Codman Square Park
A Vision for the Codman Square Park Landscape Design & Public Art Project in Dorchester, MA Project Summary The Codman Square Neighborhood Council (CSNC) is spearheading the redesign of the Codman Square Park with the Friends of Codman Square Park. Creative placemaking is envisioned by designing a new landscape design that seamlessly integrates public art. The outcome is a transformational project for Codman Square. Our deeply rooted dialogue with the neighborhood and all partners has resulted in our common intent: to celebrate the culturally and ethnically diverse community and to link it with the trajectory of the area's historic evolution. Folded into this effort is the proposal to turn an adjacent church parking lot into contiguous green space that would dramatically transform a highly trafficked urban intersection. Several years of listening and planning by the Codman Square Neighborhood Council have resulted in a multi-layered, meaningful design by Kyle Zick Landscape Architecture in collaboration with Destiny Palmer, artist and professor of painting at Massachusetts College of Art and Design. The Site The Codman Square Park, located at about 360 Talbot Avenue in Dorchester, 02124 at the intersection of Washington Street and Talbot Avenue, neighbors the Second Church, the Great Hall, and the Codman Square Health Center. Codman Square itself is part of a historic district in central Dorchester and has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 1983. Important architectural landmarks include the 1806 Congregational Church, the 1904 Codman Square branch of the Boston Public Library, the former Girls Latin Academy (built 1900 as Dorchester High School), and the 1899 Lithgow Building, a commercial brick building. Codman Square Park is an important community meeting place and the CSNC assisted in its establishment as a public park in the 1980s. Project Partners The project is a collaborative effort between the City of Boston's Edward Ingersoll Browne Trust, Boston Parks and Recreation, the Boston Art Commission; the Codman Square Neighborhood Council; the Friends of Codman Square Park Selection Committee (Selection Committee) and community members. Its members are organized as the Friends of the Codman Square Park which are made up of residents, community organizations, merchants and other groups that care for the Codman Square Park. Codman Square has a long tradition as a major civic center in Dorchester. The planning process is facilitated by the Urban Culture Institute in partnership with the CSNC and the project team. Overall Goals for the Codman Square Park Redesign Public Art
Work Accomplished to Date During the fall and winter of 2016/2017, the CSNC hosted an information table at both the Codman Square Farmers Market and the Dorchester Winter Farmers Market in Codman Square to collect community comments regarding what residents would like to see at the Codman Square Park. Comments were also gathered at monthly CSNC meetings. In addition, the Friends of Codman Square Park continued to meet monthly to discuss those comments as well as the status and future of Codman Square Park. The following wish list captures some of the ideas established for the Codman Square Park improvements:
Budget The integral public art project is anticipated to be funded in part by the Edward Ingersoll Browne Trust Fund, a public charitable trust administered by the City of Boston Trust Office. The three finalist artists receive a $2,500 honorarium each for initial concept development and presentations. PROCESS Codman Square Park Landscape Redesign Kyle Zick Landscape Architecture (KZLA) was the firm selected during an invitational review process with four local landscape architecture firms as a first step of the planning and redesign process. KZLA then participated in the selection of three finalist artists to collaboratively develop public art for the Park and presented a site analysis at the October 10 Creative Dialog, a public meeting. Codman Square Park Site Analysis by KZLA (4 MB) Integral Public Art Finalist Proposals An open public art competition resulted in 134 entries. Following the art selection committee's thorough review three artists from New England and New York City were invited to develop site-specific schematic proposals. Finalist artists Catherine Widgery, Destiny Palmer and Osman Akan presented their initial integral art concepts in collaboration with Kyle Zick Landscape Architecture. |
Integrated Landscape Design and Public Art Proposal
Download the Codman Square Park Schematic Design PDF Locally based artist Destiny Palmer joined forces with Kyle Zick Landscape Architecture after both won the respective selection processes following an intense review process. The resulting transformational redesigned park proposal is responsive to ongoing programs and furthers the neighborhood's identity through a seamless integration of landscape design and public art. The design creates a welcoming, interactive storytelling in three ways:
Kyle Zick's schematic design combines the park with adjacent Second Church and its land to "expand the park so it can fulfill more needs and to create a fantastic setting for the church building, which has been both the most prominent physical landmark and the spiritual heart of Codman Square since its founding in 1806. The Codman Square Park renovations will blur the boundary between the park space and the church, allowing the park to grow in size, accommodate more programming and improve the overall aesthetics. The proposed park design is intended to evoke the purpose of the church and reflect the idea of communal gathering." Codman Square Park Integral Public Art RFQ Download the full Codman Square Park Integral Public Art RFQ including site photos, an overview of park programs and a bibliography. Schedule of Public Meetings with an Open Invitation to Participate The public is invited to a series of public presentations and discussions, and to provide feedback on the Codman Square Park Redesign as follows: by Friday, February 8, 2019 | Invitation to Comment We invite you to participate and provide feedback on the integral landscape design and public art proposal for the Codman Square Park Redesign. Download the KZLA landscape design & Destiny Palmer creative paving concept. Email your comments to the Friends of Codman Square Park. PUBLIC MEETINGS Wednesday, May 9 at 6 p.m. | Landscape Architecture Firm Presentations The Great Hall, 6 Norfolk St, Dorchester, MA Download the flyer. by May 21, 2018 | Invitation to Comment We invite you to participate and provide feedback on the 4 landscape architect presentations. Email your comments to the Friends of Codman Square Park. Wednesday, June 7 at 6pm | Review the Call to Artists Draft Friends of Codman Square Park, 14 Euclid St, Dorchester, MA Wednesday, September 12 at 6pm | Review Artist Entries Artist Selection Committee, 14 Euclid St, Dorchester, MA Wednesday, October 10, 2018 | 6-8pm Community Site Visit and Creative Dialog Session with Finalist Artists and Landscape Architect Second Church in Dorchester, 44 Moultrie Street, Dorchester, MA Download the flyer. Download the Creative Dialog notes. Thursday, December 12, 2018 | 6pm Public Presentation of 3 Finalist Schematic Design Proposals The Great Hall, 6 Norfolk Street, Dorchester, MA Download the flyer. by Saturday, December 15, 2018 | Invitation to Comment We invite you to participate and provide feedback on the 3 schematic public art proposals. Email your comments to the Friends of Codman Square Park. Tuesday, January 29, 2019 | 6-8pm Presentation of revised, collaborative Codman Square Park Redesign Proposal by artist Destiny Palmer and landscape architect Kyle Zick Codman Academy Black Box Theatre, 14 Epping Street, Dorchester, MA Download the flyer. by Friday, February 8, 2019 | Invitation to Comment We invite you to participate and provide feedback on the revised schematic design. Email your comments to the Friends of Codman Square Park. Press Daniel Sheehan. "New Design Effort Intended to ‘Re-activate’ Codman Square Park." Dorchester Reporter, January 28, 2019. How to Get Involved The Codman Square Neighborhood Council is seeking volunteers to get involved and to assist with anticipated fundraising for the implementation phase. Please email Cynthia Loesch-Johnson, CSNC, or Christina Lanzl, Urban Culture Institute. Contact For additional information please email Christina Lanzl. |