The Longwood Collective, the chief planner and principal steward of the world-renowned Longwood Medical and Academic Area (LMA), is honored to announce that its V.P. for Area Planning and Development Tom Yardley and Urban Planner/Designer Rachel Dowley Alexander were selected to present at the American Society of Landscape Architects’ (ASLA) recent “ScaleUp Conference on Landscape Architecture,’’ one of the industry’s most prestigious annual events.

As V.P. of Area Planning and Development, Yardley is responsible for conducting long-range planning and development studies and managing the implementation of projects in building development, transportation, energy and infrastructure, housing, workforce development, open space and transportation demand management.

As an Urban Planner/Designer, Alexander oversees the Longwood Collective’s robust seasonal placemaking program called Outside// that brings food trucks, live music, fitness classes, book and game carts, and other free and publicly available amenities and events to the LMA.

Joining Yardley and Alexander for the presentation at the Minneapolis Convention Center were Xi Yang and Brie Hensold of Agency Landscape + Planning, a Cambridge-based firm that has worked with the Longwood Collective on enhancing the Outside// program. In addition to describing the offerings and goals of Outside// during the panel discussion entitled “Urban Activation and Placemaking at a Medical District,” the presentation also delved into ways the Longwood Collective determines which activities and offerings are best suited for distinct environments such as plazas, parks, and green spaces, “urban edges” like sidewalks alongside buildings, and other types of environments within the district.

“We continually hear from our member institutions about how much they look to our Outside// program to create moments of joy and ‘bring a culture of care outside’ to complement the extraordinary work our hospitals and medical centers perform every day,” said Alexander. “We also all see Outside// as another way to continue to make the LMA even more inviting and welcoming to people from all backgrounds and all neighborhoods of Boston and surrounding communities.’’

The Outside// program was launched in 2019 with the Longwood Collective’s member institutions including Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston Children's Hospital, and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.

Outside// is supported by a team of three front-line “ambassadors” who help engage people with available programs and amenities and a team leader from Block by Block, a Kentucky-based firm that provides a suite of services to activate and maintain business and academic/medical districts like the LMA in Boston and cities throughout the country.