Part of the City’s Capital Improvement Plan, the half acre Sweeney Playground project offers new life to a historic park in the heart of the South Boston neighborhood. With a brightly colored synthetic surface stretched over a rippling topography of hillocks and valleys, the playground is inviting and welcoming to children and families alike. On hot summer days, cool water sprouting from a set of jets can be triggered by children, encouraging interactive play and the permeable surface and infiltration basin allow for groundwater recharge on-site during rain and storm events.

Stoss engaged with the Boston Parks and Recreation Department in a three-part public engagement process that brought South Boston residents to the table to improve the neighborhood park. The team utilized interactive plans, decision matrices and precedent photos to elicit feedback from a wide-ranging group of community members within a short timeframe. Comparisons were made to neighboring parks as well as similar parks from across the country, and questionnaires provided immediate feedback for the design team. 

Sweeney Playground is a continuation of the research and practice of Stoss’s interest in simple technical efficiencies and hybrid solutions that can do many things at the same time—most importantly enriching the lives and experiences of people through interactive environments, activity, and play.

client

Boston Parks & Recreation

location

Boston, MA

TEAM

Stoss