Search

The objective of this study was to carry out the financial feasibility analysis of harvesting rainwater from permeable pavements in a city square. A case study was carried out in a square close to the beach in the city of Florianópolis, Brazil. Questionnaires were applied to pedestrians who circulate within the area. The square is to be implemented to promote sustainability and improve the user’s quality of life. From the rainfall data and the average daily water demand for irrigation of the square vegetation, the volume of rainwater to be harvested from the permeable pavement was calculated. The rainwater demand was estimated as 662 L/day. The implementation and operation costs of the pavement and irrigation systems were evaluated. The potential for potable water savings was 89.8%. The payback period was estimated as 347 months. This study showed that rainwater collected from permeable pavements is financially feasible and represents a promising technique.

The aim of the study is to filter the behavioural and spatial practices of subjects who experience/practice the square with respect to Lefebvre’s trialectic space approach and place them to an analytic plane in the context of reading the dynamics in the city square of Afyonkarahisar during the corona days when decisions and prohibitions taken by the government are applied. The article is an experimental study and important data regarding the space-oriented practices and dynamics in Afyonkarahisar city square during the corona days have been obtained by adopting monitoring/observing and experiencing methods and reading the theoretical and conceptual framework of Lefebvre’s spatial approach theory related to the literature review. Images, actions, government policies and behavioural patterns of people in the square on the determined important dates have been accepted as empirical findings of the field study. Findings that have been obtained have been read again through subjects who experience/practice Afyonkarahisar urban square during the coronavirus pandemic in the context of Lefebvre’s trialectic space approach.

Litewski Square is widely known as the place where the Lithuanian envoys camped to attend the Union Sejm in 1569. Today, Litewski Square represents a space of transformation. The urban public spaces of the square have been rebuilt several times, each instance delineating a distinct rendering of tradition and history. In this article, the evolution of the square is presented in order to analyse three main aspects. Over the years and under changing political conditions, its meaning, role, and function have shifted. Traditions and symbols that shape the space of the square have changed; these changing symbols have influenced how the meaning and functionality of the square have evolved over time. The research methodology of this paper is based on historical and interpretative studies. This form of analysis made it possible to identify the successive stages of the transformation of Litewski Square and, accordingly, in the context of changing political conditions, identify the elements that are important for the meaning of the square today. Litewski Square has evolved from an urban space with a clearly defined function to a multifunctional public space: from a memorial square into a modern space of leisure and entertainment. This paper argues that the accumulation of commemorative elements and directly adjacent recreational spaces give the impression of a lapidary, the constituent elements of which devalue each other. What this means is that, even as the number of commemorative symbolic elements have increased, their status is degraded, as well as that of Litewski Square as a whole.

В статье рассматриваются современные международные объемно-пространственные решения площадей. На данный момент в Милане современные площади или общественные пространства являются одним из катализаторов развития срединной зоны города. Район Бовиза на северо-востоке Милана пример того, как развиваются бывшие промышленные районы города и как внедряются новые площади в срединную зону Милана., This article analyses the spatial development of contemporary city squares around the world. At the moment, contemporary city squares or public spaces are one of the catalysts of the development of the middle/transition zone of Milan. The Bovisa neighborhood in the north-east part of Milan is an example of how ex-industrial areas of the city are changing and how new city squares are being infiltrated in the transition zone of Milan.

