Facade- insertion into the historic center of Subotica, Petefi Šandor street 3 and 5

       The concept of the street façade of the future residendial-commercial building in Subotica, Petefi Šandor street 3 and 5 is the integration into historic city center.
The integration is very important because a construction in the historic center is more than a building that tell a story and has its history, this construction becomes a witness, a legacy for the city residents, and a reference for those who will build the future.

       There are 3 approach types for new building insertion into the historic center: the neutral insertion (an almost ,,hidden’’ construction that does not interfere with anything new), the insertion of the ,,middle path’’ ( the construction that makes a balanced transition from the old architecture to the new architecture) and the integration through denial ( the new construction has a greater influence on the site, the old-new ratio, is favorable for the new construction, the is no balance).
       For the historic center of the Subotica, we have chosen the middle path insertion, creating a bridge between generation, a landmark that respect the past and shapes the future. Therefore, we looked for the genius loci and noticed, studied the landmarks of the area, proportions and elements that define it.

       The new designed façade has the proportions of the surrounding buildings. All the ”borrowed” historical elements (the ground floor clearly defined register- the monumentality, vertical and horizontal register elements, the idea of French balconies decoration, the proportion of a fronton etc) are transposed into modern architecture, creating a new interpretation of these details in a contemporary manner.
       In terms of composition, the façade has a large fronton in the middle, as a vertical dominant, and the lateral areas of the construction- the French attics- are subordinated to the visual composition.
       The same as the historical buildings, the future residential-comercial construction has an imposing stature and can appear massive from distance, with a clear and visible composition, but when the visitor get closer to it, the details of the facades humanizes and reveal a new face of the construction: the visitor approaching discovers something new, with every step that he make.
       These defining elements and proportion from the historic built area, offers more emphasis, creating an authentic landmark. The change is made gradually, approaching the construction; the scale of the place is perceived through the dynamism of the horizontal elements and through the association of smooth plaster surfaces and rough plaster surfaces.
       Another “borrowed” element of the area is the French balcony decoration, that we converted into a balcony garden for urban plants, climbing plants and flowers. The streetscape is changing the decor throughout all the seasons and the future owners of the apartments will actively contribute to the image of their city.

       The proposed residential building façade in the historical center, Petefi Šandor street 3 and 5, combines both historical conservation through the preservation of the zone authenticity and a modern vision for the future of the Subotica city.

“Competition for the architectural solution of the street facade for the future residential-comercial building in Subotica, Petefi Sandor Street 3 and 5, Serbia-DG Construction Company COMPETITION”

link:  http://www.dgcompany.rs/konkurs/?lang=en