A design proposal by Assistant Professor Fionn Byrne was on display this past December in Rahovec as part of an international competition for the redesign on the city’s Central Square.
The work, “Collaborating Worlds,” envisioned a public space that would not seek conformity to a single group identity but would rather accommodate a plurality of identities and enable individuals to move through the space on their own terms. To accomplish this, Byrne proposed to subdivide the square into distinct pockets that would accommodate different programs and user groups. Each pocket, furthermore, would be vegetated, establishing complete worlds or micro-social and environmental habitats. At the same time, a uniform bench was envisioned to wrap the perimeter of the square and bring a visual and material consistency to the space.
On the proposal the Jury remarked that “the sophisticated approach to landscape urbanism brings a craft and kindness to the re-integration of biodiversity, large species trees, and fauna and flora as integral to our urban life.” The competition was organized by the Municipality of Rahovec with the support of UN-Habitat. The complete set of competition drawings can be found on Fionn’s website.