SALT developed a 2026 Landscape Vision Plan to commemorate the 250th anniversary of signing the Declaration of Independence. Through a thematic rebranding with the color red, the 2026 Landscape Vision Plan integrates the airport’s eco-history with Philadelphia’s heritage and vibrant cultural life. Red is indelibly woven into Philadelphia’s identity as the City of Brotherly Love since its founding—in the red stripes of the U.S. flag and abundance of local, red clay brick in the urban fabric to the City’s baseball uniforms, its multi-cultural mural arts program, and the iconic Robert Indiana Love sculpture.

A brilliant palette of robust, drought-tolerant native plants forms a “stream” of red tones in the landscape—reflecting the historical tidal river ecology of the site. The carefully chosen plant selection forms a cohesive, color-themed landscape that offers seasonal splendor with red buds, blooms, stems and leaves. Complementing this natural tapestry, red solar lights atop thin vertical tubes dazzle in the plant beds at night, and animate the landscape year-round, serving as a constant reminder of Philadelphia’s enduring vibrancy and charm.