City of Boston Taps Reed Hilderbrand, Agency, and Weston & Sampson To Reimagine Christopher Columbus Park & Long Wharf
Reed Hilderbrand will work in tandem with planning and engineering partners to reconceptualize the waterfront as public amenity and storm protection infrastructure
Boston, MA — Reed Hilderbrand was just named design lead for the revitalization of the Christopher Columbus Park and Long Wharf on the North End of Boston Harbor. At the heart of this project will be the cultivation of a cohesive experience across a deeply varied public waterfront—one that acts as festival site, memorial, playground, promenade, and more—and transforming the area into an accessible, inclusive, relaxing, and resilient green space that offers a more dynamic and expressive experience of the Harbor. To realize this opportunity, Agency Landscape and Planning, alongside engineering and environmental consultants Weston & Sampson, will complement Reed Hilderbrand’s leadership through providing community engagement and resilient coastal engineering strategies, respectively.
Central to Reed Hilderbrand’s practice is a focus on holistic wellbeing, healthy and resilient ecosystems, and above all, an ethic of place. Given the layered histories of the site, its storied design legacy, and its role in the city at-large, Reed Hilderbrand recognizes the importance of honoring its urban context and creating a space that feels authentic and relevant to its users. At a critical location along the harbor, the project will also integrate storm protection infrastructure, blocking a key floodway into the city. The firm will draw on twenty-five years’ experience working on civic landscapes, including waterfront sites that must withstand climate events along with the wear and tear of daily life.
“As a local firm, we’re eager to contribute to the urban fabric we call home. We have long been committed to the stewardship of Boston’s beloved public spaces, and now have the opportunity to revitalize such a critical nexus point for the community and help protect it from sea level rise. We embrace the challenge to innovate on climate infrastructure and pair storm protection, environmental cooling and biodiversity enhancements with improvements to the overall comfort and enjoyment of an important public park.”
Eric Kramer
This fourteen month-long planning process—carried out under the direction of the Boston Parks and Planning Departments, who will be leading on the city side— will engage the community, local stakeholders and regulators at the city, state and federal level to put forward an achievable plan that meets the varied needs of the many communities.
“Christopher Columbus Park and Long Wharf offer so many rich experiences to Bostonians today—from lively festivals and fitness classes to casual places to enjoy lunch or take a moment to view the water,” said Brie Hensold, Principal at Agency. “We're excited to hear more from the community about what makes this place special and to imagine improvements that respond directly to visitor needs while advancing long term resilience goals.”
“Weston & Sampson is proud to be a part of the design team for Christopher Columbus Park and Long Wharf, two of Boston's most beloved public spaces,” said Weston & Sampson’s Chief Development Officer Cheri Ruane. “This project presents both a challenge and an opportunity to preserve what people cherish about these places while thoughtfully integrating the resilience infrastructure needed for future generations. We're proud to be part of a team that brings together design excellence, community engagement, and technical expertise to help Boston advance these goals.”
Comprising a critical civic space, Christopher Columbus Park and Long Wharf are within ten minutes walking distance for 16,000 Bostonians, and in very close proximity to downtown, which sees 115,000 commuters during the week. Recognizing the many stakeholders, the team intends for this design process to be a dialogue with community members, and plan to work closely with the city to ensure that collaboration.
