Europan Croatia

Europan 10

EUROPAN 10 – EUROPEAN URBANITY

Inventing Urbanity

Contributing to our urban character is the principal task for architects, landscape and urban design professionals. Public space is framed by buildings, occupied by street furniture, defined by routes that cross them, and create a dialogue with ‘soft’ landscaping – water, air, vegetation. These are the elements that inform the atmosphere of the place. Urban character is related to the landscape, the feel, the place. Public spaces are perceived from a variety of points of view, either static (from a building), or through the experience of moving, (by foot, or vehicle).

The Europan competition is concerned with the domain between urban planning and building construction: The intention is to elicit a discussion on public and private space, and to bridge between architecture and urbanism: to make urbanism more ‘architectural’.

LIVING IN TODAY’S RESIDENTIAL DISTRICTS: DISTANCE AND PROXIMITY

Two tendencies are pulling home life in different directions: on one hand our growing individualism and autonomy, our professional mobility, the diversity of social groups within one family, the speed of communications and travel, and on the other hand a strong desire to have neighbourhood-scaled social networks.

This tension means we have to consider our residential areas in a new light.

How do we create new residential areas when there is so much change? How can innovative typologies and programmatic requirements play a role in addressing complex changing nature of urban space?

SUSTAINABILITY

Sustainability is a necessity, originating from the growing awareness of the interdependence of the entire planet. The contemporary Europan city needs to respect the principles of sustainable development.

Working towards this does not mean only performing to measurable criteria of sustainability, but also developing a strong message of the effects of sustainability on architectural and urban projects.

RIJEKA

ZAGREB

EUROPAN 10 CROATIAN JURY

Boris Magaš architect, deputy President of Croatian Governments' Council for physical planning, Zagreb
Lovorka Prpić architect, member of the board of the Croatian union of architects, Zagreb
Ira Rechner Sustar architect, Faculty of construction, Rijeka
Helena Paver Njirić architect, Zagreb
Olivier Bastin architect, L'Escaut office, Bruxelles, Belgium
Rob Docter architect, General director of the Berlage institute, Rotterdam, Netherlands
Thomas Pucher rchitect, Atelier Thomas Pucher, Graz, Austria
Tihomir Milovac art critic, Deputy Director of the Museum of Modern Art, Zagreb
Branimir Pofuk journalist, Zagreb

REPLACEMENT MEMBERS

Toma Pleic architect, UP studio, Zagreb
Branimir Rajcic architect, Zagreb

EUROPAN 10 RESULTS

At the second session of the Jury, the first and second prizes were awarded for both sites.

From the Jury minutes, comment on the first prize for the Zagreb site:

“The Jury considers that the study site should be viewed as a whole, rather than limiting future construction to the project site. By designing skyscrapers along the Sava River, the authors explore possible links between the parterre and the river, which should be further explored.

The exact position of the skyscraper should be determined with the preservation of the views in mind. Since it will be perceived as a new landmark, it is necessary to carefully plan the appearance of the skyscraper.

This work can be the basis for a more detailed plan. “

From the Jury minutes, comment on the first prize for the Rijeka site:

“Social housing needs to be planned. In the next phase of the project it is necessary to define more clearly the spaces between buildings as a public space. The facades should be designed in such a way as to retain the sculptural impression of the project.

The city should define a clear program that includes different social groups, and determine the mode of financing and density.

Roads need to be planned in the perimeter, so traffic and parking are outside the zone. The space between buildings should be planned as a slope, not a terrace.

The quality of the project is a seemingly formal gesture that evolves into a series of typologically diverse buildings with a wealth of opportunities for housing units to be organized. High density will lead to the creation of a new center of metropolitan character, so it is necessary to maintain it. “

RIJEKA 1st prize

AL898 - GEBEL ZGHIR (SMALL MOUNTAIN)

Author(s): Andrea Vescovini (IT 1971), Annamaria Prandi (IT 1972), Mia Zanni (IT 1972), architects
Associates(s): Francesco Maracchioni (IT 1983) architect

ZAGREB 1st prize

NZ999 - NEW ZAGREB • THE PLACE TO BE

Author(s): Geert De Groote (BE 1975), Pieter D'Haeseleer (BE 1977), architects
Associates(s):

RIJEKA 2nd prize

MN111 - DWELL UPON THE SLOPE

Author(s): Rosa Maria Fraga Escudero (ES 1979) Architect, Octavio Tarancon Burg (ES 1973) engineer-architect
Associates(s):

ZAGREB 2nd prize

ZA232 - LAND RAMIFICATION

Author(s): Nicolas Jomain (FR 1978), Boriana Tchonkova (BG 1979), architects
Associates(s):