Zaha Hadid Architects

Eleftheria Square

Eleftheria Square 

Zaha Hadid Architects

Eleftheria Square
© Laurian Ghinitoiu

PHOTOGRAPHS
K-arkatites, Laurian Ghinitoiu

MEP ENGINEERING
Unemec

STRUCTURAL ENGINEERING
Asd Hyperstatic Engineering

LIGHTING
Kardorff Lichtplanung Ing., Volker Kardorff (Principal), Stefan Krauel (Project Designer)

ZHA COMPETITION TEAM
Christos Passas (Design Director), Saffet Bekiroglu, Viviana Muscettola, Michele Pasca Di Magliano, Daniel Fiser, Ceyhun Baskin, Inanc Eray

ZHA SCHEMATIC DESIGN TEAM
Stella Nikolakaki (Design Lead), Sevil Yazici (Design Lead), Sylvia Georgiadou, Takang Hsu, Phivos Skroumbelos And Marilena Sophocleus (Landscape), Chrysi Fradellou, Edward Sorgeloose, Vladimir Tschaly

ZHA DESIGN DEVELOPMENT
Dimitris Akritopoulos (Design Lead), Bence Pap (Design Lead), Kwanphil Cho, Reza Esmaeeli, Chrysi Fradellou, Raul Forsoni, Thomas Frings, Jesus Garate, Irene Guerra, George Giokalas, Spyridon Kaprinis, Javier Ernesto Lebie, Carlos Luna, Vincent Nowak, Anna Papachristoforou, Sophia Papageorgiou, Vivian Pashiali, Ivan Ucros Polley, Matthew Richardson, Michail Roidis, Hendrik Rupp, Andri Shalou, Vladimir Tschaly, Leo Alves, Megan Burke (Landscape), Eleni Mente (Landscape), David Mcdowell (Administration)

ZHA PROJECT SUPERVISION TEAM
Electra Mikelides, Dimitris Kolonis, Stella Nikolakaki, Vivian Pashiali, Christos Sazos, Nicos Yiatros, Christina Christodoulidou, Maria-eleni Bali

ON SITE ENGINEERS
Eleni Loizou, Remos Achilleos

COST CONSULTANTS
Mda Cyprus; Stephanos Andreou (Director In Charge), Niki Stavrou

STRUCTURAL ENGINEERS
Andros Achilleos (Principal Engineer), Michalis Allayiotis (Project Engineer)

MEP ENGINEERS
Lakis Pipis (Director In-charge), Andreas Karayiannis And Trevor Colett (Directors), Chris Macfarlane, Kleovoulos Kasoulides, George Lerides, Kypros Tziakouris (Electrical Engineers -supervision Stage) Kostas Archeos (Supervising Electrical Engineer) Panayiotis Ktorides (Mech. Engineer)

TRAFFIC CONSULTANTS
Skm Colin Buchanan; Andreas Markides (Ceo), Colin Firth (Director) 

ACCESSIBILITY CONSULTANTS
David Bonnett Associates; David Bonnett Mtcw; Klelia Petridou

PROJECT MANAGEMENT/COORDINATION TEAM
Modinos & Vrahimis Associates; Saverios Vrahimis (Director), Anna Lyssandridou

CLIENT PROJECT MANAGEMENT TEAM
Agni Petridou (Project Coordinator), Maria Ioannou, Maria Georgiou, Foivos Tsappas, Georgiana Loizides

ADVISORS
Lekton [cyprus]; Andy Sphicas, Soula Iacovidou The Concrete Center [uk] Beton Centrum [nl]

YEAR
2021

CATEGORY
Square, Installations & Structures

LOCATION
Nicosia, Cyprus

Eleftheria Square
© K-Arkatites
Eleftheria Square
© K-Arkatites
Eleftheria Square
© K-Arkatites

Text description provided by architect.

Establishing Eleftheria Square as the city’s primary gathering space, Zaha Hadid Architects’ (ZHA) design creates new connections intended to unite a divided capital.

Nicosia’s massive Venetian fortifications separate the old city from its modern districts, while the city’s ‘Green Line’ divides the capital into two disparate communities.

