The Embassy of France in Chisinau, the Agency for Monument Inspection and Restoration and the Chisinau City Hall announce a national contest for the best spatial-urban design for two areas of the capital city. These are the protected area situated on the section of 31 august 1989 St between the streets Maria Cebotari and Alexandru Pushkin and the unprotected area near Renasterii Blvd and the Circus. The initiators of the contest want these areas to form part of the tourism infrastructure of the city, which would be representative at national level and important at European level.
In a news conference at IPN, first councilor of the Embassy of France Jeremie Petit said that this contest can be a source of inspiration for reviewing the urban plan of Chisinau. “This project is the first stage of a new program of the Embassy of France concerning urbanism. It is a big challenge in Chisinau. You know that there are many problems, including illegal constructions and traffic jams, but I think there are also opportunities,” said Jeremie Petit. According to him, Chisinau is a city with great potential owing to its rich and varied heritage.
Director of the Agency for Monument Inspection and Restoration Ion Stefanita said that this contest is a first step towards sustainable urbanism. “We want a really pedestrian street, which will be alive, with people and animation. We consider it would be perfect to create it here, in the ultra-central part of the city, where there is the whole tourism infrastructure of the historical nucleus,” he stated, noting that the historical and architectural monuments in the area will be put to good use by laying out the pedestrian area.
Deputy Mayor of Chisinau Nistor Grozavu said this contest is intended mainly for young architects whose ideas are not polluted by the older models in architecture and urbanism. As the Olympic stadium near the Circus will not be built, this area now has no particular purpose. “We hope a solution will be found for this area. It should not be forgotten that besides the Circus, there is also the Church of Saints Constantine and Helen. There is also a part of the cemetery that can be now saved,” he stated.
The contest is aimed at attracting specialists in architecture and urbanism, private individuals and legal entities licensed in the field that are interested in the urban planning and sustainable development of the city. Designs can be submitted to the Agency for Monument Inspection and Restoration. These will be examined by a joint jury consisting of French and Moldovan urbanism specialists. The deadline for applications is April 11, 2016. The winners will be announced on April 19.
