Bock Development Taps Sikora Wells Appel to Design Garden Oasis at 2100 Hamilton

PHILADELPHIA, PA—Bock Development Group has retained Sikora Wells Appel to design an urban oasis and private garden for 2100 Hamilton, the exclusive new 10-story luxury condo building that will soon rise along the Parkway in Philadelphia. Sikora Wells Appel was chosen for its experience in creating tranquil, contemplative landscape environments, and legendary locales at Longwood Gardens, Villanova University, University of Pennsylvania, Temple University, and The Navy Yard.

Visible from every unit in 2100 Hamilton, the large and spacious private garden will feature a diverse palette of different types of trees, shrubs, ornamental grasses, and mixed perennials alongside breathtaking water features, a plaza for use as an event space and outdoor living room, and unbeatable views of the Art Museum District’s iconic museums. The result is a sophisticated, luxurious, and meditative space that complements and pays tribute to the world-class art institutions surrounding it.

“From the moment we heard Tom Bock’s vision, we understood the wonderful opportunity and responsibility to enhance the Parkway landscape while paying tribute to its many gems,” says Joe Sikora, principal at Sikora Wells Appel. “The site is a remarkable location. We wanted to create a beautiful garden and oasis that is an extension of the Parkway and the Rodin Museum, one that is both an amenity for the residents and an enhancement to the neighborhood.”

The garden’s centerpiece is the 45-foot-long and six-foot-tall water wall that stretches across the south end of the garden. Water trickles down the granite wall, reflecting the four flames that flicker at its base. The water wall frames the Rodin as both a prominent focal point and an extension of the garden itself.

Along the north side of the garden, another water wall flows into a 40-foot-long reflecting pool that residents and guests can admire from the terrace outside a glass-walled indoor event space. A 24-foot-long granite water table, aligned on axis with the Rodin, bridges the upper terrace to the sunken terrace that can serve as a larger event space.

A pergola over the lounge area provides shade and respite and is designed with a smart sensor that adjusts the louvers to let the sun drop down on summer afternoons or create a roof to protect the space during rainy days. Relaxing wooden furniture and suspended lounge chairs accompanied by a fireplace form a sophisticated, artistic space, perfect for a morning of mindful introspection, footsteps from many of the world’s most prized museums.

Specimen Japanese maple trees frame the garden’s central space, drawing cues from the Barnes Foundation’s grounds and setting the tone of a Zen garden. The lawn space stretches out from the trees, dotted with moon stones — giant circular sculptures in the grass for residents to rest on or explore. A variety of ornamental grasses bring texture, color, and height to the garden year round. Mixed perennials play off the grasses with bright colors that shift with the seasons.

In addition to the views of the Rodin, residents can enjoy amazing views of the Center City skyscape, the Barnes, and the Philadelphia Art Museum. Two lookout spots frame wonderful sunsets over the Art Museum.

“There’s no other garden like this in the City, especially along the Parkway,” says Tom Bock, president and founder of Bock Development Group. “Nestled in the Museum Mile, 2100 Hamilton will be at the epicenter of the arts in Philadelphia. Drawing on Sikora Wells Appel’s eye for the area’s history and culture, we’ve envisioned a dynamic and live connection between 2100 Hamilton and the Rodin that extends to the Barnes and the Museum of Art while also standing on its own as a lush meadow retreat for residents.”