September 25, 2025 | 5:30 PM
09/25
Alan Kostrenčić, PhD
/ Faculty of Architecture, Zagreb /
Ivana Tutek, PhD
Maja Stanić
/ Studio Mapa /
Eli Kodnik
/ Vibro Betona K.P. /
Powered by Vibro Beton K.P.
Squares and public spaces represent a fundamental architectural and urban category through which a society’s relationship with its own city is reflected. They are not merely functional surfaces for traffic or gatherings, but places where collective memory, identity, and symbolic capital are articulated. The question is not only how a square looks, but how it acts - how it produces atmosphere, mood, and a sense of belonging. On Thursday, September 25 at 5:30 PM, at Urania – Space of Creation, we will discuss this theme as part of the Sustainable Hour program.
Why do we find some squares and streets appealing and pleasant, while we avoid others? Which architectural and urban design decisions shape the atmosphere of a space—its “comfort” or “discomfort”? Can architecture create conditions for encounter, community, and belonging, without being reduced merely to visual impression?
These and related questions will be explored by four experts from different disciplines:
The Architecture of Atmosphere
The central concept of the discussion relates to the term Stimmung—the atmosphere and tonality of space, borrowed from the German philosophical tradition. It refers to a multisensory experience that transcends the visual, involving the body, movement, and senses. Equally relevant is architectural theorist Alberto Pérez-Gómez’s notion of attunement—the alignment of space, body, and consciousness—as the foundation of architectural meaning.
This perspective emphasizes that the architecture of public space is never neutral: it is always situated and historically determined, carrying cultural and symbolic significance. A square is not an “empty surface,” but a space of collective memory and identification.
Between Aesthetics and Ethics
In the context of climate change, social inequalities, and fragmented urban experiences, the design of public space becomes an ethical question: how to create spaces of inclusion, resilience, and belonging? How can architecture actively shape shared identities and enable urban life beyond the logic of consumption?
The Sustainable Hour: Square and Public Space thus opens up a space for critical dialogue between architectural theory, design practice, and technical innovation, seeking ways toward public spaces that are not only functional, but also culturally relevant, sensorially rich, and socially sustainable.
Irena Križ Šelendić
Branimir Šegotić
Velimir Dvorščak
Tomislav Stašić
Dražen Pomper
11/25
Prof. Kristian Jambrošić, PhD
Prof. Antonio Petošić, PhD
Assoc. Prof. Marko Horvat, PhD
Prof. Zoran Veršić, PhD
Mateja Nosil Mešić
Bojan Borko
Romana Ilić
doc. art. Mateo Biluš
10/25
Aida Riđanović
Helena Matuša
Milan Koštro
09/25
Kaja Šprljan Bušić
Ines Hrdalo
Ljuba Južnič
08/25
Ivana Šajn
Silvije Novak
07/25
Ivan Dell’orco
Tedi Chiavalon
Vladimir Sabo
Rudolf Šaravanja
Anica Petričević
Tea Pestotnik Prebeg
06/25
Vesne Šoić
05/25
Morana Ikić Komljenović
Nerma Mehadžić
Sanja Borčić
05/25
Tomislav Fabek
04/25
Vjeran Piršić
Marko Sušanj
Aida Čustović
03/25
Nataša Ivanišević
Fausto Ferlin
Marko Iveković
03/25
Saša Poljanec-Borić
Zoran Paunović
Davor Bruketa
Silvije Novak
03/25
Marina Zajec
01/25
Zoran Šuša
Juraj Pojatina
12/24
Marko Dabrović
Boris Centner
Neven Mikec
11/24
Marko Matejić
Nikola Ivković
Iva Šilović
11/24
Romana Ilić
Ana Laslo
Irena Križ Šelendić
Željka Hrs Borković
Vjeran Piršić
11/24
Jana Čulek
10/24
Lucas Werft
10/24
Ivana Šajn
Anica Petričević
Nikolina Markota Vukić
Monika Kordić
Ivana Krajinović
Vlasta Zanki, PhD
10/24
Marko Dabrović
Saša Perko
Saša Marenjak, PhD
09/24
09/24
Seats are limited, so please reserve your spot here. Admission is free!