Ground Reconsidered was asked by the City’s Capital Programs Office to envision a more vibrant and active civic space at Thomas Paine Plaza. Located adjacent to Philadelphia City Hall and the Municipal Services Building, Paine Plaza was constructed as part of Philadelphia’s downtown urban renewal in the 1960s. It has long served as Philadelphia’s civic stage, a platform for public demonstration and large-scale events where people from across the City come together to make their voices heard.
GR led an extensive engagement process with City employees and the general public, including members of the skateboarding community who had used the site. This process generated priorities for the plaza design, including improved accessibility, an inviting atmosphere, plants and green space, and safe places to sit, relax, and gather. The redesign balances these new priorities with the plaza’s history, preserving space for large-scale demonstration and creating a dedicated area for skateboarders alongside seating elements, shade structures, and on-structure intensive plantings.
