Boston’s City Hall Plaza, once a symbol of urban deterioration, is now envisioned as a vibrant, accessible, and resilient civic space. The plaza’s transformation is a testament to the power of strategic planning and design, focusing on stormwater management, accessibility, canopy, and circulation. These incremental improvements have led to a bold reimagining of the plaza, aligning with the city’s commitment to sustainability and civic engagement.

The 2017 reconception of the plaza, follows years of analysis, planning and discreet projects that started in 2010. The Renewal Plan aims at revitalizing the plaza into a dynamic field that fosters civic engagement and public expression, addressing challenges such as maintenance, programming, community changes, and usage patterns within the building.

The Renewal Plan, developed in collaboration with Utile Architecture and Planning, enhances the plaza’s infrastructure for civic events and everyday use. It focuses on human comfort and sustainability, resizing terraces, integrating food and city services, planting trees, incorporating green stormwater practices, and ensuring universal accessibility. This comprehensive approach, supported by stakeholder engagement and interim interventions, has reshaped the plaza into a living system that reflects the modern digital age and the casual interactions of urban life.

Work completed while employed at Reed Hilderbrand; Adrian Fehrmann was the Project Manager.