Growing Verdant Spaces in an Urban Landscape

Green spaces are precious on MIT’s 154 acres since buildings, walkways, and transportation arteries absorb much of the urban campus. Sports fields, Killian Court, and Kresge Oval offer green gathering places, and outdoor sculptures by renowned artists dot the campus. New efforts — from entrance courtyards on new buildings to redesigning and replanting existing sites — polish green gems among the built environment.

A Facilities landscape architect manages the palette of trees, shrubs, and groundcovers that designers use to implement sustainable gardens in harmony with the setting, seasonal interest, and microclimate. Careful practices, such as the relocation of honey locust trees from construction sites to enhance other locales, produce green walkways, gardens, and courtyards that offer respite between classes, sunny lunch spots, and informal places to chat.

Vassar Streetscape West, a project to convert a barren roadway into a lively boulevard, is fostering a new neighborhood featuring entrances and courtyards for new building projects. Tree-lined walkways will shelter pedestrians; bicycle tracks and pedestrian- friendly traffic timing will move people fluidly from Main Street to West campus.

In collaboration with Facilities, the President’s Office, and Kathryn Willmore, Landscape Architect Elena Saporta designed the Kathryn Willmore Garden within the existing President’s Garden. Kurt Tramposh, who had been involved in establishing the original hosta beds, donated most of the new hostas. Grounds Services donated the labor that was needed to remove the existing trees.

Learn more about campus trees and plantings on MIT Facilities Grounds Services garden tours offered through MITAC.