Six groundbreaking unbuilt public space projects spanning from Southeast Asia to Europe are redefining how architects and urban planners approach community engagement, ecological sustainability, and urban identity. These visionary proposals, submitted by the ArchDaily community, demonstrate innovative approaches to creating accessible gathering spaces that prioritize civic participation and environmental consciousness.
The featured projects explore diverse modes of public engagement across various cultural contexts, from Bangkok and Jakarta to Florence, Athens, Tbilisi, and Stropkov. Rather than treating public spaces as afterthoughts in urban development, these proposals position them as essential infrastructure that shapes urban health, collective memory, and social interaction. The designs range from heritage site transformations to pedestrian network redesigns and the creation of new civic landscapes through ecological and cultural strategies.
In Stropkov, Slovakia, S collective presents the "Vanished Castle" project, which aims to revitalize a town castle now classified as a "vanished castle" and recognized as an important national cultural monument. The extensive revitalization plan will transform the site into an attractive and accessible public space by restoring original foundations, revealing the castle's historical layout, and integrating remaining structures with contemporary architectural elements that highlight its character and significance.
The BLOK M Blueprint project by ISHAQ ROCHMAN/RCODES in Jakarta, Indonesia, tackles the revitalization of the underground corridor at Blok M Terminal. This innovative concept reimagines the space as a vibrant public area rooted in Betawi culture, addressing the loss of function and appeal due to shifting mobility patterns and limited sustainability. The project seeks to reconnect people through inclusive design, cultural expression, and creative economic activation while preserving local identity amid rapid globalization.
In Tbilisi, Georgia, About Architecture presents Eliava Park, which reimagines public space as an activated civic landscape where commerce, leisure, and ecology converge. The project proposes a porous, flexible, and socially driven system of urban integration featuring a market that functions not only as a transaction space but also as a stage for interaction. Departing from conventional tower typology, the 100-meter-wide intervention is compressed into a low-rise volume nestled within existing urban fabric and embedded in the site's natural topography.
The Athens-based HISTORY FLOWS project by Constantine Bouras Studio and Evita Fanou Architecture & Design represents an awarded proposal for the Architectural Ideas Competition for the Aesthetic Unification and Functional Upgrade of Existing Pedestrian Streets in the Plaka-Monastiraki neighborhood. The design focuses on redesigning the pedestrian street network and two squares between Plaka and Monastiraki, drawing inspiration from the network of rivers and streams that once traversed the city while addressing the intense flow of people that has animated the area's narrow streets and squares throughout history.
Bangkok's Chaloemla Metal Sheet Forest Park by HAS design and research showcases an innovative approach to material reuse and urban ecology. Architects Jenchieh Hung and Kulthida Songkittipakdee have transformed waste metal sheets from nearby construction sites into an "urban forest," giving discarded materials new life as a poetic and abstract landscape. Within this metal forest, six mirrored structures serve multiple functions including artist studios, exhibition spaces, galleries, and theaters, creating a multifaceted cultural destination.
The Universal project by LUCE in Florence, Italy, unfolds within a semicircular area of approximately 3,000 square meters in front of a public villa. Conceived as a formal garden inspired by sacred geometry and universal proportions, the design features two main axes and a symmetrical grid that organize the space into symbolic and perceptive sectors. Elements such as reflecting pools, a central fountain, a sundial, and tall vegetation enhance balance, biodiversity, and spatial depth while revitalizing the historical setting through sustainable practices and cultural heritage enhancement.
These unbuilt projects collectively demonstrate how architectural experimentation in public spaces can test new spatial models, challenge existing urban conditions, and anticipate more generous and adaptive public realms. By focusing on community reconnection through inclusive design, transforming industrial materials into new urban ecologies, and reinterpreting historical forms for contemporary civic use, these proposals offer valuable insights into the future of urban public space design and community-centered development.
