Restoration? More Like Rehabilitation...

Landscape architect Tom Oslund is bringing much of the plaza closer to grade, and making the fountains more functional:

"Oslund's comparatively simple, shallow fountain could be drained easily to create a seating area for performance events. An outdoor stage-large enough to accommodate most of the orchestra-would flank the new fountain. The plaza will, in many ways, act as an extension of the Orchestra Hall..."

Preservationists who were also assigned to work on the project are not happy with the proposed redesign, and say the real decisions have been made behind closed doors.