URBAN FURNITURE
For Opole
in collaboration with Zofia Krzykawska
The main square in Opole is an important place in the city. Numerous social and cultural events take place here. The aim of the urban furniture project is to enrich the heart of the city with an additional value that will attract residents and tourists to spend time and commune with the historical part of the city. After the modernization, the Market Square will become a very attractive point on the map of Opole.
The classic spatial layout of the Market Square has not changed since its inception. The geometry is orderly and balanced. The use of this value by combining the dynamic form of the furniture with the static form of the Market Square contributed to the creation of a rhythmic composition of the furniture arrangement, which perfectly fit into its space.
The design of the small architecture assumes the creation of a unique place to sit, which thanks to its innovative form, far from the form of a simple bench, will largely contribute to the creation of a comfortable point of relaxation and social meetings. People will use sits in various ways depending on their preferences and needs. On the other hand, tourists visiting the beautiful city of Opole will stop for a moment in the Market Square to admire the Avenue of Stars and make the most of their time and feel the atmosphere of the Capital of Polish Song.
The designed city furniture consists of three modules: module 1: seat, module 2: flower pot and module 3: backrest. Each module has two functions. The first module is a bench or a couch, depending on how the backrest will be placed on it. The second one acts as a pot and a seat without a backrest, and the third module is connected to the first one as a backrest. While inverted, it creates a single seat. Simple in form, contemporary elements with non-obvious geometry can be combined to create interesting seating arrangements. Such combinations provide more usable possibilities than a traditional bench. The form of the furniture will facilitate establishing contacts and help overcome social barriers, and will facilitate meetings for a larger group of people.
The dynamic positioning of the modules is not accidental, it results from the natural natural movement of people around the old square. The elements are so constructed and positioned that their users have an unlimited field of view and a wide observation perspective.
The modules are composed in groups with lanterns between them. Each group has an individual character, which diversifies the space and introduces freedom of use. The central point of each layout is the green module. Spacious pots make it possible to integrate a variety of vegetation, such as ornamental grasses, shrubs and flowers.
The choice of used materials is deliberate. It combines the raw form of concrete with a warm wood structure, which can be easily connected to the concrete base without interfering with the concrete structure. As a result, the city furniture encourages the user to try various forms of seating and is friendly to people of all ages.