Three Squares
Belgrade, Serbia (2015) - Competition proposal
The competition brief asked for the redevelopment of three main squares in Belgrade; the Parliament Square, Republic Square and Nikola Pasic square. The proposal redefines the three squares, developing a unique character and rich differentiation in the city center, while maintaining an overall coherence. The identity of the squares is reinforced, and sometimes slightly twisted to offer new insights in the urban fabric of Belgrade. At the base of the concept is the idea of squares or public spaces as clearly defined figures or objects within a city fabric. The current situation is one of fragmentation, where squares are diffused and have a distorted figure, often cluttered and scattered with randomly distributed objects.
The Parliament square is defined by adding a clearly legible object in front of the parliament building, raised from the ground by one meter. The Nikola Pasic square gains a central focus through centripetal articulation of the pavement pattern and addition of clustered water features. The Republic square is reorganized through adding a new building, the Design Hub, which frames a previously fragmented and chaotic transit area. The Design Hub is articulated as a big roof with completely transparent and multi-functional ground floor which can be used for different types of activities such as concerts, lectures, exhibitions or workshops.
The pavement design, in local Serbian granite and marble, is unified for the whole area, yet heterogeneous. In the square areas, it is based on accentuating one direction of the tiles through a different material, which creates a sensation of striations and linearity. At the same time, the pattern is able to accommodate different directions from the surrounding context, which introduces differences in the system. Where striations meet under an angle, there is a short moment of interweaving, similar to a fabric. Specific elements such as metro entries or bus stops are accentuated by a shift in the pattern. Bronze elements accentuate and enrich the pattern.
Team: Isaie Bloch, Soomeen Hahm, Igor Pantic, Gilles Retsin
