Chapman Arms

Chapman Arms, Cambridge, MA

Chapman Arms is a mixed-use, 50-unit apartment building located in the heart of Harvard Square, designed in 1897 by Josephine Wright Chapman, one of the nation’s earliest female architects. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Properties and originally served as student housing for Harvard University.  Homeowner’s Rehab Inc., a not-for-profit that promotes affordable housing, purchased the building in 2011 to enable the preservation of 25 affordable units that the building provides and fund its renovation.

The entry courtyard, an inner courtyard and foundation plantings were refurbished to accommodate the community while attaining the design goals: budget, sustainability, accessibility and historic precedent.

Drought-tolerant plants were chosen for the design, and several are native, including Serviceberry, Viburnum, and Cinnamon Fern.

The landscape design won the WinnResidential Landscape Award in 2014.