Boston, MA The Boston Society of Landscape Architects (BSLA) named Thomson Place Plaza as one of the recipients of its 2023 Design Awards. The awards celebrate projects which have contributed to the field of landscape architecture through outstanding design, use of innovative techniques, and cultural significance.

Thomson Place is a mixed-use development in the Fort Point neighborhood, which involved the redevelopment and adaptive reuse of several mid-1800s industrial buildings. The plaza is a key feature in the development, serving as a community center and gathering place for residents and shoppers at nearby businesses.

The plaza incorporates several elements that recall Fort Point’s history as an industrial hub and rail yard. Metal stanchions, used to hold up the lighting elements of the plaza, derive their form from the historic Northern Ave. bridge structure. Precast concrete unit pavers recall the design of the rails that used to carry freight through Fort Point’s narrow alleyways. Seating elements are inspired by the wooden pallets that were once an omnipresent sight in the city’s rail yards.

Halvorson | Tighe & Bond Studio served as landscape architect on the project, collaborating with lead architects Margulies Perruzzi Architects and owners Invesco/Crosspoint Associates. The successful completion of the Thomson Place project has provided the Fort Point neighborhood with a new and unique community space, one that connects the neighborhood’s industrial heritage with its current use as a center of retail, office, and residential activity.