Orestiada Square

This is a national architectural competition that won the 2nd Prize.

The task was to design a commercial area in the center of the small town of Orestiada.
The concept was to integrate the motion and various uses into a consistent pedestrian network.  A distinct wide long axis allowed as to propose parallel zones of movement, amusement and assembly in correspondence to the surrounding qualities and uses  of the built environment. Pavements, planes, green areas, repetitive elements of urban equipment and water entities are formed in the context of a unifying network at ground level.
In order to keep the scale of the operation small while maintaining familiarity with the region, we suggested the 4 distinct unities, whose boundaries are diffusing in the whole and thus allowing through tem  the flow of movements.

The 1st unity is the outset of the pedestrian avenue and is marked by three triangles of water, as the landmark of the pedestrian avenue.
The 2nd unity is characterized by the proximity of the elementary school. There, a synthesis of slopes for games, skateboarding and gatherings is allocated.
The 3rd unity is the main square of the pedestrian zone. The synthesis is composed by the traces of the axis designated by the courses of the existing built environment.  A wooden rectangular platform overlaps a water pond of the same shape and serves as an amusement and meeting point whilst in special occasions in used for city events and outdoors shows. A clump of high slender trees that produces a cubic form signals the landmark of this central point.
The 4th unity at the end of the course is characterized by the proximity of the train station. Since it is at the borders between town and nature it is treated mostly with natural elements. At the lowest and last point a cafeteria is placed for the citizens and the passengers of the station.