Landmarking Boston

Addressing challenges stemming from the intricate and bureaucratic process of official landmark designation, this interactive map, augmented by generative AI, juxtaposes Boston’s registered landmarks with grassroots sites acknowledged by local communities. Landmarks serve not merely as physical constructs but as repositories of identity and heritage, embodying the amalgamation of historical narratives, cultural practices, and community values that have been perpetuated across generations. The distinctive distribution of landmarks on the two maps reveals the hidden depth of certain buildings as the fixed points wherein the collective memory of communities is crystallized and materialized, prompting people to reflect on what it truly means for a place to be considered a landmark and its role in the shaping of public memory.

This project is part of a research initiative aimed at reimagining new and trustworthy data systems, spearheaded by the Berkman Klein Center for Internet & Society in collaboration with the Edgelands Institute. The final deliverable was exhibited at Boston’s Museum of Science in April 2024.