SCT OLAI SQUARE
Type Commission
Role Main consultant
Client Roskilde Municipality
Size 1,200 m2
Project Start 2013
Status Completed 2015
Sct Olai went from being a non-space to providing Roskilde with a timeless urban space for a relaxing break. Here, the subtle use of new and re-used materials of high quality lends identity and atmosphere to the quiet square that runs parallel to a busy pedestrian street.
The new square consists of only a few elements – a granite pavement, granite slabs for accessibility, a brick wall, a small stream in cast iron and the Bjørn Nørgaard sculpture ‘Ragnarok’. Sct Olai’s square and passage were built as part of Kulturstrøget, a network of the main cultural attraction in Roskilde, and the design needed to support this.
Two rows of rectangular granite slabs along the western side of Rosenhavestræde and the north side of Sct Olai Stræde serve the needs of the psychically and visually disabled.
Just a few elements in high-quality materials
All materials used are long-lasting and the cast iron highlights the tactility of the rough granite, setting a new contemporary frame. The materials
blend in with and complement the surroundings. We repurposed granite stones that were originally part of the pavement around Roskilde Cathedral.
A brick wall creates a new façade
The square was missing a façade to the east, so we introduced a brick wall that separates the parking from the square. We chose the dark brick ‘Gotland’ for its colour and durability. We moved every other row forward to create visual interest. The floor slopes from Algade towards the
museum and the wall having the same top level from start to finish allows it to function as a 50 cm seating wall at its lowest point. The direction of the wall is broken along its course, to form a series of seating niches with benches orientated towards the afternoon sun.
The trickling sound of water
A small stream flows from a water feature at Algade in a cast-iron canal. The water runs across the square and ends around the ‘Ragnarok’ sculpture in front of the museum.The flat steps of the canal create a trickling sound
and draw your attention to the water, thus underlining the quiet character of the square as opposed to the busy Algade. Placing the water feature close to Algade invites shoppers and passers-by towards the square and the museum.
The transformation is part of a strategy to create more variation in the city centre by designing spaces that highlight the cultural institutions and urban spaces that are without commercial character.
As such, Sct Olai now provides a break from the shopping street and room for reflection and conversation.
A strategy to create varied urban spaces
The square sets a new frame for the museum with a new dynamic between museum, restaurant and square.Before, it was a non-site just a parking lot and the backside of the shopping street. Now, it is an important link in the culture network.
The transformation is part of a strategy to create more variation in the city centre by designing spaces that highlight the cultural institutions and urban spaces that are without commercial character.