Ovo etnografsko istraživanje želi dublje razumjeti medijsku upotrebu i izravnu komunikaciju medijske publike u javnim prostorima. Sve većom dostupnošću i razvojem tehnologije u suvremenim društvima, mediji su nam svugdje i uvijek dostupni pa tako i na gradskim trgovima. Zbog nedovoljne istraženosti upotrebe medija u javnim prostorima općenito, ovaj rad pokušava razumjeti načine upotrebe medija i značenja koja im medijska publika pridaje u okolnostima javnog prostora kao što su gradski trgovi, ali i načine isprepletenosti izravne komunikacije s komunikacijom na daljinu i drugim oblicima upotrebe medija. Važnost trgova i mobilnih uređaja u društvenom suvremenom životu isprepliću se u ovom etnografskom istraživanju koje je provedeno na dva zagrebačka trga, Trgu bana Josipa Jelačića i Trešnjevačkom trgu, a za koji su bitni i provedeni etnografski intervjui. Ova studija otkriva kako urbani pješaci na gradskim trgovima koriste medije kao vrstu izolacije od fizičkog okruženja, ali češće dolazi do oblika odsutne pristutnosti ili izvjesnog osjećaja mjesta, nego do potpune izolacije. Isto tako, važan nalaz ovog rada je i u činjenici da izravna komunikacija na gradskim trgovima često biva isprepletena s istovremenom upotrebom medija, prvenstveno mobilnih uređaja. Zaključujem kako je upotreba medija ukorijenjena u načine habitacije gradskih trgova, ali i kako je izravna komunikacija vrlo bitna za vrijeme sastajanja parova i grupa na prostorima dvaju zagrebačkih trgova., This ethnographic study aims to better understand how media audiences use media and face-to-face communication in public space. With the growing availability and fast development of new technologies in contemporary societies, we are witnessing the ubiquity of media in city squares, among other settings. Due to the lack of research around the topic of media in public spaces in general, this project explores media usage and meanings given to it by media audiences in public spaces such as city squares. This study will also discover the interweaving nature of media use, such as communication with absent others, and face-to-face communication. The importance of city squares and mobile phones in contemporary social life are central points of this ethnographic study undertaken in two city squares in Zagreb, Croatia – Ban Josip Jelačić Square and Trešnjevački Square. With the help of field notes and ethnographic qualitative interviews, this study confirms that urban pedestrians use media as a means of isolation from physical surroundings, but that it is more often solely a form of absent presence or a form of a certain sense of place rather than complete isolation. Moreover, another important finding of this research is the fact that face-to-face communication is frequently immediate with media usage, primarily mobile phone usage. I conclude that media usage is rooted in the forms of habitation in city squares, just as face-to-face communication is of great value to pair and group meetings in spaces of two Zagreb squares.

Ovo etnografsko istraživanje želi dublje razumjeti medijsku upotrebu i izravnu komunikaciju medijske publike u javnim prostorima. Sve većom dostupnošću i razvojem tehnologije u suvremenim društvima, mediji su nam svugdje i uvijek dostupni pa tako i na gradskim trgovima. Zbog nedovoljne istraženosti upotrebe medija u javnim prostorima općenito, ovaj rad pokušava razumjeti načine upotrebe medija i značenja koja im medijska publika pridaje u okolnostima javnog prostora kao što su gradski trgovi, ali i načine isprepletenosti izravne komunikacije s komunikacijom na daljinu i drugim oblicima upotrebe medija. Važnost trgova i mobilnih uređaja u društvenom suvremenom životu isprepliću se u ovom etnografskom istraživanju koje je provedeno na dva zagrebačka trga, Trgu bana Josipa Jelačića i Trešnjevačkom trgu, a za koji su bitni i provedeni etnografski intervjui. Ova studija otkriva kako urbani pješaci na gradskim trgovima koriste medije kao vrstu izolacije od fizičkog okruženja, ali češće dolazi do oblika odsutne pristutnosti ili izvjesnog osjećaja mjesta, nego do potpune izolacije. Isto tako, važan nalaz ovog rada je i u činjenici da izravna komunikacija na gradskim trgovima često biva isprepletena s istovremenom upotrebom medija, prvenstveno mobilnih uređaja. Zaključujem kako je upotreba medija ukorijenjena u načine habitacije gradskih trgova, ali i kako je izravna komunikacija vrlo bitna za vrijeme sastajanja parova i grupa na prostorima dvaju zagrebačkih trgova. This ethnographic study aims to better understand how media audiences use media and face-to-face communication in public space. With the growing availability and fast development of new technologies in contemporary societies, we are witnessing the ubiquity of media in city squares, among other settings. Due to the lack of research around the topic of media in public spaces in general, this project explores media usage and meanings given to it by media audiences in public spaces such as city squares. This study will also discover the interweaving nature of media use, such as communication with absent others, and face-to-face communication. The importance of city squares and mobile phones in contemporary social life are central points of this ethnographic study undertaken in two city squares in Zagreb, Croatia – Ban Josip Jelačić Square and Trešnjevački Square. With the help of field notes and ethnographic qualitative interviews, this study confirms that urban pedestrians use media as a means of isolation from physical surroundings, but that it is more often solely a form of absent presence or a form of a certain sense of place rather than complete isolation. Moreover, another important finding of this research is the fact that face-to-face communication is frequently immediate with media usage, primarily mobile phone usage. I conclude that media usage is rooted in the forms of habitation in city squares, just as face-to-face communication is of great value to pair and group meetings in spaces of two Zagreb squares.

