In the fall of 2015, Mayor Walsh and the City of Boston Public Facilities Department launched the “Rethink City Hall” master planning study with the selection of Utile, with Reed Hilderbrand, to establish a vision and roadmap for the future of City Hall and its Plaza. Together the design and City team devised a strategic process that seamlessly integrated innovative design thinking with a viable business approach, reversing typical master planning processes and exploring potential implementation and revenue strategies before illustrating specific physical design proposals. The Study examines the City’s programmatic needs and changing space and technological needs, with a high-level look at the building and Plaza’s current condition. With an eye toward restoring the original intent and improving public service, the study looks at the needs of a City Hall in 2017 and 2047.
