Square

A Space for All People – The Plaza del Zarrón is envisioned as a space for everyone, addressing the natural flow and needs of all citizens in Almazán. By focusing on the wall and the old quarter and observing the movement of its inhabitants, we aimed to create a fluid and inclusive link between the old town and the newer areas, bridging the five-meter elevation difference that previously acted as a barrier. This project prioritizes accessibility and connection, allowing everyone to freely move between parts of the town that were once separated. The lines and folds of the new Plaza del Zarrón reflect the town’s pulse and offer various pathways, routes, and spaces for each user to experience without hindrance. This public space weaves together Almazán’s historical roots and contemporary life, where the freedom of each individual—whether walking, resting, or socializing—is at the heart of its design.

Uspenska Square in Dnipro is one of the oldest squares in the city of one million people. Designed in the early 19th century, it was an important infrastructure element and the heart of public interactions. Now, it is part of a global system of planning elements located in the historic center. In the 19th century, the square was home to the majestic Assumption Cathedral with a public garden, and it was a significant attraction point for townspeople. During the Soviet era, the cathedral lost its traditional function and architecture, and the space around it also stagnated.

Preface. China’s rural revitalization initiative emphasizes leveraging urban resources to support rural development. A key strategy involves developing tourism to attract capital and industries, foster cultural engagement, promote population retention, and facilitate the settlement of new residents in rural areas. Integrating cultural projects into rural settings is a new attempt in this regard. In Changshou Village, located in the Pingshan District of Shenzhen, the esteemed Chinese performing art studio, Longma Studio, has embarked on an experimental endeavor to establish a theater commune. This commune is intended to serve as a hub for regular rural art performances, encompassing the entire process from creation and rehearsal to staging dramas. To support this endeavor and accommodate the increasing number of audiences and tourists, architect Zhu Xiaodi was commissioned to steer the village’s overall planning and the design of key areas.

Zhanqi Village is one of the first batch of rural revitalization demonstration villages in Chengdu and is also a must-visit destination for red cultural rural tourism in Chengdu. Located in the west of Chengdu city, adjacent to Pidu District, Dujiangyan City, and Pengzhou City, the village is situated on a plain with a unique natural environment and abundant natural resources, providing unlimited development space for the village and making it an ideal place for rural tourism development.

Location – Strategically positioned between a busy highway and a dense residential neighborhood, the Biryanak Metro Plaza emerges as an urban oasis above the Briyank metro station in Tehran. This urban space is intended to serve as a vibrant community hub catering to a diverse array of residents spanning all age groups. Nonetheless, as the site is located between a constant-traffic highway and a dense adjacent neighborhood, the physical conditions of the site posed a unique challenge in terms of sound pollution and accessibility.

The village center:
The proposed new building faces the existing town hall. It uses the entire depth of the plot and defines the new village square with a simple and clear gesture. The overall urban design idea follows the strong orientation of the built environment. This position connects the newly defined promenade zone with the school complex and with the residential area towards the hill.

The village center:
The proposed new building faces the existing town hall. It uses the entire depth of the plot and defines the new village square with a simple and clear gesture. The overall urban design idea follows the strong orientation of the built environment. This position connects the newly defined promenade zone with the school complex and with the residential area towards the hill.

EXISTING CONDITION – The area of intervention can be segmented into three zones that form logical spatial units: Ban Jelačić square : a wide street with trees that occasionally hosts seasonal events; a square in front of the market: generator of the largest daily pedestrian and bicycle traffic; and the main city square Zrinski: an apparently oversized square bounded on one side by the green facade of city park, and on the other side by the facade of an unfinished block of various contents and the city hall to the east and the old “Podravka” building in the west. Each of the mentioned spaces has a specific potential that distinguishes it from others, and the possibility of joining the system of public spaces in the center of Koprivnica. The main square of Zrinski, seen from the air, acts as an intersection of roads and pedestrian wpaths stretched between streets and smaller squares in the east and west. This spatial tension has made the main square of Koprivnica a transit place : a space defined more by flow and movement, and less by lingering and everyday activities. With intuitive lines of movement, cyclists bypass the vast empty space “cutting” the square diagonally in order to get from one end to the other as quickly as possible.

The renewal of the main plaza of Cosoleacaque City is part of a nationwide program of public space interventions under the SEDATU coordination and financed by the federal government of Mexico. The design principles applied to this specific plaza are aligned with the idea of the improvement of the quality of social life based on a deep review of how and why people have used the existing physical facilities.