Tophane, with its historical and cultural heritage, is acknowledged to be one of the most significant districts of Istanbul. Formerly known for its gardens, the district has acquired a different identity after the Ottoman conquest of Istanbul in 1453. Tophane-i Amire, being the imparial armory which was established in the Ottoman period did not only name the region, but also altered the social and cultural profile of the district to a great extent. The region has suffered the great fires of Istanbul and been damaged many times by them, thus the architectural texture it possesses had undergone many changes both due to these disasters as well as political and governmental adjustments of the authority. In time, the growth and continuous territorial expansion of Ottoman dominion necessitated the innovations and advancements in the military along with the construction of additional buildings to the Tophane facilities. Together with the additional buildings, the area had once again acquired a distinct identity where civil and military architectural examples coexist. Following the effects of industrialization seen in the late 19th century, the escalating growth of the city, beginning in the early 20th century, has reached levels that prevent the perception of the integrity among Tophane facilities. After 1950, the starting of customs house constructions and the expropriation policies had changed Tophane beyond all recognition. Being completed in the second half of the 19th century, Nusretiye (Tophane) clock tower is known to be the first clock tower of Istanbul. During the period of its construction, the clock tower had been in the center of the military drill field, defining a circumferential open space by itself. However, due to the expropriation policy of the 1950s, it was taken to another spot where the customs buildings had been located. With this study, a brief examination of Nusretiye clock tower has been conducted to understand its relation to the surroundings with a projection from past to present. To analyze and discuss the established relationships in depth, the Tophane Square and the Tophane Barracks, as architectural representatives of the region and era, were also included in the scope of the study. The study aimed to reveal and present the current conditions of the clock tower, to remark the significance of the surrounding architectural interactions in the perception of an architectural heritage and to discuss the effects of the changes made to the Tophane district.

I analyse the three great theoretical axes or foundational ideas regarding the new colonial city (grid planning, bucolicism, and the continuity of European urbanism), which were not completed in their entirety, as the original plan was “frustrated” and a return was then made to the city-square model. The city did not integrate the Indians within its core; rather, it confined them in its spatial restraint, and the vaunted bucolicism petered out into outskirts of a less than “civilised” kind. What was, in effect, the pillaging of earlier civilisations served only to adorn or complement this new urban planning.

Analizo los tres grandes ejes teóricos o ideas fundacionales de la nueva ciudad colonial (planificación hipodámica, bucolismo y pervivencia del urbanismo europeo), que no se cumplieron en su integridad, porque la traza original se «frustró» y se volvió al modelo de plaza mayor. La ciudad no integró a los indios en su seno, sino que los confinó en las reducciones, y el supuesto bucolismo acabó en arrabales poco «civilizados. Los despojos, en fin, de las civilizaciones anteriores sirvieron únicamente para adornar o complementar la nueva traza urbanística., I analyse the three great theoretical axes or foundational ideas regarding the new colonial city (grid planning, bucolicism, and the continuity of European urbanism), which were not completed in their entirety, as the original plan was "frustrated" and a return was then made to the city-square model. The city did not integrate the Indians within its core; rather, it confined them in its spatial restraint, and the vaunted bucolicism petered out into outskirts of a less than "civilised" kind. What was, in effect, the pillaging of earlier civilisations served only to adorn or complement this new urban planning.

