Architecture Critic Inga Saffron gives a less-than-stellar review of the newly revealed revamp of Philadelphia's Love Park.
The ceaseless need for "activation" dooms the project to redesign JFK Plaza (also known as LOVE Park) in Philadelphia, according to Inga Saffron.
The review comes by way of big news for the city of Philadelphia. "The park, part of a trio of ’60s-era plazas encircling City Hall, has just reopened after a complex, two-year reconstruction aimed at stopping leaks into the city’s underground concourse network," explains Saffron, who also describes more details of the mechanics and ambitions of the project.
Saffron's expresses disappointment about the result of the project, however: "The new, 2.3-acre park is a featureless plateau, sloping diagonally from 15th and JFK Boulevard, down to the Parkway. Standing at that corner, you can take in the entire space with a single glance."
Saffron also absolves the renovation's designers of the project (Hargreaves Associates and KieranTimberlake) to a certain extent, in explaining the politics of the project. The city's political leadership wanted a "People's Park," and ended up with a new park "designed by committee."
FULL STORY: LOVE Park was supposed to be the People's Park. How did it end up as a granite Sahara? | Inga Saffron
What ‘The Brutalist’ Teaches Us About Modern Cities
How architecture and urban landscapes reflect the trauma and dysfunction of the post-war experience.
‘Complete Streets’ Webpage Deleted in Federal Purge
Basic resources and information on building bike lanes and sidewalks, formerly housed on the government’s Complete Streets website, are now gone.
The VW Bus is Back — Now as an Electric Minivan
Volkswagen’s ID. Buzz reimagines its iconic Bus as a fully electric minivan, blending retro design with modern technology, a 231-mile range, and practical versatility to offer a stylish yet functional EV for the future.
Ratepayers Could Be on the Hook for Data Centers’ Energy Use
Without regulatory changes, data centers’ high demand for energy would be subsidized by taxpayers, according to a new study.
City Nature Challenge: Explore, Document, and Protect Urban Biodiversity
The City Nature Challenge is a global community science event where participants use the iNaturalist app to document urban biodiversity, contributing valuable data to support conservation and scientific research.
A Lone Voice for Climate: How The Wild Robot Stands Apart in Hollywood
Among this year’s Oscar-nominated films, only The Wild Robot passed the Climate Reality Check, a test measuring climate change representation in storytelling, highlighting the ongoing lack of climate awareness in mainstream Hollywood films.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
City of Albany
UCLA Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies
Mpact (formerly Rail~Volution)
Chaddick Institute at DePaul University
City of Piedmont, CA
Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research