Paradise at Park Side
Master Plan and Landscape Design

Cambridge, Massachusetts
1988-2001

“This place was just mud in the winter and dust in the summer and little square boxes. We’ve got grass now, the exteriors are gorgeous and we feel as safe as any place in town.” These words by a resident summarize recent changes to this 23 acre, 15 building public housing complex in northeast Washington, which are illustrated here by before and after views of typical courtyards. Project Landscape Architect, Nancy W. Denig, led resident workshops and developed the master plan and design for the site in accord with defensible space principles. The plan features courtyard differentiation, privatized entry terraces, a promenade, furnishings, plantings and new community facilities: a child care center and outdoor play lot, half basketball courts and a water play area. Construction and planting was done by a new resident contracting company, adding to residents’ sense of pride and ownership in their new home environment.