A Flooded Piazza San Marco

Piazza San Marco is a central landmark for Venice and is the most popular square. This piazza also happens to be the lowest point in Venice which leads to a flooding during the Aqua Alta, which is the "high water" from storm surges from the Adriatic, typically during the Spring. The piazza is designed so that water will run through the drains and directly into the Grand Canal. But during the Aqua Alta it has the opposite effect, with the water coming back up through these drains and flooding the piazza. San Marco typically floods approximately 60 times a year. When it does flood though, boardwalks are erected on which the people walk. While the flooding of this square is never good, it does provide for some wonderful picture opportunities.

Allison Spiker

Schouwburgplein

Schouwburgplein is a square located in the center of Rotterdam in the Netherlands. This square was designed by West 8, a famous landscape architecture group. It is surrounded by many shops and buildings such as the City Theatre and the City Concert Hall. This square is a large open space which contrasts with the rest of the city. The square was planned as an interactive public space. It is raised up from the street level, giving it the feeling of a stage. The public has control of the four large red hydraulic lamp posts, as they are able to move them about to display different variations of light.
The square is made up of many different materials, depending on the expected use. One side of the square is a poured epoxy floor containing silver leaves, while the other side has a long row of wooden benches and rubber and timber decking on the ground. The square also has three 15 meter high ventilation towers that also serve as a digital clock at night. These towers are lit up at night giving the square another variation of light. The center of the square is made up of perforated metal panels and a wooden play area. At night, the metal panels are lit up from below with black, green, and whitefluorescent tubes. There are also lights under the edge of the raised deck, which gives it a hovering feeling.

Allison Spiker