Raadhuisplein | Apeldoorn (Netherlands)
“That the center of plazas be kept free.”
Camillo Sitte (1889)
Step into the world of urban planning with a purpose! Camillo Sitte’s words make a clear appeal in “City Planning According to Artistic Principles.” Old towns maintained a harmonious balance, where statues, fountains, and churches gracefully adorned the square’s edges. But times have changed, and we find these elements now at the heart of our squares.
Intrigued by this transformation? Placing a church or a monument in the square’s center disrupts its very essence. It obstructs routes, obscures sightlines, and often leaves us with formal, unwelcoming squares.
Take, for instance, the Raadhuisplein in Apeldoorn, where the bust of King William I stands proudly in the middle, surrounded by eight tightly aligned trees. In our opinion, this gives the square an overly formal character.
Is there another way?
Join us on a journey to explore the secrets of square design in “Irregular Squares”. Do you have a nice example? Uncover the art of placing elements in urban spaces to create a harmonious balance.