in Boston
Traditional street composition can be built with economical contemporary methods. Objective façade rules, not case-by-case review, can make it the default.
- Essay→
Allston’s urban heritage
What makes Allston beautiful, and why so much new construction falls short.