Chris Reed - 'Stoss'

Chris Reed is the founder of 'Stoss' which is a Boston-based landscape and urban design firm aiming to remake cities and social spaces.





The design above is at Harvard University and is called 'The Plaza'. It is located at the heart of the University and is used by staff and pupils as well as the local community. It is a sustainable design and offers a high-performance surface which responds to storm water drainage and local circulation flows. It also hosts a farmers' market, food trucks, live performances and social gatherings. There are 17 bespoke benches located across the site made from sustainably-sourced yellow cedar wood and are designed with the human body in mind and located in different areas, some which see sun and some in the shade. Low-energy LEDs are integrated into them which reflect the plaza and provide a soft glow at night. I personally find the design very aesthetic and I think it complements the area and the use of the space. The red structure which dapples shade onto the path is an interesting idea however I feel there could be more shapes and ideas like this applied to the space. I feel that the integration of more vegetation on the site could complement the architectural design more as currently it looks slightly bare and open.

The above design is of the 11th Street Bridge Park crossing the Anacostia River. Named 'The Crossing', the designers have created an innovative space to encourage social and community life. It is a space for walking, running, fishing, strolling, hanging out in, grabbing a coffee in and relaxing in - a hugely multi-purpose space. It also creates new river spaces including boating docks, fishing piers, boardwalks and cleanses the river wetlands along its banks. Along the bridge there are windows into different activity spaces including a small amphitheater, a café lookout, a river plaza, an environmental education centre, a climbing wall/play space, an art area and an urban orchard. A variety of views of the river are created through the structure. This is a really exciting design with lots of inspiration and forward-thinking. It is people focused which I think is its biggest success, and I can see how it really works for the types of people who will be crossing through it. It is an unusual idea to have a social hub on a bridge and is quite a futuristic architectural idea, however I think it is very attractive and would also act as a must-see tourist attraction.