Eleftheria Square
© Laurian Ghinitoiu
Eleftheria Square
© Laurian Ghinitoiu

Located near the centre of Nicosia, Eleftheria Square is adjacent to the Venetian Walls and the dry moat that encircles the city.

Constructed in the Middle Ages and extensively rebuilt by the Venetians in the 16th century, these substantial defensive walls define the boundary of the oldest part of the capital, dividing the ancient city from the new districts outside the walls.

Eleftheria Square
© K-Arkatites
Eleftheria Square
© Laurian Ghinitoiu

ZHA envisioned Eleftheria Square as the initial phase of a much larger urban plan that could be a catalyst for the reunification of the capital.

The design ensures unobstructed views of the Venetian Walls, establishing these fortifications as an integral part of Nicosia’s identity, while also opening the dry moat for public use to create an orbital park that surrounds the city.

Eleftheria Square
© Laurian Ghinitoiu
Eleftheria Square
© Laurian Ghinitoiu

Transforming previously inaccessible areas of the moat with new civic plazas, gardens, and palm-lined promenades, the moat can become a ‘green belt’ around the city.

ZHA’s design proposes these new public spaces within the moat are extended to follow the ancient city walls and encircle Nicosia, reconnecting communities of this divided capital.

The Eleftheria Square design elevates the topography of the moat to create an upper-level bridge that meets the surrounding streetscape, establishing direct connections with the city’s urban fabric and defining a new public square in the heart of the capital.

Eleftheria Square
© Laurian Ghinitoiu
Eleftheria Square
© Laurian Ghinitoiu

Transformed into an urban park, the moat’s fluid geometries have been created through the process of triangulating the irregular forms of the ancient fortifications to establish points of ‘intensity’ that define seating, flowerbeds or water features within the new park.

The moat’s granite paving conveys a timeless solidity, while open joints between the granite slabs create a passive rainwater drainage system that allows the new trees planted within the moat to naturally balance groundwater levels and reduce erosion of the medieval walls’ foundations.

Eleftheria Square
© Laurian Ghinitoiu
Eleftheria Square
© Laurian Ghinitoiu

As the largest civic plaza in Nicosia, Eleftheria Square is designed to host festivals and public events; its upper-level bridge and supporting columns are crafted in concrete, their sculptural forms ensure structural integrity in this seismic region and the base of each column morphs into seating.

The renovation of the square involved extensive archaeological excavations together with works to repair and protect the historic Venetian Walls.

Eleftheria Square
© Laurian Ghinitoiu
Eleftheria Square
© Laurian Ghinitoiu

The redevelopment also includes two cafes within the square and the new underground parking lot with an access ramp on Omirou Avenue. Stairs and elevators directly connect with the bus terminal in Solomos Square.

ZHA’s transformation of Eleftheria Square weaves together Nicosia’s rich history with an unwavering optimism for the future.

Eleftheria Square
© Laurian Ghinitoiu
Eleftheria Square
© K-Arkatites

Bridging the Venetian Wall and moat, the square becomes an important gateway to the old city, its underground parking removing cars from the ancient city’s streets to enable further pedestrianisation that enhances the urban realm of this historic district while also creating new public gardens and plazas to be enjoyed by residents and visitors to the city.


Eleftheria Square
© Laurian Ghinitoiu
Eleftheria Square
© Laurian Ghinitoiu
Eleftheria Square
© Laurian Ghinitoiu
Eleftheria Square
© Laurian Ghinitoiu


Eleftheria Square
Water feature detail
Eleftheria Square
Water feature detail
Eleftheria Square
Sections
Eleftheria Square
Detail


Eleftheria Square
Site plan
Eleftheria Square
Lower floor plan
Eleftheria Square
Upper floor plan
Eleftheria Square
Concept diagram


Eleftheria Square
Pedestrian paths diagram
Eleftheria Square
Green areas diagram
Eleftheria Square
Programatic diagram

Zaha Hadid Architects
T +44 20 72535147 F +44 20 72518322
Zaha Hadid Architects
101 Goswell Rd., London EC1V 7EZ, United Kingdom