Sert Proposes Renewal Plan

A bold proposal for the complete redevelopment of the area along the Charles River between Harvard and M.I.T. prepared by students at the Graduate School of Design was described in the current issue of The Architectural Forum.

The plan, drawn up last year by a number of fourth year graduate students under the direction of Jose Luis Sert, Dean of the Graduate School of Design, calls for replacing the current slum area with a mixture of row houses, walk-up and high-rise apartment buildings.

This plan would provide housing for 30,000 people, 50 per cent more than are now living in the area, at an estimated cost of $230 million.

The combination, which could be used in any metropolitan area, avoids what Sert calls the "sprawl or squeeze" alternatives. This refers to the tendencies of cities to become either extremely spread out or extremely crowded.

Sert opposes the contention that nothing is gained by moderate crowding. He feels that concentrated housing can provide definite benefits including the development of "urban character" and the conservation of land.