The JFK Boulevard Streetscape update responds to one of the nation’s most transit-oriented urban districts, where nearly 70% of Philadelphia’s University City residents commute by foot, bike, or public transit. As the primary gateway to 30th Street Station, the third-busiest Amtrak station in the country, JFK Boulevard carried the weight of a major civic corridor while remaining designed almost entirely around the personal vehicle, a disconnect that contributed to a disproportionate number of traffic crashes. The redesign advances the vision of the Schuylkill Yards Master Plan, a landmark partnership between Brandywine Realty and Drexel University to reimagine this stretch of Philadelphia’s skyline, rebalancing the street for all modes while improving safety and environmental performance.
The transformed boulevard is conceived as an outstanding public space in its own right: a multimodal streetscape that reflects the evolving character of University City and anticipates the high-density, mixed-use growth being realized through Schuylkill Yards. Innovative placemaking anchors the emerging neighborhood’s identity and supports its continued momentum, creating a corridor that is as memorable and equitable as the community it serves. SWA/Balsley worked closely with the Philadelphia Department of Streets, Philadelphia Water Department, Amtrak, SEPTA, and PennDOT to achieve this outcome.
SIPG Harbor City Parks
This new riverfront development is located on the Yangtze River in the Baoshan District of Shanghai. This area boasts some of the highest shipping activity in the world. However, in recent years this single-function industrial zone has given way, allowing for waterfront parks to develop. Within this historically layered water front the Baoshan Park and Open Sp...
Dubai Expo 2020
From October 2021 to April 2022, the City of Dubai will host the World Expo: a large-scale International Registered Exhibition that will bring nations together with universal themes and immersive experiences. It will comprise an entire new city, built on a 1,083-acre site between Dubai and Abu Dhabi. The Expo site is organized around a central plaza linked to ...
33 Beekman
33 Beekman Street Plaza is a public plaza that also serves as the front entrance to a new 30-story Pace University Dormitory, located in the financial district. The contemporary plaza appearance synchronizes with the contemporary plaza of Frank Gehry’s high-rise residential tower across Beekman Street to South.
Aitken Place Park
Aitken Place Park will be at the heart of Toronto’s East Bayfront Community – currently being transformed from an underutilized industrial brownfield into a vibrant waterfront neighborhood. Flanked by the residential development to the west and the commercial buildings to the north, the park’s water’s edge location presents a unique opportunity to create...