The Porch Adds Custom Swings from Gehl Studio

On the heels of a major site enhancement in May, which included elements designed by Groundswell Design Group and a new food and beverage partnership with restaurateur Michael Schulson, comes the next signature upgrade to the Porch in the form of unique, vibrant, and custom-made swings from Gehl Studio.

The new swings are a result of UCD’s continued mission to be a leader in innovative social seating. UCD established a collaboration with San Francisco-based Gehl Studio to create the custom-made swings designed exclusively for the revamped Porch at 30th Street Station. UCD challenged the team at Gehl to think about a variety of critical components for the swings, such as ergonomics, materials, the user base, the constraints of the space, and integration with the recent updates from Groundswell. The results are 14 slatted, wooden swings made from mahogany plywood, set into a canopy constructed of brightly colored translucent polycarbonate.

The swings come in three versions: the Porch Swing, which is meant to mimic the simple pleasures of swinging on a front porch, only reimagined for a truly public space; the Lounger, a gentle swing that invokes a feeling of easy living meant to simulate floating on air; and the Park Swing, an individual swing placed on the edges of the Porch. The swings, though designed in San Francisco, were manufactured locally by Bill Curran Design (BCD), based in Philadelphia's East Falls.

The Porch swings were made possible in large part due to an ArtPlace grant from the National Grants Program. ArtPlace grants seek to support creative placemaking strategies across the United States that strengthen the social, physical, and economic fabric of a community through arts and culture.