Frankford Pause Park

Cloud Gehshan Design was commissioned to design interpretive panels and environmental graphics for Frankford Pause Park, an 8,000 sq ft dynamic outdoor community space situated in the Lower Northeast section of Philadelphia.

Hinge Collective, along with Frankford CDC, have spearheaded the improvements at Frankford Pause Park, which include a rain garden by the Philadelphia Water Department to manage stormwater runoff from the Market-Frankford Line elevated structure, among other transformative amenities. Frankford CDC is utilizing a “play everywhere” Kaboom Grant to develop interactive benches and graphic wall panels that narrate the story of the water cycle.

CGD will develop graphic layouts for production and provide guidance for the fabrication and installation of the panels. Three interpretive panels will feature shadow silhouettes of children interacting with water, emphasizing its significance within the community.

Created with input from the community for the community, Frankford Pause Park was once overrun and a site for significant illegal dumping. The park’s first phase, completed in 2018, has transformed into a welcoming neighborhood space for leisure, events, and play. Upcoming improvements build upon its initial success and address the desires and needs of the community discovered during surveying, observation, and interviews during the pilot phase.