Ashburton Square was falling apart. Situated in the center of Boston, between the McCormack State Office Building and the Massachusetts State House, state police cruisers once parked all over it. The flagpoles leaned at 15 degrees. The old construction had more than served its time. The Bureau of State Office Buildings contracted with Bartsch Landscape Architecture, Nitsch Engineering, and AHA Engineering to render the space into an attractive setting with clearer directional signage, better pedestrian safety, and higher curbs to prevent displaced parking. Custom-fabricated granite steps and walls support a cobbled flagpole platform and bronze guardrail. Once again the space contributes to the stature of the neighborhood. The square now sees better circulation and a more attractive image for the Commonwealth’s back yard.
Collaboration
AHA Consulting Engineers (traffic and circulation) and Nitsch Engineering (civil and structural)
Total Project Cost: $1.2M
Details in Granite
Incorporating steep grades, the new island is attractive, sculptural, and long-lasting.
A Former Eyesore
An uncomplimentary space at the Statehouse required some careful attention.
Not a Safe Condition
In an area with many children and even more college students, tourists, residents, state workers, and legislators, the area begged for improvement.