TOWN HALL AND CITY SQUARE, RETHYMNO, CRETE (2010)

The city of Rethymno in Crete decided to develop the site that lies right out of the historic centre. The flat site was used as a car park. The proposed brief was asking for a new underground car park for 500 cars, a new town hall to house the mayor’s offices, a series of shops and the new city square. The buildings were placed on the east and south sides of the site, leaving the remaining site free to develop the mayor’s square, which lies opposite the neoclassical gardens of the town. The axial organization of the space links the new city square to the old town. A series of landmarks like the proposed clock tower redefine the area, adding the necessary symbolism to the new square and city hall.