The area of development is located in Lviv, on Valova Street. It encompasses the square near the former Bernardine Monastery, where the Museum of Ideas and the Institute of Culture and Art are currently operating.
The main objective of the project is to search for an enclave of art, a special space. Both the Museum of Ideas and the Institute of Culture and Art require a semi-public space for their daily functioning, as well as for organizing events such as film screenings, theater performances, festivals, and performances. The barrier between the world of art and the outside world cannot have a physical dimension because, in essence, it does not exist. Opening one’s mind is enough to enter a different dimension. The metaphor for this process becomes a wall created solely from light. On one hand, it separates the space, but it also allows for the barrier to be overcome in the blink of an eye. There is no need to enter a different physical level – a mental step is sufficient.
The square seems to be immersed in light, while the outside world remains beyond its borders. A glass floor levitates above the ground, reflecting light and the sky. Special glass allows for transparency through embedded lighting.
The minimalist space has the potential for versatile arrangements depending on the needs. It is designed to accommodate film screenings, theater performances, festivals, sculpture presentations, painting exhibitions, and more. The daily use of the square is also taken into account, allowing every passerby to create their own bench, seat, or table with a simple touch. The act of creation takes on a tangible, concrete dimension, and everyone actively participates in shaping the character of the place.
After the lights are turned off and the small architectural elements are hidden, the wall disappears, and the square once again becomes part of the street as if it had never appeared. Everything returns to its original state. The architecture never existed, the space was never there.
The project was realized as part of the International Student Architectural Workshop BERNARDEN GARDEN.
Organizer: Museum of Ideas [Lviv, Ukraine]
