The historical Suursild, the only car bridge in the city centre of Pärnu now days, stands connecting both shores, Perona and Embecke. Its landing on Embecke is a certain singular point, not only due to its location on the river bank, but by its relation with the main urban spaces of the town centre, some of them heritage from the baroque heptagonal bastions and fortifications which left their urban traces converted into a green belt of parks (the Winter Port, Valli park, Munamäe park, Lydia Koidula park). The site of the new Art Park, flanking the bridge landing, completes this green belt on the north of the old town along the riverside, and becomes an opportunity to bring the city to the river and promote the development of quality public space extended from the pedestrian core of the old city towards the significant cultural endowments surrounding the site Pärnu has been historically closely tied to all Baltic nations, and Suursild is on the entrance axis to this welcoming city.
THE MAIN BUILDING DRIVING FORCE
A gentle undulating volume embraces the bridge on its extreme, giving shape to the arched entrance to the city of Pärnu. The warm character of the city, the open mindedness, the creative force are represented, all offered by Pärnu in that iconic city gate.
THE ART PAVILION AS THE PÄRNU GATE
A CITY ICON
The art pavilion symbolizes the speaker for the Pärnu messages. An appeal to take part and delight Baltic creativity. An invitation to come up, learn and enjoy Pärnu and its region.The soft shape of the building leans on the park and embosoms respectfully the bridge. The wide cavity towards Akademia Plats invites to get along with the itinerary from the riverside park. An ascendant ramp connects the entrance area with the universal hall on the top over the river. The interior receives natural light through the façade. A sequence of cuddle strips assumes the form defined by a turning ellipsoid, from a horizontal ellipse in the arch of Akademia Plats to a vertical ellipse in the arch embracing the bridge over the river. These elliptical strips slightly peel off and enable natural lighting of the interior spaces. The lateral flanks accompanying the driveway serve to connect the square with the upper multipurpose space. They house the promenade in an open space, extension of the hall, as a transition between the park and the fleet and the main activity of the upper exposition hall. The linear movement flow of the bridge is perceived from the lateral flanks due to the sieving transparency of the inner façade towards the bridge. By night these transparencies turn the image of the pavilion into a lamp offering a glimpse of the inner occupancy. The entrance to Embecke lighted by the Art Pavilion.
Photography ByCentro de exibições. Imagem Cortesia de BAT + ACHA ZABALLA Arquitectos
THE ART PARK AND THE ART FLEET
The iconic building is accompanied by a green sinuous surface, spread out from the river side to Lai Street, from the old garages to the ferries pier. It supplements the greenery of other city parks and, in front of Akademia Plats, becomes a natural extension of the Valli Park as a new water front park, from the Winter Port to the riverbank. The Art Park retrieves the natural character of the river shore with its autochthonous flora and the variable edge line as the river level oscillates. A pedestrian boardwalk runs through the green dunes between sinuous flood edges. This pathway provides access to the floating barges docked at this summer pier. In winter, when the river freezes and the fleet is gone, this river bank line allows the approach to the awesome icy sight. The art fleet is lineally disposed. This way, it is easy to enlarge activities from one to another, or to extend the visit to all of them. Different kinds of glass panes form the continuous façade of the linear complex of pavilions. From the most transparent to the very opal and reflecting. Each pavilion can be easily adapted to the requirements of each exposition or activity. Through the transparent facade the river sight is enjoyed from the boardwalk and the park. And when the pavilions need to be closed, the direct sight is substituted by the reflections over the sliding panel that overlay the transparent ones. The group of barges offers a fickle image between transversal transparency and reflections towards starboard and larboard, towards the river and the park. Each floating pavilion is conceived as a portion of soil brought from its nation. It carries its own green roof. This set of roofs offers a Baltic botanic terrace accessible from the pavilions. The waving green cover of the pavilions ties in the fleet with the park and with the mother region of each of them.
Photography By Vista a partir da cidade. Imagem Cortesia de BAT + ACHA ZABALLA Arquitectos
A NEW HARBOUR EXPERIENCE- THE ART PARK FLOODED BY NATURE
A GREAT WATER FRONT
Designed for flexibility. With active and passive leisure areas. A vibrant riverside accessible for everyone, designed to be handicap friendly. A fun meeting point based on the diversity.
A DISTINCTIVE GREEN PROFILE
This renewed vision of invigorate public spaces conveys the message of clear environmental concern. The goal is to increase the environmental awareness of the park visitors as a clear message from the Baltic nations. Pärnu and the Baltic nations lead a prominent green approach. The Baltic Sea Art Park joins the ambitious challenge of achieving the green agenda of the represented nations and become a symbol of the development of a respectful and protective project to preserve and publicize the natural patrimony of the Baltic regions. The art experience encompasses the concern to protect the natural resources and therefore improve the combined approach to nature and culture to both the local community and visitors and tourists. This contact with art and nature as a leisure experience brings people to a wider knowledge of the Baltic region, its traditions and its creativity, to face challenges for the future.
Photography ByVista a partir do rio. Imagem Cortesia de BAT + ACHA ZABALLA Arquitectos
Architecture Office: BAT – Bilbao Architecture Team + Acha Zaballa Arquitectos
Architects: BAT (Peru Cañada, Xabier Arranz, Alejandro Iturbe, Julen Quevedo, Jon Andoni Iparraguirre, Ubay Calle, Igor González, Alvaro Arbina) + ACHA ZABALLA ARQUITECTOS (Cristina Acha Odriozola, Miguel Zaballa Llano)
Place: Pärnu (Estonia)
Surfaces: 2000 m2 + 18.000 m2
