A Welcoming, Fully Accessible Boston City Hall Plaza Reopens to the Public
The transformed Plaza will serve as a welcoming civic heart for generations of Bostonians
At long last, making one of Boston's most-used civic places welcoming and accessible for everyday and special day occasions
Boston City Hall Plaza Renovation
When all phases of the City Hall Plaza renovation are complete, the plaza will be a prime venue in Boston to host a wide variety of civic and social events, while also serving as a welcoming everyday destination
Sasaki, in partnership with Mayor Michelle Wu and the City of Boston, is embarking on a renovation of the historic Boston City Hall Plaza. The seven-acre plaza is one of the City’s largest civic spaces and for the last 50 years it has hosted events ranging from sports celebrations and political rallies to seasonal cultural festivals. Much has changed about the plaza’s urban context, standards of public safety and security, and municipal operations since its design in the 1960s. Currently, the Plaza lacks 21st century infrastructure to support engaged, civic life: its massive open space and stepped elevation change makes for an unwelcoming and inaccessible environment for everyday activity.
In October 2017, the city released the Boston City Hall and Plaza Master Planning Study: Rethink City Hall, which was led by Utile and Reed Hilderbrand. The study resulted in a 30-year master plan to address required repairs and to transform the 50-year-old City Hall and Plaza into an innovative, healthy, and efficient civic facility to better serve current and future generations of Bostonians and visitors, alike.
While today a wall of granite steps greets visitors on Congress Street, the plaza’s future northeast corner gateway draws visitors up into the plaza via a universally accessible pathway, passing an exciting playscape, seating, wayfinding elements, and plantings along the way.
Community engagement began in early 2015 during the master planning process. Across social media and through dozens of public meetings the public helped crowdsource ideas on how to reimagine the plaza. As the project has proceeded it has engaged, and will continue to engage, many stakeholders and abutters; importantly, these include the MBTA and the U.S. General Services Administration, which concurrently has been master planning their own modern-era building and site.
Increased tree canopy at the terraces along Cambridge Street frames striking views of the historic west façade of the building, while also helping to improve the plaza’s resilience to rising temperatures and intensifying storms. Intuitive, universally accessible pathways lead all visitors together into the heart of the plaza.
The design’s guiding principles
The Phase 1 City Hall Plaza project arising from the master plan has begun. Led by Sasaki, its main goal is to make the plaza more accessible for all while delivering updated programming capabilities, adding infrastructure, and improving sustainability. The new design aims to connect Congress and Cambridge Streets with an accessible sloped promenade activated by 21st century civic amenities like shady seating and gathering areas, a destination play space, a public art space, and an iconic water feature. The main plaza will accommodate events of up to 20,000 people in a wide variety of potential configurations.
Phase 1 of the plaza’s renovation re-opens the North Entry, among other improvements
Originally intended to be a main public entrance to City Hall, the North Entry has been closed since September 11, 2001. The renovation will shift the lower glass façade subtly outwards to make space for a modern security screening station inside the lobby; seating, plantings, sculpture, and bike amenities in the entry court create a welcoming point of arrival for visitors.
Where today inaccessible stairs and ramp-stairs block access to the building’s main entrance and upper courtyard, the plaza renovation will open these areas up with universally accessible pathways as well as provide comfortable spaces to sit and observe the everyday life of the plaza
The design team’s plan for the plaza envisions public programming of all kinds, from large-scale events to small family outings
A new playscape invigorates fourteen vertical feet of existing granite steps between City Hall’s north entry and the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) terrace with active play opportunities that sculpturally reinterpret the modern-era concrete forms of the building. The playscape is a destination for the region’s families and visitors of all ages.
Additional project features include:
- Opening the North building entry
- Accessibility improvements to the plaza entry
- Enhanced speakers corner
- Stormwater improvements working with Boston Water and Sewer Commission
- Flexible platform for various sized performances
From the main plaza, the Hanover Promenade slopes gently down nineteen vertical feet to Congress Street, replacing the historic pattern of granite stairs and brick terraces with an accessible route that hints at the original character. Shaded terraces featuring interactive public art offer comfortable new places to relax, play, and gather at the building’s edges.
A new “speaker’s corner” integrates with the historic ramping to provide the ideal platform for mayoral addresses, flag-raisings, and other important civic events at the front door of City Hall. When not in use for events, the platform provides comfortable seatwalls from which to observe the plaza. Universal access to the fourth floor terrace is built into the corner.
Nestled into the grade between Congress Street and the U.S. General Serves Administration (GSA) terrace above, a new civic pavilion will activate Congress Street, housing restrooms and mechanical support for the plaza, and providing ample room for community programming both inside as well as atop a roof terrace that opens onto the Cancer Garden of Hope.
The updates will modernize the historic Plaza with improved infrastructure, sustainability and public spaces while simultaneously honoring its original intentions and history as Boston’s place to gather, celebrate, and make residents’ voices heard.
The Boston City Hall Plaza Renovation project is managed through the City’s Operations Cabinet by the Public Facilities Department in partnership with the Property Management Department and is assisted by owners project manager Skanska USA.
The new terraces along Cambridge Street offer a view of activities on the main plaza and the prominent west façade of the building year round. Upgrades to the plaza’s infrastructure, security, loading capacity, durability, and accessibility make it easier to host a diverse range of events that welcome during all four seasons.
Construction on the plaza broke ground in July 2020 and is led by construction manager Shawmut Design and Construction.
For additional information about the City Hall Plaza Renovation project, visit boston.gov/city-hall-plaza. For more background on the Rethink City Hall Master Planning Study completed in 2017, visit www.rethinkcityhall.org.
For more information contact Fiske Crowell.
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Updates will bring the Plaza into the modern century with improved infrastructure, sustainability, and public spaces — honoring the plaza's 50-year history while making it a more accessible place for all
