As one of Boston’s largest private developments since the 1960s, Seaport Square links separate clusters of diverse activity and architectural character between the city’s historic waterfront and its contemporary landmarks.

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From Port, to Parking Lot, to Place for People

By 2000, Boston’s South Waterfront was a wasteland of empty parking lots, stalled for decades despite repeated redevelopment efforts. Tasked by BGI, Morgan Stanley, and WS Development, KPF crafted a flexible urban plan that transformed the area into a vibrant, mixed-use innovation district—now home to leading life sciences, tech, and media companies.

Drawing on our architectural expertise, we designed the neighborhood in three dimensions, focusing on character, experience, and social vitality. The result was a comprehensive urban planning framework that successfully navigated BPDA and BCDC’s entitlement and approvals processes. Over fifteen years, our plan led to the substantial rezoning and remaking of the Seaport, turning a forgotten district into a global model for urban regeneration and knowledge-driven growth.

Filling Voids and Connecting Clusters

Stewarding District Architecture

From these major connections, surrounding street and building typologies were carefully extended into the new neighborhood with the aim of supporting an integrated urban experience. Much of the master plan constituted an ambitious set of goals when first proposed. By minimizing above-grade parking, creating basements that would extend under roads for shared efficiency, and layering commercial and residential zoning both horizontally and vertically, the plan was set to transform a residual edge zone into a fully urban neighborhood. The mix of uses, integrating residential, office, retail, and community space, was central to the vision of this truly urban place.

We have continued to steward the Seaport’s transformation by championing ongoing involvement to ensure resilient, inclusive, and high-quality urban environments—prioritizing climate action, carbon reduction, and economic opportunity for all. Our recent Boston projects have continued to advance this vision, setting new standards for sustainable and equitable city-making.

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