Muse Tadiose _ Masaryk Square

VSB-FAST

Urban

a = Electra tram station

b = Kostel svateho Vaclava

c = The Roman Catholic Parish of Ostrava

d = Ostravice river

e = Another Public Space

f = University of Ostrava - Faculty of Arts

site plan

a = Ostrava Museum

b = Obchodní dum OC LASO Ostrava

c = Open space, Future uncertain

Most ground floors of the building adjacent to the square are commercial units. The upper floors dominated by private uses.

Ringplatz, Main Square, People’s Militia Square were the previous label of Masaryk square. It is a 9500 sqm paved surface enclosed by evenly placed trees. The Budlings are planned out in L-shape enclosing the square and rectangular green space located in the east of it.

The open space on the left side of the square was originally intended for a building. Now it is integrated with the long existed public space, changing the appearance of the square from rectangle to L-shape.

The ground surface of the Masaryk square is 75m wide by 123m long. It is well ventilated and gets a clear daylight. This is due to the fair proportion of the open space to the height of the built-up masses on the area. One can feel more relaxed rather than bordered.

SHADOW

The buildings surrounding the square have a height spanning from 12m-20m. Thus, even in the half-day their shadow barely passes the trees planted in the border of the square. The low height of the buildings also helps in minimizing the wind pressure.

ACCESS

The layout of the streets is a grid pattern. The paths to the square are mostly on the edges making the space appear much bigger. The narrow paths leading to the square do not give a clear indication of the open space. Due to this, one can guess the layout of this hidden void but never the function of it as a public square.

ACCESS

Vehicles circulate on the periphery of the square detaching the link between the functional space of the building and the open space. The square by itself is not a totally pedestrian zone as cars cross from NE to SW connecting the street of rijina.

A- Pedestrian movement on daily basis is seldom and diagonal. Mostly used as a path.

B- In a time of activities like fountain, gallery or showcases the path lead toward it.

C- At Christmas, the whole area becomes active and lively for markets and shows.

On the opposite side of the statues, the space is used for ground fountain display, which is a popular activity for kids in the summertime of the year. The area is also used for displaying arts and recreational plays .

On christmas the square become lively as it is full of spectators for the events and market activities.Temporary wooden hut houses will be constructed to attain the buyers along with christmas tree and other fun activities.

Planters are used to hinder cars from passing the square. But that is not always the case. Sometimes the path is clear. These disrupt the people experience the square and worse than that, accidents may occur.

Cars cross from NE to SW connecting the street of rijina. It divides the square into two halves. The continuity of trees is also disrupted by this.

path

Masaryk square is accessed through narrow paths. This magnifies the size of the square as one moves from a narrow space to a relatively wider area.

The site is dominated mostly by classical buildings. Obchodní dum OC LASO Ostrava is an aluminum facade building with a large amount of it covered with glass.

PERSPECTIVE

Based on the point of interest the trees deceive in creating a depth or boundary of the space. For someone standing in the longitudinal axis watching from NW to SE or SE to NW, it gives a perspective view of the site. And on the shorter size (NE-SW or SW-NE) it hinders the depth and gives it a rhythmical plane surface.

The plot on the East side of the square gives it a berating space. It also minimizes the element of surprise like it has when someone enters the square from the other narrow paths. The transition from this squarish shape green plot to the public square is smooth and effective.

The texture of the site is smooth and hard. The repetitive pattern on the building gives it harmony and a homogeneous look. Their roof is more edgy and rough compared to other surfaces in the area.

greenery

The seasonal change gives the square a different vibe. In summer the leaves are blooming and create a shade for the sitting. While in winter the branches create a translucent plane which can embarrass the building existence.

In Masaryk square, the scale of the element’s ranges from the smallest bollard to the tallest building (Ostrava Museum). The human scale is justified as most of them are proportional in relation to the void space and a person’s perspective.

The buildings are connected to one another. They give no depth of field beyond the square. One can perceive the space as a decorated wall bounding the space. The only distance one can visualize is on the corners, even by that the vision is short and impaired by the continued building on the side.

shape

The organic shape of trees covers the lower part of the buildings. The buildings are mostly in a rhythm with a decorative pattern moving in a perpendicular position. The roofs have a triangulated shape space contradicting the outline of the trees.

depth

The fragile surface of the windows has harmony as they are laid out evenly and in the same elevation in their respective buildings. The ground floor is also covered by permeable glass patterns.

The dominant material on the square is concrete as the ground the sitting is made of it. Cobble stones are used in the outer edges and side roads of the square. The buildings are plastered classical facades with AL frame windows, except the mall located on the north ( Obchodní dum OC LASO Ostrava )

The zigzag concrete tile pattern of the square invites people to use shortcuts and move diagonals. The linear motifs on the sides define the spaces.

The ground tiles gradually change from smooth calm concrete surface into loose fragile cobble stones while one moves from the square into the periphery.

Concrete is also used in making elements like bollards and trash bins. This makes it blend with the surface of the ground and create calmness in the space.

sittings

Concrete sitting objects are evenly distributed in the tress on the site. One can use the shade of the trees in times of harsh sun exposure or for the purpose of privacy. People can also use one of the six (6) circular sitting concrete, which is also used for erecting Light poles. They are preferable in the night times.

Two important statuses are visible in the Masaryk square. Marian Plague Column (on the left) and St Florian (on the right) make the square a tourist attraction area. People also feel occupied standing closer to them instead of any other exposed point in the area.