In Boston’s Seaport, bespoke swing sets by Höweler+Yoon have been replaced at the Lawn on D, a South Boston pocket park managed by the Massachusetts Convention Center Authority (MCCA), with two new installations by Perkins&Will and Arrowstreet.
Swing Time by Höweler+Yoon debuted in 2014. For a decade it was a popular photo spot and source of recreation for the public. The new interactive installations by Perkins&Will and Arrowstreet debuted earlier this summer; they coalesce near pop-up dining and drinking options curated by Rebel Restaurants, numerous infrastructure upgrades, and free community events.
MCCA chose to change things up for Lawn on D’s eleventh season after Swing Time suffered from years of wear and tear. “We are grateful for the many seasons we’ve had with Swing Time, an installation originally planned to be in place for just a couple years,” MCCA said in a statement. “Without the availability of replacement swings or rights to reverse engineer the swings, we bid farewell to Swing Time and look forward to our new installations designed by Boston-based firms.”
Urban Grove by Arrowstreet, a historic Boston office, is a network of shaded nest seating under mirrored leaf coverings, designers said, that comes together to look like trees. At night time, the hue-changing lighting creates a shimmering canopy overhead. Arrowstreet principal Lauren Haggerty led the project together with senior associate Jenna Carolan.
“The Urban Grove represents Arrowstreet’s goal of creating interactive experiences for communities to gather, reflect, and relax,” Carolan said. “The installation symbolizes a commitment to preserving and expanding shaded green spaces within our city landscapes while also infusing the space with an element of whimsy and delight. We are excited to see the Urban Grove come to life, and we hope the community will take the time to reflect—both figuratively and literally—in this space and enjoy the renewed vibrancy of the Lawn on D.”
Perkins&Will’s Kaleidoscope Garden consists of illuminated disks centered by a mirrored kaleidoscope. “We looked to the kaleidoscope as an awe-inspiring apparatus to create ever-changing experiences that set the imagination ablaze and capture the fleeting, light-filled spirit of summer,” said Perkins&Will designers Sarah Brophy and Katherine Chin. “Kaleidoscope Garden invites people to wander through an immersive particle field of firefly-like glowing discs before entering the central oculus, where they partake in a communal act of image-making with the changing sky.”
The new installations by Arrowstreet and Perkins&Will are joined by new giant Adirondack chairs, pickleball courts, astroturf, and better lighting. Improved illumination means pickleballers can play well after sunset and Seaport can become more of a 24-hour neighborhood.
Community events are planned for this fall.
