Reimaging the City of Squares

LING CHEN

Planning & Urban Design

R Reimaging the City of Squares

Reimaging the City of Squares

Sep 2022 - Jan 2023

Design for the revitalizatin of the least utilized square in Philadelphia & an Equitable Future for Chinatown

Franklin Square, originally one of central Philadelphia's five public parks in the late 17th century, experienced a decline due to 19th-century industrialization and the construction of the Ben Franklin Bridge. This led to its status as the least utilized of the original squares. Our primary objective is to enhance the square's integration with Philadelphia's greenway system and historical elements, while also aligning with Chinatown's community needs. We face challenges including infrastructural impacts, unmet needs in Chinatown, and the demands of young professionals. Our strategy includes expanding Franklin Square, improving the greenway network, and providing versatile, high-density housing to address these concerns.

Type: Academic Work, UPenn Urban Design Studio
Group work with Kamya Khandelwal, Chenglin Hu
Role: Conceptual Design, Urban Context Analysis, Design Strategies(Urban & Housing), Target Audience, Axonometric Rendering
Location: Franklin Square, Philadelphia, PA
Date: September, 2022 - January, 2023

The Greenway System in Edmund Bacon's Proposal(1966)

The Expanded Greenway System in our Proposal(2022)

Full Final Slide Show:

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