The iconic Longfellow Bridge—also known as the Salt and Pepper Bridge for its iconic granite piers—is the primary gateway between Boston and Cambridge’s innovation district, Kendall Square. Seeing an opportunity through the 3-year MDOT contract to renovate the entire bridge, the City was able to negotiate some upgrades to the pedestrian and bike accommodations to the bridge approach which includes re-thinking the existing median. Working with civil and traffic engineers on behalf of the City, KMDG has re-designed the existing median to a more contemporary contextual solution that still meets the many safety, maintenance, and budgetary constraints needed by the City.

The fence is the repetition of a standard steel L-angle which turns at a repeating interval revealing or hiding the painted color scheme of the four faces of the angle. The fence is made even more dynamic through the change in heights which also responds to the areas of concern for sight lines (gets lower) as well as areas of concern for jay-walking (gets higher). This twist on a picket fence offers visual change and interest through various times of year, light conditions and sun angles. Shadow will play a significant role as the median shifts from the inbound edge to the outbound edge. Drivers, cyclists and pedestrians will have a constantly changing experience of arrival and departure.