Boston Selected Design Lead for Waterfront Park

The city tapped landscape architecture firm Reed Hilderbrand to redesign the 4 1/2-acre public space.

Updated on Oct. 13, 2026 in Remote Work

Bold flat-color editorial illustration depicting a stylized granite harbor seawall meeting calm coastal water, representing the Boston Waterfront Park resiliency project. — Boston officials selected the landscape firm Reed Hilderbrand to lead the $4.5-acre redesign of Waterfront Park, incorporating necessary coastal resiliency infrastructure. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Boston officials have officially selected the Cambridge-based firm Reed Hilderbrand to lead the redesign of the 4 1/2-acre Waterfront Park. The initiative seeks to modernize the site while incorporating critical storm protection infrastructure.

Why it matters

The project aims to balance the needs of a popular public venue with the urgent requirement for coastal resiliency against rising sea levels. By integrating protective elements, the city hopes to preserve a vital community asset for future generations.

The park spans a 4 1/2-acre footprint currently sitting at 10 feet above sea level. Planning for this site transformation will take place over a 14-month process.

The players

Reed Hilderbrand

This landscape architecture firm based in Cambridge was selected as the design lead for the Waterfront Park project.

City of Boston

This municipal government entity is overseeing the planning and resiliency upgrades for the North End park.

The details

The design team will include Agency Landscape and Planning and Weston & Sampson to re-envision the area, which currently serves as a memorial, playground, festival ground, and promenade. This work follows the vision established by the 2018 Resilient Boston Harbor plan.

Waterfront Park was originally created in the 1970s.
The Resilient Boston Harbor plan was presented in 2018.
The current planning process for the park is scheduled to last 14 months.

Market Landscape

This project marks a shift toward integrating public amenity design with the specific climate infrastructure requirements established by the 2018 Resilient Boston Harbor plan. The city is consolidating various local planning resources to ensure coastal defense remains a priority in urban development.

Residents and park-goers should expect ongoing community engagement opportunities throughout the 14-month planning phase. The project may eventually lead to temporary closures or changes to the festival and playground areas as design plans are finalized and implemented.

The takeaway

The transformation of this 1970s-era park highlights the city's commitment to modernizing urban spaces for a changing climate. Stakeholders are encouraged to participate in upcoming planning sessions to share feedback on the future use of the waterfront.