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Poljana Square designed by Atelier Minerva

Situated on the idyllic eastern shore of the Adriatic, the coastal city of Šibenik meets the sea in a picturesque array of stone walls and faded red roofs. But just steps from the water, the romance fades as the tranquil seaside suddenly gives way to a car-dominated and congested urban centre. The main square was even replaced by a parking lot, which hemmed in the neighbouring theatre and library with vehicles. Thanks to a sensitive intervention by Dubrovnik-based Atelier Minerva and the University of Zagreb’s Faculty of Architecture, however, that once-integral civic space is reborn. 

After concealing the new carpark below grade, Atelier Minerva transformed the entrance into a civic stage.

Poljana Square is an...

Croatia’s Atelier Minerva Transforms a Parking Lot Into a Bustling Public Square

In the Croatian city of Šibenik, the sensitive and contextual Poljana Square mediates past and present.

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