The need for vibrant places

The public spaces, buildings, infrastructure, and institutions of the Commonwealth provide the backbone of its communities. These built environments physically shape how residents come together and interact with one another and their government. Boston’s City Hall Plaza has long stood as an example of design that can alienate people from one another and make municipal government seem foreboding. DeCordova Sculpture Park and Museum in Lincoln; the 46-foot tall kinetic sculpture at Porter Square station in Cambridge; and Boston’s Frog Pond on the Common stand as examples of the ways functionality, accessibility, authenticity, and even whimsy can be incorporated into design so that our use of the outdoors, public transportation, and public space is enhanced.