North Square Stories

This project was completed in 2019.

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North Square Stories by A+J Art+Design is a series of four permanent sculptures. The art complements the reconstruction of North Square in the North End.

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Boston, MA 02201-2029
United States

Project details

Project Context

The $2.5 million reconstruction of North Square resulted in many improvements, including:

new wire-cut brick around the perimeter of the project
reset granite blocks in the roadway and center plaza area
new accessible, granite-paved pedestrian paths throughout the square
raising Moon Street to the same level as the sidewalk and plaza to ease crossings and increase the visibility of pedestrians, and
enhanced street lighting within the square.

This is the first City-led permanent public art project since 2015. Public Works allocated $200,000 from the North Square reconstruction budget toward this project. North Square also received a 2020 Preservation Achievement Award by the Boston Preservation Alliance. You can learn more about the North Square Stories public art project online.

Community Values and Goals

This permanent public artwork is made up of four sculptures. These sculptures create a convenient, informative, and welcoming space. The artwork itself honors North Square's history. It also creates a community gathering place and tourist destination.

A+J Art+Design built strong ties with the community during this project. Aside form local groups, they also worked with students from Eliot School and St. John School. The students helped design components of the sculptures that reflect their backgrounds.

North Square Project Site

North Square is part of a vibrant community in the North End. The popular tourist destination features the Paul Revere House and the Freedom Trail. The area attracts four million tourists each year.

About A+J Art+Design

A+J Art+Design is the multidisciplinary partnership of artists Ann Hirsch and Jeremy Angier. They work with communities to embody a site's history and current identity. The team shares a commitment to site-specificity, interactivity. and community engagement.