Town squares: experience and results of the reconstruction Political, social, economic, aesthetic and other aspects led to start of reconstruction and renovation of important public spaces – squares – of the most cities of the country. This article aims to review some of the rebuilt city squares and give a preliminary assessment of this reconstruction experience. Estimation of selected squares has been made in the following aspects: the purpose of the square, its design, equipment, greenery and vitality. It was found that in accordance to the reconstruction character, they can be conditionally divided into two groups: 1) squares, the design and regulation of which correspond to the purpose to be visited and used by people for leisure and communication; and 2) squares, the priority of reconstruction of which was a formal design, without a broader research and needs assessment, so they ended up little visited and empty. Seeking for better quality of reconstructed squares, it is necessary to better discuss these questions, initiate public fora with residents and specialists, and conduct professional expertise. Article in Lithuanian. Santrauka.Pastaruoju laikotarpiu daugelyje šalies miestų vyko ir vyksta svarbiausių jų viešųjų erdvių– miestų aikščių– pertvarkymas ar atnaujinimas, kurį lėmė politiniai, socialiniai, ekonominiai, estetiniai ir kt. pokyčiai. Šio straipsnio tikslas apžvelgti kai kurių miestų pertvarkytas aikštes ir pateikti preliminarų jų rekonstrukcijos rezultatų įvertinimą. Pasirinktos aikštės buvo vertinamos šiais aspektais: aikštės paskirtis, jos suplanavimas, įranga, apželdinimas bei gyvybingumas. Nustatyta, kad pagal pertvarkymo pobūdį viešosios erdvės sąlygiškai gali būti suskirstytos į dvi grupes: 1) aikštės, kuriose suplanavimas ir tvarkymas atitinka jų paskirtį, todėl jos lankomos ir naudojamos gyventojų poilsiui ir bendravimui; 2) aikštės, kurias tvarkant prioritetas suteikiamas formaliam jų dizainui, neatliekant platesnių tyrimų ir nevertinant poreikių, todėl šios aikštės yra mažai lankomos, tuščios. Siekiant pertvarkomų aikščių planavimo kokybės pagerinimo, būtina šiais klausimais plačiau diskutuoti, aptarinėti su visuomene ir specialistais bei atlikti profesionalią jų projektų ekspertizę. Reikšminiai žodžiai: miestas, miesto aikštė, viešoji erdvė, aikštės pertvarkymas, kraštovaizdžio architektūra. First Publish Online: 22 May 2013

Straipsnyje nagrinėjama miesto aikštė urbanistiniu aspektu, kaip masės ir erdvės kompozicija su socialinės funkcijos turiniu. Pateikiamos aikštės sąvokos versijos žodynuose, įstatymuose, aptariama aikštės sąvokos formuluotė urbanistiniame kontekste. Formuluojami kriterijai aikštės formavimui anksčiau atliktų aikštės (kaip struktūrinio elemento) tyrimų pagrindu profesinės literatūros šaltiniuose, skiriant dėmesį urbanistinės erdvės formavimo principams (konkrečių kompozicinių-struktūrinių sprendinių paieškai). Aptariamas aikštės charakterio tapatumas, priklausomai nuo jos geografijos mieste. Straipsnis aktualus urbanistikos ir architektūros profesinio lauko tyrėjams bei kaip bibliografinė rodyklė aikštės fenomeno suvokimui urbanistikoje. A square is one of the elements of a city’s morphological structure. The balance between its volume and space, as well as its social content are the topics that are often discussed by professionals of urban design. In addition to being an element of spatial structure, a city square also performs social functions (it provides a space for festive gatherings, commemorations, public get-togethers, shortterm public recreation, socialisation, etc.). The term “public space” basically refers to the functional aspect, while the term “square” primarily denotes geometrical parameters. The current paper presents some insights into the aspect of urban design of squares treating it as a composition of volume and space with a social function. It sets the criteria for the formation of a square on the basis of the earlier studies of squares (as structural elements) found in professional literature, while focusing on the principles of formation of urban space (a search for concrete compositional and structural solutions). These criteria constitute the basis for a comparative analysis of squares (in central parts of cities rather than old towns) in the context of the common European cultural framework. The paper aims to find out if today, 25 years after the restoration of independence in Lithuania, these squares need to be transformed or merely adjusted (improved). This question, like the issue of status (both physical and social), which still has not been established in some Baltic cities and states, is frequently raised at various levels (professional, political and social).

