Vienna : Pedestrianisation of the city centre
Commercial street
Pedestrian links
Public square
Programming
Heritage
Client
Ville de Vienne / Vienne Agglo
BASE
+ OGI
+ Alep architectes
Budget / 1.5 M€
Surface area / 6150 m²
Completion / 2017
A key issue underpinning this project was the history of the area. It was a question of developing a design logic that links heritage sites in the city into a network.
The objective was to re enforce the pedestrian links between adjacent neighbourhoods, unlocking the traffic system whilst still maintaining some vehicle access. A new public square will sit at the top of the street with planting and architectural elements creating a barrier between the pedestrian area and the vehicular traffic, blocking the view of the road and drawing the eye towards the picturesque view of the hillside of the Chateau de la Batie.
The same ground material is used for both the public space and the heritage sites, creating coherence with the historic centre, making one homogenised urban hardscape which is also part of the commercial and architectural facades.
A series of public spaces expands into a succession of attractive plazas and squares. Each area is treated with one basic ground cover highlighting the existing topography and leaving space for city life.
A public space should be open and accessible to everyone and it is a question at the heart of every design. If the topographical constraints of the site make this impossible, the design should at least make the space as comfortable as possible.
Finally to the question of the long-standing pieces of public artwork. The design of each space is orientated towards the various pieces creating an interaction between the art and the landscape.
