Thematic folder

My experiences. Solutions competition

My Experiences
SOLUTIONS COMPETITION
Landscaping of the underground space - University Parking, Bucharest

text: Adrian SPIRESCU

Team: architecture - Adrian Spirescu, Mihaela Pelteacu, Cosmin Popa, Ruxandra Iordan, Raluca Cojocaru;
Landscape: Nicolas Triboi

The project proposes to preserve the essence of the existing urban space and its affirmation according to the two cross directions - N-S and E-V - that define the geometry of the former church of St. Sava Monastery, considered as a generating element. The design solution aims to transform the two axes of composition into directions of movement in space. This is achieved by multiplying and oscillating the boundaries of this ensemble defined by successive historical layers. Our proposal addresses the two major directions of the square and aims to emphasize the traversability of the public space by filtering images, creating new spaces and articulating them, emphasizing important axes of visibility. Both axes are proposed to be supported by trees planted at pavement level, integrating the spatial configuration of the existing statues and frontages. The solution proposes a unitary pavement, extended over the roadway area of Queen Elisabeth Avenue and "vibrated" in the area of the archaeological footprints by inserting surfaces of different material.

1a. The equipment and technical elements of the underground parking have been assumed and assimilated into the general idea of the layout.
1b. Description of the solution

Statues: Remain in the positions placed on the general pavement of the square.

Pavement: The surface of the plaza is finished with andesite tiles, including the roadway area, in three colors: light gray, medium gray and dark gray. The connection of the square to the adjacent roadway will be made through ramps (from Academiei Street and from the roundabout of University Square) that will condition the reduction of car movement, with favorable effect to our concept of recreating a cultural urban space.

Vegetation: The vegetation consists of tall and medium sized trees, planted in the pavement of the square (directly - in a planting bed in the space between the existing building frontage and the underground parking lot, in a planter system - with the height of the topsoil of about 1.00 m. On an area of 60 cm x 60 cm cut into the pavement, the trees are protected with gravel stabilized with water-permeable polyurethane resin, size 3-6 cm, light grey. On the pedestrian area in front of the University building, on the curved alignments and on the fronts of Toma Caragiu Street, the plantation is preserved and supplemented with "historical" species of tall trees, about 10-15 m - oak, maple, lime. Medium-sized trees (magnolias, fruit trees without fruit - plums, apple trees, etc.) will be planted on the E-V compositional axis. On Toma Caragiu Street, the trees on the alignment are doubled by rows of trees of the same size and species as those on the E-V axis and outside the underground parking lot.

Lighting: The lighting solutions aim at: 1) transforming the square fronts into large urban lighting fixtures, by placing lighting fixtures on the facades and at the base of the buildings; 2) uniform lighting of statues; 3) street lighting poles, two rows arranged parallel to the E-V axis along Queen Elizabeth Avenue; 4) beacon lighting at the limit of the road surface; 5) underfloor lighting along the N-S axis; 6) lighting provided in the furniture elements; 7) transforming the elevator volume into a lighting element.

The urban furniture is designed in simple shapes, made of natural materials: a) Benches in the articulation area of the exedra with str. Toma Caragiu, made of metal structure and stone slabs; b) Cultural-historical information inscribed on metal surfaces; c) Movable parapet at the occasional access ramp, made of burnished metal grating; d) Natural stone finish, similar to the horizontal surface of the square, at the parapet of the main car access ramps, the parapet of the staircase, the prismatic volumes of the air chambers of the ventilation, the volumes of the flower garden; g) 4 covered spaces for public transit passengers are made of burnished metal structure and clear tempered glass panels, with natural stone benches with double orientation;

The ground marking of the relics of the Domnești Academy is achieved by inserting in the pavement stabilized sand surfaces, finished with natural stone similar to the horizontal surface.