Shaping emptiness: from stage to installation.
The fountain acts as the connecting element in the new kiosk, designed to enhance social cohesion. The design research resulted in an artwork as a new superstructure on the existing plinth, rather than a contemporary reinterpretation of the classical kiosk that was never built. The research revealed that a roof is not necessarily required to foster collectivity. The fountain refers to the original horse watering place and the holy Livinus spring.
The new superstructure is approached geometrically. The horizontal pergola structure is a pentagon inscribed within the circle of the octagonal base. The pentagon is suspended three meters above the plinth and supported by three circular elements. One circle is open and forms a meshwork for climbing plants such as hops or jasmine. The second circle refers to the metal fermentation tanks located in the brewery’s basement. This is a closed circle that forms a wall along the adjacent roadway. The third circle is a concrete column made of red-pigmented concrete, shaped like a tree trunk with a wedge cut into it using an axe or saw. This wedge forms the (drinking water) fountain. The result is a flexible yet sheltered open space where sunlight filters through the filigree network of colorful, seasonal climbing plants, creating an enchanting play of light.
The square is being upgraded and partially de-paved. The upper level becomes a paved square suitable for multiple uses such as fairs, carnivals, markets, festivities, and parking. The existing planting areas will be filled with native plants, while the green kiosk compensates for the linden trees that will be removed because they currently act as a visual barrier on the square. The roadway is moved closer to the façades, creating a bend that naturally slows down traffic. Parking on the square is reduced to a few spaces, and the wide sidewalks are repurposed for organized parallel parking.
The lower part of the square is de-paved and transformed into a green wadi featuring playful water elements and a flower-rich meadow landscape. This green wadi, together with the existing greenery around the church, forms a green lower square. The kiosk becomes the heart of the paved square, while the war memorial serves as the centerpiece of the green square. High-quality materials and the existing spatial organization are preserved or reused wherever possible. Across the square, from top to bottom, a new row of trees is planted parallel to the church, with the existing village linden tree retained as a “tree of the future.”
