Defilippo Dog Park is located in the North End of Boston at a former site referred to as “The Gassy”. The site received its nickname from a former gas tank that used to tower over the neighborhood. After the gas tank was dismantled, the site was turned into a playground for the neighborhood. At the rear of the playground were three large sets of terraced stairs that connect the lower and upper levels. These terraced levels have been adapted for different neighborhood uses since the dismantling of the original gas tank.

In 2017, KZLA was hired by the Boston Parks and Recreation Department to work closely with the neighborhood dog group, RUFF, to transform the space into a dog park. RUFF had created the framework for establishing a dog park on the terraces and had already found success in providing users with dog amenities within the space. Each terrace already had existing iron fencing and gates which made the terraces secure for dogs to play off leash.

KZLA was tasked with designing an artificial turf surfacing that would include irrigation and drainage to clean the surfaces. The design also included dog play features, including urban elements taken from the city context such as large utility concrete pipes.