Quincy Street Open Space
Quincy Street Open Space is dedicated to people and wildlife alike in its intention to provide a space for community gatherings and reflection as well as habitat for birds. After the house on this former lot burned down, the property was donated to the City of Somerville with the stipulation to preserve a space for birds. In keeping with the community’s wishes, the design objective of the renovation was to create a sustainable woodland landscape that would expand the tree canopy and provide local residents a natural respite from the surrounding city.
The design creates a shaded environment and a woodland atmosphere emphasized by an understory of native herbaceous and shrub vegetation. Plantings provide nesting, shelter, and food opportunities for birds, adding to the diversity of wildlife of the City of Somerville. Pathways offer opportunities to explore the great spatial and vegetative quality of the space. Sustainable design elements at the park include a drainage system that captures stormwater on site, chairs made from recycled plastic bottles, Perennial Wood™ decking, native plantings, and stone terraces, pathways, and benches built from recycled granite curbstone.
Collaborators: Mayor's Office of Strategic Planning & Community Development, Wanted Landscape LLC
Landscape Magazine on the collaboration between Wanted Landscape LLC and Spurr Studio