BSLA Fieldbook Archive | Page 83

constraints yet making it look elegant and easy means there are a lot of labor-hours and thinking still remaining .
Parks Project Manager : Lauren Bryant
City of Boston Department of Parks and Recreation Following two other Boston Parks project managers who guided design and construction during its earlier stages ( such rotation is common for city project managers ), Lauren Bryant has been involved since the group decided on an artist , and has remained through schematic design , bidding , final design , and full construction .
When Lauren came on board , multiple entities had been involved over time , layered in with the strong community voice in the Symphony / Fenway neighborhood . The participation of the Art Commission is not as common for parks projects , and when they came on board , the process required even more coordination and collaboration , compared to other parks projects she manages .
“ The main challenge was the approval process ,” she notes . “ Everyone had a job to do with certain requirements , yet each organization had slightly different goals .” From her vantage point as Parks Department representative , she tried to think of the decision-making as a spectrum : one group wanted one end of a spectrum , design-wise , at the beginning , while another wanted the other end . All parties had to coordinate and collaborate with one another , including those who represent the art-appreciating public and all of the neighbors and residents . “ Indeed ,” she asks rhetorically , “ Who is the audience for this sculpture ? Who are the viewers ?”
Ultimately , the Friends of Symphony Park had to be willing to postpone the completion of the park in order to get the design they wanted because public art requires a long and careful process . Lauren unhesitatingly acknowledges , “ Having all the entities involved made a better design in the end .”
Reflecting on the recent opening of Symphony Park , Lauren notes , “ What was most impressive for me was seeing the residents at Morville House and Burbank Gardens use and enjoy the park . They are so excited to see this park come to fruition .”
The Future at Symphony Park
Going forward , the Parks Department will provide repairs to capital-funded items while the Friends group will maintain the park ’ s finishes , stone walls , furniture , and irrigation . The two groups have forged a very strong partnership . Lauren Bryant speaks for the Parks Department when she says , “ The Friends of Symphony Park have been doing this kind of maintenance for so long , and so well , that we have no concerns .” And about the close-knit core team , she adds , “ Symphony Park is a testament to how very creative , dedicated individuals can accomplish something quite amazing .”
Karen Euler is a marketing professional and consulting writer . She has worked closely with landscape architects since 2007 , the year she embarked on a four-year stint as marketing manager for Carol R . Johnson Associates ( now part of IBI Group ).
Where Is Symphony Park ?
Symphony Park is a short walk from Symphony Hall , New England Conservatory of Music , The Boston Conservatory , and Berklee College of Music . This half-acre park in the East Fenway was originally built during the Fenway Urban Renewal process in the 1970s . By 2005 , the park had a long list of issues that made renovation urgent .
Abutting the park are three apartment buildings : Morville House , Church Park Apartments , and Burbank Gardens . Several residents from these buildings , along with local advocates from groups such as the Fenway Civic Association , formed the core group of supporters . By 2006 , a group had come together to find ways to make improvements .
Boston Society of Landscape Architects Fieldbook
81