This was a rather small-scaled survey compared with previous ones and we drove 2694 km in 2 weeks in a limited area in Scotland and England. The number of city squares surveyed this time was 38 in 24 cities including London. Among them 15 squares were so-called 'street type', 16 were 'non-street type' with the open area in the shape of a square, and 7 were a combination of the `street type' and the `square type'. We also looked at various stone symbolic "Crosses" that stood in many squares.

Though our trip was limited to 13 days, we investigated the city squares and open spaces of 10 cities in the northern Indian states of Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh. The cities included the capital Delhi, Jodhpur a fort city in a desert-like climate, Pushkar spreading around the circumference of a sacred lake, Jaipur famous for its pink stone buildings, the Islamic city Ajmer, Abhaneri known for stairwells called kunda, a small fort city Roopangarh, Mathura along the Yamuna, old historic Agra, and the sacred place Varanasi. So far the field work has revealed that in those cities with Hinduism and among a great variety of chaotic elements, there is a real demarcation of the 'sacred' and 'secular' in the community spaces. Ghat, for instance, might function as the threshold between 'repose' and 'life'. The choice of the above 10 cities, though not sufficient in number, gave us this insight.

We carried out our Bali island investigation in 2004. The people of Bali are for the most part Hindi whereas generally speaking the people of Indonesia are followers of Islam. In this way Bali is unique in Indonesia. The researchers stayed in Bali for a short duration and within 6 days, visited 12 cities or villages and investigated their open spaces including the city squares in 3 cities and 5 villages. Among them in the following 5 villages Sembiran, Penglipuran, Bugbug, Tenganan and Tihingan, the researchers could get gratifying results finding the basic space composition of the typical Balinese community. All 5 villages revealed the similar notion that people live with the Gods; community spaces and village centers are prepared in such a way that the Gods can alight when they descend. In other words, it means that the Balinese built their villages under the auspices of Hindu Gods.

We carried out the European city square investigation in 2004. This survey supplemented the investigation of No.15 in which 3 'Bastides' are reported. There exist a lot of 'Bastides' which the English and French armed forces built in the 13th century that developed into cities. In this investigation the authors researched the squares of 34 cities limited to southwest France driving a total of 2,789km. Among 34 cities, 31 cities originated from medieval 'Bastides'. The initial scale of the cities was all small, and the typical type of 'Bastide' was composed of a square at the center of the city. The researchers classified the extant squares of 34 'Bastides' (31 in this report plus 3 in the previous) into 5 types. The most common types, 1 and 2, contain 'la Halle' which means a marketplace at the center of a square. Types 3 and 4 are open spaces without 'la Halle' and a church is adjacent to or outside of the square. In type 5, miscellaneous squares other than those considered to belong to types 1 through 4 are shown.

