Mulherin’s Garden Philadelphia, PA / 2020

Architect | Stokes

Once a segment of Philadelphia’s industrial past, the Wm. Mulherin’s site now pulses with new life—a place where heritage whispers through brick and steel, and where diners step into an elevated outdoor world. The garden is not merely an add-on; it's a narrative of transformation, where the gritty soul of the city meets the softened, convivial spirit of nature.

From the moment guests arrive, they cross a threshold between urban cadence and garden repose. A timber-framed archway, weathered and warm, frames the entrance. It gestures to both structure and openness, a portal between two worlds. Under a canopy of string-lights, soft filaments drape between existing facades and new posts—stars you can walk under. The glowing orbs invite lingering.

Within the garden, the layout is curated yet spontaneous. Gravel-gridded paving interspersed with turf or pavers helps dissipate the edges between built and planted, hardscape and softscape. Table settings are thoughtfully placed, intimate yet generous—clusters under parasols, folds of bench seating, movable café chairs. The furniture is simple, honest—steel frames with wood slats—designed to fade into the moment rather than dominate it.

But the plants are the real stars. In oversized planters and raised beds, evergreens, deciduous native species, and seasonal herbs weave together. They give texture, fragrance, and shifting color. In winter, the skeletal forms feel architectural; in summer, they cloister and cool. Some potted olive trees or narrow evergreens punctuate the scene, their silhouettes dancing in the light.

Firewood is stacked artfully along one edge—functional and sculptural—offering warmth and ambiance come dusk. Its presence suggests crackling hearths and shifts the mood from daytime brightness to nighttime intimacy.