The city quarter, which "required" the intervention of architects, is located on the line of the old fortress walls, built by the Venetians at the end of the 15th century to protect Nicosia, which belonged to them, from the attack of the Turks.
Today, one of the bastions of that time can be seen on the square, as well as a wide moat with a depth of three meters. Due to such a difference in levels, Eleftheria was not very convenient for both motorists and pedestrians. The moat currently acts as a kind of long square in the city center, but due to the location of green spaces well below street level, it cannot be called easily accessible.
Hadid proposed to emphasize the difference in height by decorating the upper part of the square with a "curtain" of concrete. An underground garage is hidden behind it. After the reconstruction, the descent from the asphalted surface of the square onto the lawn of the moat will become convenient even for disabled people and mothers with wheelchairs. There will be cafes and newsagents, and art exhibition spaces are planned. The carriageway will be narrowed to two lanes, and at night, traffic will be completely blocked to facilitate various social events.