Tez (Yüksek Lisans) -- İstanbul Teknik Üniversitesi, Fen Bilimleri Enstitüsü, 2011, Thesis (M.Sc.) -- İstanbul Technical University, Institute of Science and Technology, 2011, Kent kimliği, kullanıcı ve kentsel mekan arasındaki örüntüyü inceleyen bu çalışmada, literatür taraması ve foto-analiz yöntemiyle kent kimliği karakteristiklerinin varlığı incelenmiş, alan çalışması olarak kimlik yönünden zenginliği bir çok çalışmada vurgulanmış olan Ortaköy Meydanı seçilerek, bu mekanda başarılı bir kentsel mekan olma özellikleri sınanmıştır. Genel kavramlar olan mekan ve kimlik kavramlarından özele doğru gidilerek kentsel mekan ve kent kimliği olguları detaylandırılmıştır. Kent meydanı kavramı da derinleştirilmiş ve böylece alan çalışmasının anlaşılmasına zemin hazırlanmıştır. Başarılı bir kentsel mekanın olmazsa olmaz kriterinin kimlik unsurları ve kent kimliğini yansıtmak olduğunu vurgulayan bu çalışma, Ortaköy Meydanı’nın birçok kent kimliği karakteristiğini taşıdığını ortaya koyarak, bu karakteristiklerin mekanı ve kullanıcıları nasıl etkilediğini belirtmiştir., This study indicates the relationship between urban identity, public place and citizens by using the methods which are literature research and photo-analysis. To clarify the importance of the urban identity characteristics in successful public places, Ortaköy Square is chosen for the case study. The study area is a public place that the richness of urban identity characteristics was defined in the researches before. In this study, the main terms are urban identity and public places that detailed in the terms of place and identity. Additionally the notion of city square is deepened in this study to be grasped the structure of the case study area. This study emphasizes the necessity of the urban identity characteristics for creating a successful public place and presents that Ortaköy Square has many urban identity characteristics and attracts users by help of those., Yüksek Lisans, M.Sc.

In recent years, many new projects have been prepared for neglected public spaces which have lost their functions in different cities of Turkey, either by means of private commissions or competitions. However, this process has generally resulted either in the complete disappearance of public spaces or the transformation of public spaces to transit areas or more controlled spaces like shopping malls. The Central Garage, which was constructed in 1961 as the largest garage of the Balkans and which was used for thirty five years as the terminal of Bursa is an interesting example for this subject. After the Central Garage lost its function as a terminal, it was abandoned, and experienced physical and social dilapidation for a long time, and was finally transformed into a shopping mall. This paper aims to evaluate the process during which the Central Garage was transformed from a public space to a shopping mall in Bursa.

In recent years, different arguments have been made about urban regeneration in Turkey, similar to many other countries in the world. Instead of a comprehensive approach suggesting new partnerships between local authorities and citizens, urban regeneration in Turkey has been generally used as a populist instrument of local authorities mostly to produce physical solutions for political gains in the short run. In this study, the case of Central Garage District in Bursa will be discussed as an example of urban regeneration implementation which started with the aim of rehabilitating a neglected urban area, but which resulted in an urban regeneration process deprived of social/cultural and organizational aspects.

