키프로스 니코시아의 유기적인 통합된 도시 구조 ‘엘레프테리아광장’ 

베니치아 성벽과 해자를 입체적으로 연결하는 구시가지의 관문, 해자 지형과 절묘하게 어우러진 풍경과 만나는 유기적이면서 기하학적인 공간 구조를 자아내, Eleftheria Square inaugurated, Nicosia, Cyprus

지중해 동부의 키프로스의 니코시아 엘페프테리아광장은 니코시아의 중심 부근에 위치하며 해자로 베네치아 성벽과 도시를 둘러싸여 있다.

중세에 건설된 견고한 방어벽은 16세기에 베네치아인에 의해 광범위하게 재건되었다. 방어벽으로 둘러싸인 요새는 수도의 가장 오래된 경계를 의미하며 구시가지와 현대적인 지구를 분리한다. 반면에 도시의 그린 라인(Green Line)은 도시를 두 개의 서로 다른 커뮤니티로 나눈다.

자하하디드 아키텍츠는 광장의 통합된 환경을 구현하기 위해 커다란 도시계획을 구상했다. 베네치아 성벽의 탁 트인 전망을 고려해 요새의 정체성을 부여하고 동시에 시민광장과 정원, 야자수로 조성된 산책로를 통해 해자 부근을 변화시키고 도시 주변의 그린벨트로서 작용하도록 새로운 공공광장을 디자인했다.

해자 안에 새롭게 조성된 공공 공간은 고대 도시의 성벽을 따라 입체적으로 확장되고 분리된 도시의 커뮤니티를 절묘하게 연결시킨다. 해자 지형과 절묘하게 어우러진 풍경과 만나는 상층 브리지와 유기적이면서 기하학적인 도시 구조가 긴밀하게 연결되며 도심의 새로운 공공광장을 만들어준다.

입체적인 광장에 다채로운 꽃잎수를 놓듯 조성된 화강암 포장은 벤치와 화단, 조경시설은 물론 계단실을 아우르며 조명과 어우러져 다이내믹한 광장 디자인을 보여준다. 화강암 해자 내부에 조성된 조경시설에는 빗물배수 시스템을 적용해 지하수의 균형을 유지하게 함으로써 성벽의 침식을 줄여준다. 광장은 축제와 행사를 위한 장소로서 기능을 한다. 상부 브리지와 지지기둥은 콘크리트로 제작되었다.

광장 리노베이션을 진행하면서 고고학적 발굴과 함께 베네치아 성벽을 수리하고 보존하기 위한 작업도 병행되었다. 광장 재개발에는 광장 내 3개의 카페와 거리 진입램프가 있는 지하 주차장을 포함한다. 광장과 연결되는 계단과 엘리베이터는 버스터미널과 바로 연결된다. 지하 주차장을 통해 거리에는 자동차를 없애고 역사지구 도시 영역을 향상시키고 광장의 보행 기능은 더욱 활성화되었다. ANN

Architect_ Zaha Hadid Architects (ZHA)

Design_ Zaha Hadid, Patrik Schumacher, Christos Passas

자료_ ZHA, Photo by K-Arkatites

Eleftheria Square in Nicosia has been inaugurated by Nicos Anastasiade, President of the Republic of Cyprus, and Constantinos Yiorkadjis, Mayor of Nicosia. Stella Kyriakides, EU Commissioner, also attended the ceremony.

Establishing Eleftheria Square as the city’s primary gathering space, Zaha Hadid Architects’ (ZHA) design creates new connections intended to unite a divided capital. Nicosia’s massive Venetian fortifications separate the old city from its modern districts, while the city’s ‘Green Line’ divides the capital into two disparate communities.

Located near the centre of Nicosia, Eleftheria Square is adjacent to the Venetian Walls and the dry moat that encircles the city. Constructed in the Middle Ages and extensively rebuilt by the Venetians in the 16th century, these substantial defensive walls define the boundary of the oldest part of the capital, dividing the ancient city from the new districts outside the walls.

ZHA envisioned Eleftheira Square as the initial phase of a much larger urban plan that could be a catalyst for the reunification of the capital. The design ensures unobstructed views of the Venetian Walls, establishing these fortifications as an integral part of Nicosia’s identity, while also opening the dry moat for public use to create an orbital park that surrounds the city.

Transforming previously inaccessible areas of the moat with new civic plazas, gardens and palm-lined promenades, the moat can become a ‘green belt’ around the city. ZHA’s design proposes these new public spaces within the moat are extended to follow the ancient city walls and encircle Nicosia, reconnecting communities of this divided capital.

