MAYOR JANEY ANNOUNCES THE 2021 PUBLIC SPACE INVITATIONAL DESIGN COMPETITION

MAYOR JANEY ANNOUNCES THE 2021 PUBLIC SPACE INVITATIONAL DESIGN COMPETITION This year’s program seeks to support the expansion of community compost in Boston

 

BOSTON - Wednesday, May 5, 2021 - Today, Mayor Janey announced the launch of the 2021 Public Space Invitational, a civic design competition that seeks ideas to reimagine our public spaces in Boston. In partnership with the City of Boston’s Public Works Department, Environment’s Zero Waste team, TD Bank, and The Trustees, the Mayor’s Office of New Urban Mechanics is seeking proposals for customized compost bins to support the ongoing expansion of community compost in Boston. Six project proposals will be selected, and winning teams will have up to $5,000 for the implementation of their ideas. Applications are available at space.newurbanmechanics.org and will be accepted through June 1st, 2021. “Now in its seventh year, the Public Space Invitational has provided so many opportunities for our creative community to bring joy and innovation to our public spaces,“ said Mayor Janey. “I am excited to see the great ideas that will help us expand compost in an equitable and accessible way throughout Boston.“ Since 2015, the City of Boston has run Project Oscar, a pilot program that allows residents to drop off their food scraps for compost at five sites. This summer, Public Works plans to expand the program across the city to multiple new locations, ensuring that community compost is available to all residents. Through the Public Space Invitational, Public Works hopes applicants can address several issues with the City’s current compost bins, such as establishing a unique visual identity for the bins, improving accessibility, and reducing contamination. Since 2018, the Public Space Invitational has been supported by TD Bank and The Trustees, a steward of 56 community gardens in Boston. Through their partnership, 14 projects at six community gardens in Dorchester, Roxbury, Fenway, Jamaica Plain, and East Boston have launched. Selected projects have supported food access, storytelling, community dinners, performances, and interactive play. This year, The Trustees plans to host educational programming about composting at several community gardens this summer. The Public Space Invitational is part of a continuing series of efforts to engage Boston's creative community. For more information on the initiative, please visit space.newurbanmechanics.org.