Victory Square Design Competition

Victoriei Square is a coherent urban ensemble, expressing the passage from the segregate city to the citizens public space of a liberal society. The symbolic content of the square is sustained by a carefully conceived growing pattern emphasizing its dynamic bipolar orientation: Opera vs. Cathedral. The developing patterned „sheet” expands from a generating nucleus situated in the middle section of the Esplanade and extends towards the main open spaces in front of the major monumental buildings and beyond. The project extends the evolving „sheet” over the entire area surrounding the Esplanade, in order to sustain its inherent compositional unity.
The composition holds a layered vertical structure, predominantly geometric but permeable on the axial side - where the trees are growing a regular canopy, and a rather landscaped structure in front of the Castle, evoking the former park.The alignments of trees are not perfectly parallel, they start from the outer row running along the facades of the buildings, to end up with the central alignments being slightly widened, in order to integrate in a single gesture the existing vegetation segments, thus creating an effect of accentuated perspective towards the ends.
They are paused, extended and shortened, highlighting the monuments they flank or the shape of the squares they face. The apparently rigid design is translated at the eye level into a shady garden atmosphere, with layered vegetation, from trees canopy to textured ground cover vegetation.
The layout integrates two stations of the „Memorial Route of the 1989 Revolution”.
If on the esplanade the vegetation layers overlap on the new grid, integrating the major axes, in the Castle park, it is the grid that creates consistent rows of rich, layered vegetation, which from the existing park, take over the street.
The underground passage should be preserved and after structural retrofitting and general remodeling, will be able to support exhibitions and related activities in connection with the educational and cultural institutions in the proximity.
The concept of lighting is a dynamic one, with the entire system being designed to adapt to the rhythm of people and the surrounding events. From 1884 Timișoara became the first city to be lit by electricity. We propose a jurney back in time by using as reference, the color temperature of 2000K. The positioning of the lighting fixtures accentuates the main characteristic of the space: axiality.
A dynamic system is proposed, through whose variations in light intensity and color temperature, the lighting can adapt to changes in atmosphere. Vertical and horizontal lighting will alternate in intensity depending on the time of day for energy efficiency and to avoid light pollution.
We will highlight the architecture, flora, and social zones by intersecting multiple layers of light and choosing types of luminaires with well-controlled luminous flux for high comfort. Depending on season and activity, we can vary the color temperature, the level of illumination, and the distribution of light, to create varied scenarios.
The pavement is the main organising layer, a geometric „sheet”derived from the original tracery of the square which contains the reference lines and the modular interstitial fields.
The principal, continuous lines are made of Vratza limestone, slightly curved downwards, in order to collect the rainwater, directing it towards retention basins provided with dispersal drainage.
The secondary, staggered lines are made of red clinker pavement bricks.
The interstitial fields are paved with gray granite. The general module of the entire surface, resulting from the general pattern configuration, is 570x570mm (190mm for the clinker paving brick stripes).
The uniform thickness of the covering pavement is 100mm, including the clinker paving brick.
The ample space in front of the Cathedral can be used occasionally as an event surface. In order to maintain the uniformity of the pavement, the delimitation of the vehicle traffic area is realised by using metalic led road reflectors.
During events, the car trafic in front of the Cathedral could be interrupted by retractable bollards and redirected on both sides of the Cathedral, over the bridge towards „Splaiul Tudor Vladimirescu”.
Despite its rather formal organisation, the square offers flexibility and ample opportunity for harbouring various activities: terraces of restaurants and cafes, Christmas and Easter fairs, festivals, concerts and shows as well as open-air exhibitions along the central strip. Art installations could also be disseminated between the trees of the Esplanade.
Natural materials - stone, clinker, wood - have been chosen, because of their elegant aging potential.
All existing monuments will retain their original positions, except for the repositioning of the Royal busts of Mary and Ferdinand along the central strip. The street clock will be replaced with the new one facing a walk through water mirror in the shape of a labyrinth.

TEAM

Andreescu and Gaivoronschi
associated architects

Piata Sfantu Gheorghe no 4, ap 10 Timisoara
tel +40 256 306042