The Boston Society for Architecture Announces In Common: Sites of Encounter Exhibition Exploring the Spaces Where People Come Together

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Sep 03, 2025, 10:15 ET

Free and open to the public through December 31, 2025, exhibition-goers will learn about spaces spanning from civic buildings, skateparks, dormitories, to stairwells and can explore how their designs influence connection and belonging.

BOSTON, Sept. 3, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The Boston Society for Architecture (BSA), a non-profit membership organization focused on improving the quality of life for Boston-area residents by championing innovation in the built environment, is proud to announce the opening of In Common: Sites of Encounter, an exhibition exploring the spaces—both intentional and improvised—where people come together. Spanning civic buildings, skateparks, dormitories, and stairwells, In Common examines how design influences connection, belonging, and public life. Some spaces are carefully planned; others evolve through daily use. Together, they illustrate how the built environment supports and shapes community. The exhibition is free and open to the public at BSA Space through December 31, 2025.

Photo by Malakhai Pearson (https://malakhaipearson.com/)

Pictured: "Take a Seat" by Architecture for Public Benefit. Photo by Natalie Tague (BSA).

Pictured: IBA "La CASA" Cultural Center by Studio ENEÉ with Annum Architects. Photo by Natalie Tague (BSA).

Pictured: SUPA System by Joseph Zeal Henry with Dora Garcia. Photo by Malakhai Pearson (https://malakhaipearson.com/).

"In Common invites visitors to consider where we gather and why it matters," said Paige Johnston, BSA's Senior Director of Programs & Impact. "By showcasing both formal projects and spaces shaped by people themselves, the exhibition highlights design's role in fostering connection across diverse contexts."

The exhibition features work by architects, designers, and collaborators from across Greater Boston, presented through drawings, models, and photographs. It is organized around six spatial typologies: Belonging, Culture, Healing, Play, Welcome, and Learning. These categories offer a framework for considering different ways that space shapes collective life. They are not fixed; they overlap, blur, and complicate one another—as do the projects themselves. A limited-edition In Common newspaper, containing images and information about all of the projects in the show, is available for free to gallery visitors.

In Common: Sites of Encounter is presented by the BSA Foundation, with support from TriPyramid and CityWide Contracting. The exhibit location and hours of operation are as follows:

In Common: Sites of Encounter
BSA Space
290 Congress Street, Suite 200
Boston, MA 02210
Open Monday – Thursday 10 am – 4 pm
On view through December 31, 2025

BSA Space, which is free and open to the public, is the only exhibition venue in Boston dedicated to exploring the built environment. For more information about the BSA and the BSA Foundation, visit architects.org or follow them on Linkedin (@boston-society-for-architecture) and Instagram (@bsaaia).

ABOUT THE BOSTON SOCIETY FOR ARCHITECTURE

The Boston Society for Architecture (BSA) is focused on improving the quality of life for Boston-area residents by championing innovation in the built environment, with particular emphasis on sustainability and social equity. We achieve this by connecting our diverse and passionate network of over 4,500 architects, firms and allied members through collaborative initiatives that create solutions towards a more equitable and sustainable future. We extend and deepen these efforts philanthropically through donations and hands-on work in our community. The BSA is one of the oldest and largest chapters of the American Institute of Architects (AIA). For more information about the BSA and the BSA Foundation, visit architects.org.

SOURCE Boston Society for Architecture