New Roots
The vision for Vyzvolennia District is to establish a landscape-driven urban destination that will be the epicentre of the City’s Strategy 2021 sustainable development initiative. As the new civic heart of Mariupol, the district converts into a barrier-free, verdant, pedestrian space that links the future growth of civic life with a newfound appreciation of nature. Scale and location are significant, allowing the district to relate to the City’s existing artistic and industrial foundations. With its symbolic position on the axis between Teatralnyi square and the City’s deep seaport, the project represents a new landscape-forward future for Mariupol. Vyzvolennia District’s design marries appreciation of nature with the hub of civic life, establishing an identity that will guide art and industry into a more prosperous future for the City.
The proposed Glass House, visible from both the coastline and the City’s high points, will anchor the view down Mira Avenue from Teatralnyi Square. The Glass House provides passive climate control to the building and the surrounding landscape, protecting public programs from inclement weather. In addition, it establishes an interior climate that supports a broader range of plant species than the rest of the City, further enhancing the district’s potential to guide a new appreciation of nature and radically transform the culture of the City.
Ultimately though, in the context of Mariupol’s long history of heavy industry and recent history of conflict, our proposal for a civic scaled glasshouse filled with lush plantings is a critical reflection of the geopolitics in this region.
Competition
New Roots
Viktor Nilsen Open International Architecture Ideas Competition
Design Team: Fionn Byrne, with Alessandro Colavecchio (OLIN), Selina Chau (MLA), June Geyer (ENDS)