FRANKLIN PARK
URBAN ORCHARD
Location: Boston
Program: Urban Park
Category: Academic, Spring 2014, Harvard GSD
Instructors: Jill Desimini, Anita Berrizbeitia
The North West quadrant of Franklin Park is reinterpreted as a
functioning orchard with embedded recreation and gathering spaces. This
agricultural and productive use recalls the history of the site pre-Olmsted’s
design when the park used to be farmed while addressing contemporary needs for
fresh produce and recreation in the adjacent low-income neighborhood of
Roxbury. Apple production is brought from the periphery into the city allowing
local residents to access the orchard by foot.
It also creates a notable
citywide amenity as the terminus of the Emerald Necklace. The orchard adds a
productive dimension to the park, offering a unique setting for recreational
experiences and promoting health and wellness in a visually arresting and seasonally
changing environment.
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