Margečan town square
Zdenka Šarolić, dipl.ing.arh, ovl.arh.
Karla Lipej, dipl.ing.arh., ovl.arh.
Marko Friščić, mag.ing.arh.
Mario Herak, struč.spec.ing.aedif., ovl.ing.građ.
Martina Gladović, mag.ing.aedif.
A SMALL PLAZA WITH BIG AMBITIONS
Margečan is a small village in the heart of historic ‘’valley of the knights’’ which spans from the village of Bela all the way to Ivanec. Its specific geographical position led to a dynamic historical development manifested in a rich material and immaterial cultural heritage. The plaza, which is located in the very center of the village, is meant to represent a link between traditional and contemporary development.
An open space of merely 2.800 sqm ambitiously hosts a plethora of functions, all of which are currently missing in Margečan - a space for public gatherings, rest and recreation, sports fields, a children's playground and a small school plaza. To prevent all these different functions from clashing with each other, the space is first divided in a vertical direction by means of several plateaus that follow the natural slope of the terrain. Horizontal division separates public gathering areas from a sport and play area. Central walkway that simultaneously divides and connects these two spaces also brings vegetation deep into the plaza and serves as a resting zone. Special charm is given to the plaza by the introduction of art installations in the form of a pavillion and flower pots made from wattle - a reminiscence on once extremely active tradition of wattle basket production in Margečan. The plaza will eventually be the final point of an esplanade next to the river Bednja and thus crown the story of history and culture of Margečan, told through an architectural promenade in a natural and built environment.