About the Project 

Kaitlin Pomerantz’s On the Threshold (Salvaged Stoops, Philadelphia) was a monument to a beloved symbol of Philadelphia neighborhood culture: the stoop, or step(s), as it is known in South Philadelphia. As Pomerantz writes, the stoop or step is “a threshold between private and public space…[it] functions as a site of social interaction, of relaxation, and of participation.” Responding to recent immense change and transformation across city neighborhoods, Pomerantz sought to intercept historic building materials that would otherwise end up in the waste stream. Over a period of six months, she collected marble, concrete, and brick from recently demolished buildings. The stoop materials were reconstructed on-site using historical and traditional masonry techniques, and lined the east side of Washington Square Park, creating an opportunity for sitting, gathering, and reflecting on Philadelphia’s past and its future. Washington Square Park’s history as both a public gathering place and unmarked cemetery sparked the idea for the project, which stimulated conversation about architectural and individual memory.