it ee a ae ee ee Ce ate ee dae eTCity Squares and PlazasPlace des Terraux Plaza de los Fueros Place de la République Ole Bulls Plass Sankt Hans lorv Square Harbour Square Placa del Mar -New Seaside Promenade of Barceloneta Jacob Javitz Plaza Place Hassan Laaraj Place du Marché Constitution Square Louis Jeantet Foundation Jardin Atlantique Pershing Square Tolerance Square Memorial Union North Courtyard fodos Santos Plaza Marugame Station Plaza Center for Advance Science and Technology University Square Overtown Pedestrian Mall Solid Square The Tokyo City Hall Complex — Citizen's Plaza Curriculums 8 18 30 34 40 44 62 68 72 80 90 100 130 146 144 1h4 164 184 190 ateanee V. Les PENN. Une eeTHE CONCEPT OF A SQUARE AS SOMETHING THAT |S DESIGNED ALL AT ONCE IS RELATIVELY NEW IN THE HISTORY OF CITY PLANNING, WHEREAS TRADITIONAL SQUARES WESE THE RESULT OF AN ACCUMU-= LATION OF USES ANDO PURPOSES OVFR CENTURIES, WITH CONSTANT MODIFICATIONS TO THEIR PHYSICAL ELEMENTS AND SERSCNALITY, MODERN SQUARES MATERIALIZE VIRTUALLY OVERNIGHT. A MODERN PROJECT [S$ CONSTRUCTED WITHOUT THE CYOLUTICON IN USE SEEN IN THE SQUARES OF PREVIOUS CENTURIES. THE TERM SQUARE NO LONGER APPLIES JUSI TO A WIDENING OF THE STREET, BLT CAN ALSO INCLUDE MORE AMBIGUOUS SPACES. TRADITIONAL SQUARES WERE CLOSELY IDENTIFIED WITH A PURPOSE, SUCH AS DISPLAYING POLITICAL POWER OR SERVING AS A PLACE [OR COMMERCE. NOWADAYS MANY SQUARES OFTEN RAVE NO SPECIFIC PUR- POSE QTHER THAN TO PROVIDE CHARM OR A PLEASANT MEETING PLACE. THE SQUARES PRESENTED IN THIS BOOK CAN BE DIVIDED INTO THREE GROUPS. FIRST ARE PROJECTS LOCATED WITHIN TRADITIONAL SQUARES THAT HAVE EVQLVED HISTORICAILY. THESE PROJECTS, WHICH MIGHT BE TERMED RESTORATIONS, ARE GENERALLY LIMITED TO GROUND-LEVEL REMOVATIONS, SUCH aS PLACE DE TERRAUX OR PLAZA DE LOS FUEROS. SECOND, WE HAVE PROJECTS THAT TRANSFORM A SPACE BY CRE- ATING A SPECIFIC TOPOGRAPHY AND PROMOTING CERTAIN USES. THE SURROUNDING BUILDINGS BDO NOT CONSTITUTE A REFERENCE POINT FOR THE PROJECT, WHICH PRIMARILY DEVOTES uw ir F TO SOLVING PROBLEMS ARISING FROM THE LOCATION. EXAMPLES OF THIS TYPE ARE THC JARGIN ATLANTIQUE O8 THE FONDATION LOUIS JEANTET. FINALLY, CERTAIN fROJECTS ARE MEANINGFUL IN THEIR OWN RIGHT, ANO CONSIDER THEIR SURROMJINDINGS AS LITTLE MORE THAN A DEFINING PERIMETER. THESE MIGHT BE TERMED REVITALIZATIONS, EXEMPLIFIED BY THE CVERTOWN PROJECT, OR THE CREATION OF A "SPACE, SUCH AS SOLID SQUARE. ALL HAVE ONE ELEMENT IN COMMON; THE DESIRE TO BUILD PLACES WHERE PEOPLE CAN CONGREGATE AND ENJOY THEMSELVES THIS 18 ONLY POSSIBLE BY CREATING PEDESTRIAN AREAS AND BY GIV- ING PRIORITY TO INDIVIDUALS OVER AUTOMOBILE TRAFFIC. IN OTHER WORDS, THIS IMPLIES A WILL TO REGAIN CIVIC CONTROL OF PUBLIC PLACES.Place des Terraux LYON, 1994 This square, located in the historic center of Lyon at the confluence of the Rhone and Saéne rivers, is the largest public space in the city. The buildings that delimit it appeared gradually from the 17th ta the 19th centuries, taking the place of older city fortifications. The 1994 renovation project strove to keep all changes in the square to a bare minimum, carefully calculating every decision and taking the meaning of the space into account, or as Drevet put it, tout changer sans rien toucher—change everything without touching anything. The first step was to delicately nudge the set of sculptures of the Bartholdi fountain from the center of the square toward the north. It was then turned 90 degrees to face the Palais St.-Pierre, so that its galloping horses made the greatest possible impact, This seemingly insignificant adjustment achieved surprising results. The rather vague space of the square Is clarified and organized, and the facade of the Palais St.-Pierre is unexpectedly highlighted. Christian Drevet does not so much reorganize the square as build a new facade on the ground of the Place des Terreaux—a vibrant facade that is as sensitive to sunlight as it is to the city’s lights at night. The modernity of the project comes from its subtlety and its control of the new elements it introduces, as well as from its alottity to appreciate and highlight the existing buildings.ee ‘nie = ‘ era Sb -—_ 7 ma os hi Panoramic view with the city hall in the background and the Bartholdi fountain facing the Palais St.