The Eleftheria Square design elevates the topography of the moat to create an upper level bridge that meets the surrounding streetscape, establishing direct connections with the city’s urban fabric and defining a new public square in the heart of the capital.

Transformed into an urban park, the moat’s fluid geometries have been created through the process of triangulating the irregular forms of the ancient fortifications to establish points of ‘intensity’ that define seating, flowerbeds or water features within the new park.

The moat’s granite paving conveys a timeless solidity, while open joints between the granite slabs create a passive rainwater drainage system that allows the new trees planted within the moat to naturally balance groundwater levels and reduce erosion of the medieval walls’ foundations.

As the largest civic plaza in Nicosia, Eleftheira Square has been designed to host festivals and public events; its upper level bridge and supporting columns are crafted in concrete, their sculptural forms ensure structural integrity in this seismic region and the base of each column morphs into seating.

The renovation of the square involved extensive archaeological excavations together with works to repair and protect the historic Venetian Walls. The redevelopment also includes two cafes within the square and the new underground parking lot with access ramp on Omirou Avenue. Stairs and elevators directly connect with the bus terminal in Solomos Square.

ZHA’s transformation of Eleftheria Square weaves together Nicosia’s rich history with an unwavering optimism for the future. Bridging the Venetian Wall and moat, the square becomes an important gateway to the old city, its underground parking removing cars from the ancient city’s streets to enable further pedestrianisation that enhances the urban realm of this historic district while also creating new public gardens and plazas to be enjoyed by residents and visitors to the city.

Project Team

Architect: Zaha Hadid Architects (ZHA)

Design: Zaha Hadid, Patrik Schumacher, Christos Passas

ZHA Competition team: Christos Passas (Design Director), Saffet Bekiroglu, Viviana Muscettola, Michele Pasca di Magliano, Daniel Fiser, Ceyhun Baskin, Inanc Eray

ZHA Schematic Design Team: Stella Nikolakaki (Design Lead), Sevil Yazici (Design Lead), Sylvia Georgiadou, Takang Hsu, Phivos Skroumbelos and Marilena Sophocleus (Landscape), Chrysi Fradellou, Edward Sorgeloose, Vladimir Tschaly

ZHA Design Development: Dimitris Akritopoulos (Design Lead), Bence Pap (Design Lead), Kwanphil Cho, Reza Esmaeeli, Chrysi Fradellou, Raul Forsoni, Thomas Frings, Jesus Garate, Irene Guerra, George Giokalas, Spyridon Kaprinis, Javier Ernesto Lebie, Carlos Luna, Vincent Nowak, Anna Papachristoforou, Sophia Papageorgiou, Vivian Pashiali, Ivan Ucros Polley, Matthew Richardson, Michail Roidis, Hendrik Rupp, Andri Shalou, Vladimir Tschaly, Leo Alves, Megan Burke (Landscape), Eleni Mente (Landscape), David McDowell (Administration)

ZHA Project Supervision Team: Electra Mikelides, Dimitris Kolonis, Stella Nikolakaki, Vivian Pashiali, Christos Sazos, Nicos Yiatros, Christina Christodoulidou, Maria-Eleni Bali

Consultants

On-site Engineers: Eleni Loizou, Remos Achilleos

Structural Engineers: ASD Hyperstatic Engineering [Limassol]; Andros Achilleos (Principal Engineer), Michalis Allayiotis (Project Engineer)

MEP Engineers: UNEMEC [Nicosia]; Lakis Pipis (Director in-charge), Andreas Karayiannis and Trevor Colett (Directors), Chris MacFarlane, Kleovoulos Kasoulides, George Lerides, Kypros Tziakouris (Electrical Engineers -supervision stage) Kostas Archeos (Supervising Electrical Engineer) Panayiotis Ktorides (Mech. Engineer)

Lighting: Kardorff Lichtplanung Ing. [Berlin]; Volker Kardorff (Principal), Stefan Krauel (Project Designer)

Accessibility Consultants: David Bonnett Associates; David Bonnett

MTCW; Klelia Petridou

Traffic Consultants: SKM Colin Buchanan; Andreas Markides (CEO), Colin Firth (Director)

Project Management/Coordination Team: Modinos & Vrahimis Associates; Saverios Vrahimis (Director), Anna Lyssandridou

Client Project Management Team: Agni Petridou (Project Coordinator), Maria Ioannou, Maria Georgiou, Foivos Tsappas, Georgiana Loizides

Cost Consultants: MDA Cyprus; Stephanos Andreou (Director In Charge), Niki Stavrou

Advisors: Lekton [Cyprus]; Andy Sphicas, Soula Iacovidou

The Concrete Center [UK]

Beton Centrum [NL]