A rendering of Harvard University'sEnterprise Research Campus in Allston. Courtesy of TishmanSpeyer

BOSTON—The Harvard Allston Land Company reports it hasdesignated Tishman Speyer as the preferred developer forthe initial phase of Harvard University's Enterprise ResearchCampus in Allston.

The ERC is located on Western Avenue, adjacent to Harvard's newScience and Engineering complex and across the street from HarvardBusiness School.

The entire ERC consists of 36 acres off of Western Avenue inAllston. The first phase is for a 14-acre portion that receivedinitial regulatory approval for 900,000 square feet of newdevelopment from the Boston Planning and Development Agency inMarch 2018. The first phase includes plans for lab/office space,residential space and a hotel and a conference center.

"Tishman Speyer will bring to Allston a wealth of experienceshaped by extraordinary work around the world, and we look forwardto the further development of the Enterprise Research Campus," saysHarvard president Larry Bacow. "The convergence of art, business,and engineering in a new urban district will create opportunitiesfor creativity and innovation that will drive achievements inresearch that none of us can imagine."

Jeanne Gang, who graduated from the Harvard Graduate School ofDesign in 1993 with a master's in architecture degree, and is afounding principal of Studio Gang, an international architectureand urban design practice based in Chicago, New York and SanFrancisco has been hired as the architect for the project. TishmanSpeyer has previously worked with Gang on residential projects inSan Francisco and Brooklyn, NY, as well as the Mission Rock projectin San Francisco. Gang has also done work on the University ofChicago's campus and on O'Hare International Airport.

Tishman Speyer's plan for the ERC is to create buildings andopen spaces that are configured to simultaneously maximize usercomfort and offer a diverse mix of program potential. Its proposalseeks to focus on creating social infrastructure that promotes"inclusivity, shared experiences, collaboration and humanhappiness…where cultural identity is expressed and authenticallycelebrated."

"Over the next several months HALC and Tishman Speyer will beworking with the local community, elected officials and City Hallto develop and refine a project proposal so that it can be sharedand formally submitted for review," says Thomas Glynn, CEO ofHALC.

One potential building, dubbed the "Treehouse," would serve as awelcoming front door to the ERC, and would reimagine the concept ofa traditional hotel and conference center as a "hyper-socialbuilding for local, regional and global populations."

Tishman Speyer states that it plans on partnering withLabCentral, a provider of shared laboratory spaces forhigh-potential life-sciences and biotech start-ups in the Bostonarea. LabCentral has been an operating partner of the PagliucaHarvard Life Lab since 2016.

The New York City-based firm currently owns and operates morethan 3 million square feet of space in Boston and has two projectsin the city, including the mixed-use Pier 4 in the Seaport, and 105West First St., a life-science lab, also in the SeaportDistrict.