The Moravian Square park in Brno has transformed into a lively oasis, creating a unique blend of tranquility and energy that stands out against the bustling city backdrop. Spearheaded by Consequence forma architects, this project showcases a holistic strategy to breathe new life into a popular public area in Brno’s historic district, catering to modern-day needs. By integrating blue-green infrastructure, eco-friendly practices, and promoting biodiversity, this initiative fosters a sense of community and celebrates diversity.
The urban arena in Brno is a remarkable feature that adds a new dimension to the city’s public spaces. Situated in the heart of the park, it serves as a gathering place for pedestrians, offering a unique concept of shared comfort. The focal point of the arena is a fountain that creates a mesmerizing water mirror or a misty cloud, adding to the serene ambiance of the space.
This central area is defined by a massive bench that encircles the arena, providing a sense of tranquility and forming an embracing ring. The generous size of the bench invites people to recline, sit, relax, and play, making the place vibrant and lively. As the day begins, the arena comes to life, with the fountain area transforming into a stage. There is always something happening, captivating the attention of passersby.
The water’s surface reflects and enhances every situation, creating a mirrored reflection that adds to the allure of the space. The fountain’s mode plays a significant role in attracting and encouraging interaction and play in the center. During the summer, the arena becomes a hub of activity, bustling with children and adults seeking moments of refreshment and relaxation. It is a place where one can sunbathe, engage in activities, and enjoy the refreshing atmosphere, earning it the nickname ‘The Brno Sea.’ The central area, with its dynamic vibrancy and poetic calmness, forms the core of the design, adapting its rhythm with the changing seasons and throughout the day.
The focal point of the design is the central area, which introduces a novel public space to Brno known as the urban arena. Situated at the heart of the park, this space features a fountain that creates either a water mirror effect or a misty cloud, providing a serene atmosphere. The arena is characterized by a substantial bench that encircles the area, offering a feeling of tranquility and unity.
This distinctive space is specifically tailored for pedestrians, promoting a concept of shared comfort. The expansive bench encourages a sense of liberation, allowing individuals to recline, sit, relax, and engage in recreational activities. Consequently, the area becomes vibrant and lively, particularly at the break of dawn when the arena transforms into a stage, attracting visitors with its dynamic ambiance.
The interaction between action and tranquility is evident on the water’s surface, captivating passersby with its mirrored reflections. The fountain’s operation plays a crucial role in animating the central area, drawing people in and fostering social engagement and play. During the summer months, the urban arena becomes a hub of activity, bustling with children and adults seeking moments of refreshment and relaxation.
Referred to as ‘The Brno Sea,’ this location offers a blend of leisure and recreation, providing opportunities for sunbathing and rejuvenation. The central area, with its ever-changing rhythm influenced by the seasons and time of day, embodies a dynamic vibrancy and poetic serenity that lies at the heart of the design.
The incorporation of a café and a children’s playground into the northern part of the park was a crucial aspect of its redevelopment. Previously unused areas were completely transformed to create an appealing space that offers a panoramic view of the newly discovered city vista, including the Church of St. Thomas. Acting as a link between the park and the city, the café pavilion enhances the urban character of Koliště Street, which is gradually transforming into a bustling urban boulevard.
The café itself, along with its terrace, forms a circular shaded promenade beneath the canopy of mature trees, providing various areas for relaxation and social interaction. It not only caters to the needs of its patrons but also serves as a hub for communal activities, hosting occasional small theatre, musical, and other events in its adjacent children’s playground or ‘speakers corner.’ With its partially transparent roof accommodating a tree growing through it, the café’s design is truly unique. The foundations elevate an eight-meter ellipse, symbolizing the Sun, intersected by the café’s roof. The structure’s mirrored half above the rooftop plane creates an intriguing visual effect.
Additionally, a lighting installation allows the polished steel ellipse to disappear during the day and reappear at sunset, further enhancing the visual axis from the center of the park. The café’s rusty façade, made of weather-resistant steel that gradually rusts, features a neon word ‘Budoucnost’ (Future), which evokes themes of reflection, beginnings, and thought-provoking questions about our society. Overall, the café serves as a significant focal point within the park, not only aesthetically but also as a generator of social and communal activities.
The light gravel beneath the tree canopies, casting flickering shadows, invites you to stay. The carousel and differently-sized chairs and tables are the focus of the children. Original play elements are inspired by the concept of the city as a cafe metropolis. Various-sized white elements seem to scatter throughout the park. In contrast to the lively surroundings of the café, there are grassy and meadow areas that, on the contrary, offer peace and shade along the circular promenade. A prominent edge visually connects the park to its surroundings.
Walking around, one can enjoy each season based on the currently blooming perennials and bulbs. A protected habitat is created by flowers, shrubs, and trees, shaping an oasis of tranquility and safety. Park entrances are designed along observed paths. A method mapping original beaten paths in fresh snow using drone imagery was employed. A crucial route consists of a wide main pathway, smaller radial connections, and a circular promenade complemented by small grass-covered trails.