The manuscript titled "Urban Typology: City Square in Serbiaâ", by the author dr Vladan Djokić is one of the rare recent domestic works within the field of urban morphology and typology, which owing to the high standard of its scientific and professional competence can be considered the fundamental contribution to this discipline. Urban morphology and typology are the fields in which key interests, professional and creative potentials have been focused, and also the identity of the theory and practice of urbanism and architecture. The basic phenomenon and notion of "the city square", for the urban morphology is as priority the synonym for the urban form as the "vessel", "shell", "tissue"... which houses the social community and its activities, equally as its memory and public values. In his research, Mr. Djokić combines several methods, above all the comparative analyses of the theoretical sources, ideas and practical applications of the examples of the urban forms, which are immanent to the morphological theory, namely to the history and theory of the urban planning and design. At the same time, the author is also assisted by the corresponding methodological tools of the urban history and the history of architecture and art. Thus this manuscript acquires an enviable level of relevance in versatile study of the city square, contributing to its more complete and rich scientific clarification. The particular value, same as the specific and even original contribution of this work and its author to the contemporary city building practice, reconstruction, renovation and protection of the urban heritage, is recognized in recommen-dation and guidelines for the development of the city square in Serbian cities, which are derived from the previous referenced researches. That is an enormous effect for the environment, society and builders who in some foreseeable future will not suffer from the excess of the public-mindedness and surplus of the builder wisdom and skill. Rukopis pod naslovom "Urbana tipologija: Gradski trg u Srbiji" autora dr Vladana Đokića, predstavlja jedno od retkih recentnih domaćih dela iz oblasti urbane morfologije i tipologije, koje se zbog visokog standarda svoje naučne i stručne kompetentnosti može smatrati fundamentalnim doprinosom ovoj discilini. Urbana morfologija i tipologija su područja u koje su fokusirani ključni interesi, stručni i kreativni potencijali, pa i identitet teorije i prakse urbanizma i arhitekture. Bazičan fenomen i pojam "gradski trg", za urbanu morfologiju je prioritetno sinonim za urbanu formu kao "posudu", "ljusku", "tkivo"...koji udomljuju socijalnu zajednicu i njene aktivnosti, jednako kao i njenu memoriju i građanske vrednosti. U svom istraživanju Đokić kombinuje više metoda, pre svega komparativne analize teorijskih izvora, ideja i praktičnih primera urbanih formi, imanentne morfološkoj teoriji, odnosno istoriji i teoriji urbanog planiranja i dizajna. Istovremeno, autoru pomažu i odgovarajući metodološki alati urbane istorije i istorije arhitekture i umetnosti. Tako ovaj rukopis dobija zavidan nivo relevantnosti u raznostranom izučavanju gradskog trga, doprinoseći njegovom potpunijem i bogatijem naučnom osvetljavanju. Posebna vrednost, koliko i specifičan, pa i originalan doprinos ovog dela i njegovog autora našoj savremenoj praksi gradograđenja, rekonstrukcije, obnove i zaštite gradskog nasleđa, prepoznaje se u preporukama i smernicama za razvoj gradskog trga u gradovima Srbije, koje se deriviraju iz prethodnih refrerentnih istraživanja. To je ogroman učinak za sredinu, društvo i graditelje koji u dogledno vreme neće patiti od viška građanske svesti i suficita graditeljske mudrosti i veštine.

Recent changes of square design in Vilnius old town: semantic aspect During the last ten years quite a few city squares in Vilnius went through the renovation process. Refreshed designs and aesthetic qualities of renovated public spaces were discussed rather widely in mass and scientific media. At the same time no considerable attention was paid to the impact of elements in new square compositions on the semantic codes of public spaces. The paper analyses the semantic aspect of changed public squares on the basis of the data collected upon field investigation as well as information from media on the intentions of all sides involved in the renovation process (municipality officials, developers, architects, artists). The main task of the work is to define the messages communicated by new elements in square design and to determine their relation to the rapidly changing sociocultural context of the Lithuanian capital. New square compositions are investigated in the context of the historic development of the same public spaces emphasizing the fact that previous designs were produced in accordance with changing concept of public spaces. A conclusion is made that recent changes in square design in most cases are directed towards conservation rather than transformation of the meaning of the space. New square designs stress upon defensive rather than communicative features of the public space in spite of democratic changes in the Lithuanian society. Article in Lithuanian. Santrauka Semantiniu aspektu nagrinėjami Vilniaus miesto aikščių meninio pavidalo pokyčiai, įvykę per pastarąjį dešimtmetį.Bandoma išsiaiškinti, kokias reikšmių slinktis lėmė viešųjų erdvių renovacija. Atskleidžiami svarbiausių miesto aikščiųmeninių pavidalų ir jų sociokultūrinio konteksto istorinės raidos charakteringiausi bruožai, išryškinami ankstesnių laikotarpiųir šiandien vykstančių renovacijų skirtumai. Tyrime naudoti duomenys, gauti integruojant lauko tyrimus ir žiniasklaidoje pateiktąinformaciją apie kai kurių Vilniaus aikščių naujausių meninių pavidalų ženklinį charakterį. Atskleidžiamos prieštarostarp šių dienų sociokultūrinio konteksto ir aikščių naujųjų meninių pavidalų semantinio turinio. Reikšminiai žodžiai: miesto aikštė, Vilniaus senamiestis, semantika, meninis pavidalas, transformacija, istorinė raida,sociokultūrinis kontekstas. First published online: 21 May 2013