My redesign of Boston City Hall Plaza focuses on the idea of creating a space that allows for diverse programming so people can choose their level of civic participation and decide how much they want to engage.
I regraded the plaza to be accessible, elimination the majority of existing stairs, and created a significant open area to facilitate protests and other large gatherings taking up most of the space. Along the sides, the trees provide shade over a quieter, enclosed area.This urban context diagram shows how the surrounding neighborhoods also has areas where people can engage in various levels of activity. My design does not designate any specific uses for the different areas of the plaza, but they have varying spatial qualities that encourage different activities.
The entrance to the plaza becomes a lot more welcoming, not to mention more accessible, with the current imposing stairs removed and people can choose whether they want to walk through the large open space or through the trees. The landforms in my design serve two purposes. On the side facing the main plaza, they facilitate protest and gathering, with steps that can either be used as seating to watch what is happening below or as a higher platform to address a crowd. On the other side, they create a space for quiet and contemplation. By the subway station, a raised platform and the line of trees creates an area where people can watch what is happening in the main area of the plaza below without getting directly involved.
The process of creating this design involved folding paper models inspired by existing plazas then applying those designs in folded paper models of Boston City Hall Plaza. The three plazas I drew inspiration from were City Dune, Southeast Coastal Park, and Zuccotti Park.
Before starting the main project, we warmed up with an exercise in cutting and filling. The assignment was to cut and fill two areas of the plaza to create two medium-sized flat areas. I aimed to maximize open space and created a plaza design with a strong X-shaped division.
