Despite playing an important and vibrant role in Massachusetts’ strong tech economy, Kendall Square’s physical appearance, urban design, and vehicular design are at odds with its importance as home to MIT, Google, Microsoft and 21st century innovation in general. As part of an On-Call House Doctor contract, Cambridge selected KMDG to lead first a visioning exercise for a new and more vibrant Kendall Square, followed with completion of construction documents to remake the Main Street corridor.

Our process includes broad public involvement and intensive work with a stakeholders group comprised of the primary real estate, research, and entrepreneurial entities headquartered there. Part ‘blue sky thinking’ of innovative sculpture, information devices, and site elements—part pragmatic strategic redesign of sidewalks utilizing Cambridge standard bricks and furniture—the objective of the project is to create a vibrant and visible new hub of Cambridge’s innovation epicenter.