On the occasion of Timisoara European Capital of Culture 2023, MAIO Architects has completed the urban project NURSERY: 1,306 Plants for Timisoara. It is an ephemeral steel structure developed vertically, housing a tree nursery and open spaces for public activities now occupying Victory Square – a landmark of the city set against the backdrop of the 1989 revolution.
Designed to be experienced more as a promenade than an actual square, the ornamental greenery divides the available area while structuring its circulation. The project thus serves as an urban activator and design experiment in public space, opening up new perspectives on the roles and temporalities of the city, and its engagement with various communities and institutions.
Once its one-year cycle is complete, the nursery pavilion will provide its 1,306 trees and plants to Timisoara, following a logic of 100 percent reuse.