Since August 2024, Balzers in Liechtenstein has had a village square. The school, town hall, church and sports facilities were already located close together, but there was no central public space. The municipality of Balzers launched a design competition. VOGT Landschaftsarchitekten from Zürich won it in 2019 with the ORDO plan, together with, among others, BBK Architekten from Balzers. The outdoor space covers 4.920 m².

The design adopts the rows of trees along drainage channels and the windbreaks visible in historical photographs of Balzers. Rows of lime trees and multi-stemmed Gleditsia on the western and eastern sides, and groups of Scots pine on the northern and southern sides, enclose an open central area. This provides space for the weekly market and for marquee events with up to 1.000 visitors.

Van den Berk Nurseries supplied [confirm species, sizes and quantities with Niels van den Elzen]. The crown of every tree starts at a height of 4 metres.

Pinus sylvestris is planted in informal groups, as Scots pine naturally grows on the plain along the Rhine. The groups consist of specimens with a tall clear stem and an irregular crown. This gave the square the appearance of a natural group of pines immediately after planting.

Lime trees occur naturally in the mountain forests around Balzers. The rows contain Tilia [confirm species/cultivar]. The designers also selected multi-stemmed Gleditsia [confirm species/cultivar], with a view to species diversity and a warmer urban climate. This multi-stemmed growth habit makes the rows less formal.

Planting took place from November 2023 until spring 2024.

Photos: © VOGT