We are happy to share that in great collaboration with Schauman & Nordgren Architects and Sitowise, our proposal, “Palimpsest”, has received an honourable mention.  

Since the town of Vaasa was built, the market square has been a focal point of commercial activity through its lively market trade and the shops that surround it. Today, the usage of the square has changed, the daily market trading has declined, and the functional role of the square in the city needs to be reassessed. 

Our proposal, “Palimpsest”, aims to transform the square from conventional to recreational usage, where different urban activities can happen simultaneously. While respecting the historical layers, our design proposal works with a multitude of urban layers which are being added, changed or removed. As the commercial activities of the square decline, recreational and event activities are becoming a more important part of the square’s identity. 

Vaasa market square can be seen as part of a series of green spaces connected like a string of pearls through the city centre, looking at the city’s green structure on a larger scale.

To transform the square into a more recreational use,  new trees are been added together with green surfaces, forming a vegetation zone in the southwestern part of the square, providing protection from wind and noise. Over time, the foliage will create a high tree canopy, framing unobstructed ground-level views of the square. Reducing paved surfaces and increasing permeable surfaces to benefit vegetation is a key element of the proposal. More abundant vegetation and healthy trees will significantly enhance the amenity value of urban spaces. The Market Square forms a common living room for everyone in the city. Therefore, the proposal aims to place playful sculptures in the square, which will be of sufficient value for a common parade space but will attract the interest and movement of all age groups.

Moreover, the form of trees and continuous greenery will be both pleasant human-scale spaces for various uses and permeable, providing shelter to people and allowing them to observe others passing by and the events taking place in the square.

In addition, the Market Square will naturally be divided into various areas where different activities will be concentrated, whose spatial flexibility will allow for both large-scale market and event situations without neglecting pleasant and human-scale spaces for everyday activities and uses. Thus, an important starting point for the overall concept is that activities should not be allowed to delimit sections of the parks but that the space should remain freely accessible.