The pocket park at Arsenal on the Charles in Greater Boston was designed to enhance a new parking garage and unite the community, all while protecting the environment and preventing stormwater pollution. Take a look through the eyes of the landscape architects who took some very big ideas and fit them into a very small park.
Not just another walk in the (pocket) park
Arsenal on the Charles was dominated by surface parking. Landscape architects created a more beautiful, connected, and resilient public space with ample parking.
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Before
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Before
The community needed and wanted a new parking garage to reduce curb-side parking in front of their homes and shops. What they did not want was an ‘eyesore’ in the community.
Landscape architects used natural elements to solve this problem.
Can a parking garage be beautiful?
Location: Watertown, MA
Project site: 4 acres
Pocket park: 0.5 acres
A new pocket park created places for people, while giving space for nature. Thoughtful plantings provide a buffer between the parking garage and the neighborhood.
Integrated stormwater management was a key goal for the project, making the park a resilient asset for the community.
The landscape storyboard highlights seasonal aspects of plant materials as well as important improvements to habitat for animals, birds, and insects.
Provides important campus pedestrian and bicycle connections.
Landscape architects packed 4 big ideas into one little pocket park.
Building a resilient landscape
Beautification
Pathways make connections for pedestrians and cyclists to the Charles River.
A focus on sustainability mirrors the community's commitment to green living.
Resilience
Community Connections
Amplifying Identity
Plantings and material choices make the site more resilient to stormwater.
A new parking garage was needed, but the community did not want it to be intrusive.
Beautification
Resilience
Community Connections
Amplifying Identity
Amplifying a Sustainable Identity
Creating Community Connection
Serpentine boardwalk
Designing with and around nature preserved 100+ year old trees on the site.
Maintaining history
Boosting Natural Beauty
Attractive natural filtration connected to the Town’s holistic stormwater management approach.
Stormwater Bioswales
For a community that cares about sustainability, the park proudly showcases its sustainable design elements and landscape story.
Pathways, preservation, and smart planting create a close connection between the community, the project and the natural environment.
Draw attention to sustainability, while collecting up to 16,000 gallons of stormwater runoff.
Sculptural Stormwater Cisterns
Highlight important aspects of the campus to the public.
Interpretive Signage
Filters stormwater from over 71,000 SF of roof area.
Roof runnoff is captured and filtered
Pretreats and filters, removing debris and pollutants from stormwater runoff.
Stormceptor Filter
Collect and detains up to 1.05 million gallons of stormwater runoff.
Subsurface stormwater detention chambers
Eliminates strormwater runoff from 10,600 SF of paved area.
Permeable paving
24,000 SF of landscape planting installed; 8,000 SF of parking converted to parkland.
Landscape planting to mitigate stormwater runoff
Makes it clear the space is for people, and offers flexibility.
Movable café seating
Adds structure and form to the walkway, as well as places to sit.
Curved granite seating
With detailed paving pattern, an inviting and attractive walking loop for an active community.
Meandering chip seal path
Substantial evergreen trees at the base of the garage work with planters above to hide the garage.
Ground level screening
Planters with native species beautify the upper part of the structure.
Upper screening
Landscape Storyboard
A robust and diverse palette of perennials and grasses were designed to provide a stimulating ground plane while providing seasonal interest and important habitat.
Planting Plan
View Planting Plan
View Landscape Storyboard
Learn more about Stantec’s Landscape Architecture experience.
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Car parking
1,390
Bike parking
250
Harvested Rainwater
16,000 Gallons
Tree Varieties
17
Shrub Varieties
21
Perennial Varieties
25
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Permeable Paving
10,600 SF
Illustration: Adam Fearing
