Free place competition winner

The winner of this year's free place is:

1   New Road, Brighton
Concrete Jungle turned Natural Habitat.  Basically it’s all about priority. 
 

What it was before:
Motor vehicles – Pressing Priority.
Taxis – Overtaking Priority. 
The closest one could get into town by private car without actually breaking any traffic laws – Proximity and Precedence. 
People – Inferior. 
Cyclists - In danger. 
Community – Invisible. 
Quality of Life: Zero.

What it is now:
Pedestrians – Reign and Rain Superior. 
Cyclists – Gliding gently along and around the streams of people.
Taxis – dutifully waiting to crawl through the crowds.
Motor vehicles – Invisible and subtly uninvited. 
Community – Connected and Communing.
Quality of Life - Wow!

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The runners up are:

2   Les berges du Rhône, Lyon, France (The banks of the Rhone, Lyon, France)
This is the perfect example of how to resurrect a void place, and transform 5 km of useless slimy bank into a rightful urban space which combines the social cohesion with the promenade, lounge, children playground and sport activities (cycling, jogging, skating) in a natural green context.
The river which gives value to the space, re-establishes the historical link between it and the inhabitants of Lyon.
It creates a symbol and provides an identity to the city heart. 
I definitely think that this place will stand the test of time.

3   Serpentine Gallery Pavilion 2008
Designedby Frank Gehry
This temporarystreet/structure might be frowned upon by many in terms of its credentials as an urban model towards new developments but the curious mind sees more. The design has sowedthe seedsfor a sustainable urban design frameworkthat creates character and unique identity. It forms anintegrated approach which achieves a space within the context were people can relax, enjoy, interact and move through. As an entity it deliversa unique and realistic vision that is both attractive and stimulating...a piece of land has become somethingsuccessful with a strong sense of character and sense of place.
 

4    Spitalfields Market Concourse, London
The Ballymore Group’s restoration and renovation of the Old Spitalfields Market--booming since 1682--reflects an important balance between contemporary vision and historical tradition.   By enveloping a seemingly-outdoor street with a glass atrium, the New Spitalfields Market reflects a design attitude that em-braces London’s traditional rowhouse architecture and Christian context (Spitalfields Church is clearly visible through the glass,) while accommodating a new clientele and a varied infrastructure for local and commercial, informal and formal retail.  A space that is both outdoor and indoor, public and intimate, the New Spitalfield Market is a successful combination of pardoxes emblematic of London’s ability to situate itself in the past vis a vis the future.

5   SEA-ORGAN, Zadar, Croatia
Sea-organ is built on the quayside and shaped out of series of steps which are elegantly sliding down to the sea. This natural musical instrument produces s unique audio and visual sensation. Sea moves the organ with the power of waves and like a talented musician creates an infinite melody, seductive like the sound of mermaids. Organ sings a lullaby when sea is calm, but on a stormy day they produce a symphony of sounds. The overwhelming atmosphere of constant change creates a perfect spot for rest, meditation or swimming...
Sea-organ will stand the test of time according to the words of poet P. Preradović: ‘’only permanent thing in life is the change’’.

6    Bedford Square temporary exhibit, London
This building below is meant to be temporary but it shows how the space where is was build craved that sort of building. While the design of it is debatable, especially if it fits within the surrounding listed buildings, its function as a meeting place and discussion topic is key to its success. The AA produces outstanding designs and its great that they build the best ones just outside of their entrance door.

7    Federation Square, Melbourne 1997-2002
Melbourne was designed on a Cartesian grid, with no space dedicated to a public square. Attempts to create a gathering place were never fully successful, until Federation Square was constructed over existing railyards in 2002.
Since that time the space has truly become Melbourne's genius loci. Events and gatherings naturally gravitate to the square, from political rallies to festivals and sporting celebrations.
Active edges engage the street and river frontages with a fine grain of mixed uses. Circulation corridors funnel traffic through these denser edges from the surrounding city, station and river, to a huge central piazza.
This expansive space, which holds 10,000 people, is undulating and stepped, breaking up the visual mass of the paving; beautiful hand-laid Australian sandstone. Seating and platforms formed by the fall across the site create numerous intimate gathering places within the larger square.
The quality of the space, materials and design, all say, "you're worth it!" to the people of the city. This is a space already embraced by the people, which will endure for centuries.

8    St Andrew Square, Edinburgh
St Andrew Square - eastern anchor of Edinburgh’s “first” new town; link to a future re-developed St. James Quarter; former Georgian set-piece – always deserved better than the sad, dusty, unused space its garden had become.
This brilliant re-interpretation gifts the city a new place which is tranquil, beautiful, surprising.
And Used.
The new paths’ softly sweeping curves draw the eye inextricably up the towering Melville column; deep into the infinity pool’s reflected images; outwards to a surprising array of buildings; the futuristic coffee pavilion, startles momentarily, but already exudes an air of permanence.

9   Federation Square, Melbourne
Melbourne’s Federation Square links the arts district and the riverside to the city centre. The stepped structure of the square provides seating and performance space, whilst integrating the surface with the irregularly angled building facades that surround it on two sides. These surrounding buildings, containing cafés, bars, art galleries, and tourist information combine with a transport hub to produce activity at all times of the day and night.
The management of the square ensures that regular concerts and events provide variety and induce return trips, as do flags and pennants that change to reflect major events taking place in the city.
 

10   Bandra Promenade, Mumbai, India
Bandra Promenade is a distinctive, attractive and relaxing oceanfront development that is vibrant with people who visit the place to both socialize and to take a moment off the busy life of Mumbai. This mile long stretch interspersed with sit out plazas, stroller areas and informal amphitheatres made of local Basalt stone, creates a stimulating and enjoyable place for people that meet variety of demands from range of users like older citizens, youth and children. This place makes inherent landform of Mumbai merge with the built form, and open the vistas towards the Arabic ocean, a rare pleasure for locals in a city with highest density of population.