KIERANTIMBERLAKE
about matters of importance to them and brought additional insights into youth development, the creation of welcoming public space, and engaging residents affected by extreme violence, prejudice, and incarceration. Little Giant Creative, having led a great deal of engagement with BIPOC audiences, provided guidance on language that would resonate with broad audiences. Together, the consultant team formulated an engagement plan that centered around thematic and neighborhood-based focus groups, including food as social capital, freedom in public space, intergenerational play, accessibility, operations and management, musicians and promoters, and cultural entrepreneurship. In addition, the three place-based partners held discussions in their neighborhoods — Southeast Philadelphia, Southwest, and North Philadelphia. Participants in these conversations, who were compensated for their time, provided unique insights based on their experience with Penn’s Landing, the waterfront overall, and other Philadelphia public spaces. It was exceptionally useful to hear how residents from throughout the city experienced public space, what they viewed as a “welcoming” public space, and what would draw them to the new Park at Penn’s Landing. Topic-specific focus groups provided meaningful input about programming, such as the need to provide a multitude of food options (especially at affordable price points) and accommodate local artists and musicians, not just big name shows. PennPraxis, in partnership with DRWC, PennDOT, the City, and AECOM, also co-hosted a public forum in October 2019 to capture wider public input into the programming of the future park, which reinforced many of the concepts that came from the smaller discussions. PennPraxis developed tools to aid in the conversations around design. A basic site model was made to show the various nodes of the park, including play areas, gardens, festival accommodations, the pavilion, and the river walk, and input was sought about each. Additional materials explained what was possible within the design, such as which parts of the park would be built on fill and which on a platform. Meetings were facilitated by the nonprofit partners, who worked with the model and the meeting toolkit provided.
design process was very poignant. The Freedom in Public Space focus group articulated the uneasiness that many experienced in widely praised public spaces such as Rittenhouse Square and the Schuylkill River Trail. To this group, “safety” was the essential ingredient in a welcoming public space, which meant that people had to be assured that they would not be type-cast as undesirable because of the way they looked, dressed, or interacted. Similarly, the accessibility conversation shone light on the public space experience of those with sight, hearing, or mobility impairments and cognitive challenges. In total, these conversations highlighted the enormous challenge of making a public space truly accessible for everyone. Every detail of the park design must take these many needs into consideration, and — more importantly — so must future management. Recommendations included sensitivity about surveillance, affordability, opening hours, local hiring, and providing employment opportunities for young people.
LOOKING AHEAD
While comments from the focus groups varied, key points of feedback included the need to provide more “nodes” for gathering, shade, areas for quite respite, places for local public art, and ample venues for local artists and artisans. Preference was stated for materials that were typical of and representative of Philadelphia. Members of the design team, Hargreaves Associates, working with KieranTimberlake, participated in several
At the crossroads of many aspects of Philadelphia’s history, what is happening at Penn’s Landing is representative of trends in the entire city — and where it is moving. It is creating an exciting new public space. It is completing essential transportation links that will enhance its accessibility and attractiveness as a public amenity. It is inciting new, large scale commercial and residential development. In the foreseeable future (the park is due to be completed in 2026), decades of planning and visioning will materialize in a cohesive and interconnected waterfront, connected not only along the length of river, but to the city itself. However, as more development and high-quality amenities arrive, questions about equity are brought into sharp focus. Penn’s Landing has long been a place where Philadelphians from across the city, of all income levels, could feel at home. As these spaces are transformed and physical connections improve, it is essential to make sure that these emotional connections are not lost. Public space is a critical ingredient in maintaining our city’s welcoming spirit. The inclusive engagement process that informed the new Park at Penn’s Landing can serve as a model for the future. For the “big projects” that are now shaping the face of this remarkable, diverse city, extra care and effort is going to be required. It essential to go directly to residents, rather than expecting them to come into a process, and ensure that their input is acted upon and the conversation continues once the process is complete. While Penn’s Landing has changed dramatically in the past decade, the Penn’s Landing of the future must continue to offer the dynamism and diversity that characterizes it today — a place to remember that is uniquely Philadelphian.
of the conversations, and many of the recommendations were incorporated in the final design. But not all the feedback was about design; the most resonant recommendations had more to do with public space management. Hearing from individuals whose experiences were dramatically different than that of the typical participants in the
Julie Donofrio is the managing director of PennPraxis at the Stuart Weitzman School of Design, where she led the most recent community engagement process to inform the Park at Penn’s Landing. She also teaches about community engagement in the Department of City and Regional Planning. She lives in South Philadelphia and enjoys spending time at Penn’s Landing and in all of Philadelphia’s public spaces.
RECOMMENDATIONS
AIA Philadelphia | context | SPRING 2022 19
