Bratislava’s Green Square

When you think of revitalizing space, paint is perhaps the best option. At least it’s one of the cheapest.

Here at a bus terminal in Bratislava the urban interventionists of Civic Association and the people of Sadovský Architects have uplifted a bus stop that used to be a very sad place. As long as the government is not doing enough to improve urban conditions, why don’t we do it ourselves? That’s what the initiators thought when they initiated the 1,000 square meters Green Square project.

“People have to wait for their bus connections in a totally unsuitable area, and we consider it a disgrace that the city of Bratislava leaves its citizens and tax-payers to function in such an inadequate environment. The characteristics of this place directly affect the mood and behavior of its users, and several disturbances and conflicts have happened here in the past.”

The green square project is a cheap fix, but also a wake-up call to the local government. It is surely the best way to provoke civil servants, and to point to the insufficient qualities of a specific urban spot. The operation was performed using standard paint that is used for road surface markings. Road safety glass beads were also applied to the surface to provide reflectivity and to prevent vehicles from slipping.