Copley Square’s redesign has stirred controversy. But a prominent urban designer urges patience

Parts of Copley Square recently reopened after a nearly two-year renovation. Some Bostonians aren’t thrilled to see there’s less green, and a lot more gray, at the Back Bay landmark.

What was once a big grass lawn along the square’s Dartmouth Street edge is now a concrete plaza. City officials say a new, smaller lawn will eventually be laid farther from the street.

“I don’t like it,” said Bella Waco, who was listening to music on a nearby bench. “Too much concrete. There’s no grass.”

Jeff Speck, a prominent urban planner from Brookline who was not involved in the renovation, sees things differently. He said the square’s new look, designed by the architecture firm Sasaki, is a nice complement to the bustling Back Bay commercial district.

Standing in the middle of the square, Speck ticked off the upsides of the fresh design: better stormwater absorption, space for a proposed beer garden, a stage for live music.

Nostalgia for the old Copley Square could play a role in Bostonians’ strong reactions to the new design. The square’s former configuration was built in the 1980s. Its dark, slightly uneven brick plaza, framed by the Romanesque Trinity Church, made it feel much older.

The redesign feels different for people unencumbered by nostalgia. Sophie Skinner recently moved to Boston from New York. She never saw the old Copley Square, but likes the new one.

“I’m out here, like, every day," said Skinner. " I love that it's just a place where you can sit with friends and talk and enjoy your coffee and people-watch.”

In time, Speck believes more people will come around to Skinner’s point of view, especially when the new lawn opens.

“When you’re a city planner, you’re supposed to look out 20 years and think about the future,” he said. “I would say that today’s news bite — that people want to see more green — that’s a story that will go away.”