By Grey Lee
Boston's Mayor Marty Walsh kicked off a new design competition today at ABX – the Boston Society of Architects' (BSA) annual convention at the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center.
“Boston Living with Water” will draw on the collective talent of architects and planners globally to explore how rising sea level can be an opportunity rather than a threat to Boston. Three types of scenarios are in the contest: mid-size multifamily building on the waterfront, a vacant lot area in the Seaport, and Morrissey Boulevard on the Dorchester waterfront which already floods regularly.
More info on the contest is here.
Hundreds of people attended to hear the announcement, which also included remarks by Chief of Environment for the City Brian Swett describing a leadership summit on climate resilience to be hosted at UMass Boston in the spring.
The Mayor was joined by City Manager Rossi of Cambridge, Manager Ash of Chelsea and Executive Director of the Metropolitan Area Planning Commission Marc Draisen to announce a new regional effort to help prepare Boston and the metropolitan area for the impacts of climate change.
Also in attendance (below) were the leaders of the BSA Eric Wilson (Executive Director) and Emily Grandstaff-Rice (current President of the BSA) among other state and local officials.
Chapter all-stars included Phoebe Beierle (Boston Public Schools), John Dalzell (Boston Redevelopment Authority), [Grey Lee], and Brian Swett (City of Boston).
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Interior Designer, Jacobs, Boston
Senior Vice President, Market Transformation and Development U.S. Green Building Council
AIA LEED AP BD+C | Senior Associate, Gensler Boston 
LEED Fellow, WELL AP | Founder and Principal, Ecoworks Studio
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Sustainability Director, Steven Winter Associates
Assistant Professor of Exposure Science | Director of the Healthy Buildings program
Managing Director, Harvard University Office for Sustainability
Principal & Director of Certifications and Consulting, Epsten Group, Inc.
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Associate Principal, BuroHappold Engineering
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Co-Founder, Facilitator at The Laurentia Project | LEED AP BD+C, LFA
Founder and President, Board of the Healthy Building Network
Building Technology Director, Kingspan North America
LEED® AP ID+C, BD+C, USGBC Faculty, WELL® AP, WELL Faculty and Fitwel Ambassador
Workplace Strategy Expert and Researcher, EYP
Principal, Integrated Ecostrategy
Senior Vice President, International WELL Building Institute
AIA, LEED AP BD+C, WELL AP
Principal, Bruner/Cott
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FAIA, LEED Fellow, Long Green Specs
Products & Materials Specialist, BuildingGreen
Director of Acquisitions and Development
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Global Head of Sustainability, Superior Essex