The Fens

"The Fens" has come to be a nickname for Frederick Law Olmstead's Emerald Necklace, and it has also come to be a popular day-time hangout for many students and residents in Boston alike. The area being examined in this analysis lies between Park Drive and Ruggles Street, and is comprised of an athletic track and field flanked by bleachers and trees on both sides. The bleachers run the entire length of the field (on both sides) and act not only as a place of viewing the events on the field, but they also serve as a secondary transition zone, seperating the private residential area on Park Drive from the public area within the park. This transition zone also occurs on the side of the park opposite from the residential buildings, but is less of a tranzition zone and more of a circulation zone, occuring just before the Muddy River creates a distinct edge to the park. The public area within the park is also sunken into the ground much lower than the public areas surrounding it. This technique of planning also serves as a way of seperating the athletic field from the more private areas in the immediate context. An allay of trees surrounds the athletic field on all sides, further reinforcing the seperation between public and private.
When viewed in plan, the athletic field and its surrounding environment are entirely symmetrical. The field itself comprises two baseball fields of equal size, that oppose each other from each end of the field. The bleachers that flank the field on either side serve as a balancing device for the area, but also emphasize the horizontality of the field, and its purpose. Smaller details of the bleachers, such as the stone ornaments and rear walls contrast the enormous length of the field, by emphasizing the relatively small vertical scale of the area. The tallest structures on site are the light posts that serve as night-game flood lights, yet even their presence is minimalized by the taller structures whose silhouettes rise above the treeline in the distance. The presence of the lights is further lessened by the seemingly simple transition from light posts to trees - a motif that is achieved through the use of incremental spacing between both the light posts and the trees.
Overall, this little portion of the Emerald Necklace serves as a nice retreat from the noisy and crowded daily life of greater Boston. Its design allows for both quiet reflection in the pathways that encircle the area, and for recreational activity with friends and opponents alike. The presence of the distant Boston Skyline also adds a nice aesthetic to the area without dwarfing the overall size of the park.