-Pierre. Plan showing the facades of the buildings which surround the plaza.A pedestrian crosses the square among the water jets. Cubes and pillars of granite that sprout up at the intersections of the pattern. Rs] 11The facade of Palais St.-Pierve seems to invade the entire pavement af the square, extending the pattern of its pillars over an area of 5.9 by 5.9 meters in alternat- ing squares of black and white granite. To bring the diverse facades surrounding the square into harmony, Drevet relied on just two materials: water and light. He integrated 69 fountains throughout the square to create a liquid forest of spurting water. The rippling of the water jets, like rustling of leaves, competes with the roar of the traffic to create a place for a relaxed stroll ov a chat. Light shining from the base of the pels furiber enhances the appeal of the water. The jets appear to glow as they climb and vanish as they fall, Views of various parts of the square. The public buildings of the Croix- Roussienne with the Massif des Terreaux background.h, showing any and the deeply set In the foreground, 4 oy tLe ebs td ee ee udinal acing south. Diagram of the pavement composition: black and white granite around the water spouts with gray granite at the joints. Arrangement of the water spouts. The four exterior circles correspond to the spotlights. - Night view of the square. The lights of the fountains, dancing to the rhythm of the water, confront the static lighting of the facades.ees Ce biceche ce eho ee ~ o _—- a | 4The pavement takes on an almost glassy quality. a6es.Reflections of light on the pavement. Diagram illustrating the mechanism of the light and water fountain, The light is transmitted by fiber-optics. x18 Plaza de los Fueros Esretta, 1993 Historically, public squares were linked to government or the church and were used for commercial activities or public ceremonies. This is the case of the Plaza de los Fugros in Estella, whose renovation was designed by the local architect Francisco Jose Mangada. Like many other medieval squares, this one has been used from its origins as a market, At the turn of the century new structures were incorporated and the square began to take on functions to which it was not always well-suited. This resulted ina public space that had been underused and undervalued until the renovation. The basic idea behind the improvements was to open up the center of the square so that it cauld become the nucleus of the space. The resulting space provides the freedom of movement necessary for a more complete use of the square, as well as an unobstructed line of sight allowing the appreciation of both the square itself and the surrounding buildings. Two rows of trees running lengthwise provide a visual connection between the ends of the square. The center of the square is set off from the rest by the use of a different kind of pavement. The square blocks of Gredos granite (100 by 100 by 7 centimeters) contain horizontal stripes of Jadish stone in a geometric pattern that creates an abstract hierarchical division of the space. This serves to delimit the sections dedicated to the square’s most traditional activities—the Thursday street market and the dance of Era, a deeply rooted tradition in the town. The main purpose of the project was to clear the center of the square so that it could be put to full use. The pavement, used as a unifying. element, constituted an essential component of the plan,1920 An elliptical bandstand rises two meters from the ground and can be accessed by a staivcase. The roof is made of zinc and the floor, walls, and ceiling of iroko wood. All of the furnishings in the square were designed specifically for the project using iroko as a unifying element. The lighting in the square serves varying functions. It highlights the facade of the church and distinguishes the longitudinal connection between the two spaces, which is also outlined by beacons placed along ihe promenade. The center is lit by an elliptical arrangement of beacons as well as by two posts, which also light the northern section of the square. The posts are made of wood covering an internal metal structure and are topped with adjustable spotlights. The Plaza de los Fueros integrates two previously independent spaces, using the bandstand as point of connection between them. The lighting highlights the connection as well as the spatial differences between the central area and the tree- lined promenade.