The public promenade in Galați is an ambitious urban and landscape project designed to give back to the community a generous, modern, and accessible pedestrian space. Stretching as a green corridor that connects the Danube to the heart of the city, the promenade redefines the relationship between nature, architecture, and everyday life.
Architecture: arh Cristian Ghitau & BTFArch Ro Company
Landscape Architecture: CMD/LA
peis Cosmin Coman, arh Ramona Coman
Beneficiary: Galati Municipality
At the core of the project lies the central pedestrian axis, conceived as a contemporary boulevard defined by continuous rows of trees. Vegetation brings rhythm, shade, and character, transforming the area into a welcoming and comfortable urban environment. Between the rows of trees, carefully designed resting areas encourage social interaction, equipped with minimalist benches, sculptural details, and elegant lighting fixtures.
A key feature of the design is the integration of water basins along the promenade. These reflective surfaces capture the crowns of trees and the surrounding buildings, enriching the visual experience and adding freshness during the summer months. The play between water, light, and vegetation creates a dynamic urban scenery that changes throughout the day and across the seasons.
One of the most distinctive design elements is the use of finely finished limestone boulders as pieces of urban furniture. Acting as sculptural seating elements, they bring a tactile and natural quality to the promenade. Their organic presence contrasts with the strict geometry of the paving, creating a dialogue between raw materiality and refined design.
The promenade is not an isolated corridor but a natural extension of the surrounding residential buildings. Entrances to the housing blocks are directly connected through secondary alleys, stairs, and ramps, ensuring smooth access and seamless communication between public and private life. For residents, the promenade becomes a shared courtyard, an urban living room that encourages spontaneous encounters and daily interaction.
Beyond its function as a local public space, the promenade plays a key role in the broader urban structure of Galați. It establishes a direct pedestrian connection between the Danube riverfront and the city center, encouraging sustainable mobility and strengthening the city’s identity as a riverfront destination. By bridging these two important poles, the promenade enhances accessibility and positions itself as a new urban landmark.
Lighting has been carefully designed to fulfill both functional and aesthetic roles. On one hand, lighting fixtures ensure safety and visibility during nighttime, clearly marking the pedestrian path and rest areas. On the other hand, architectural lighting highlights the key design features – the water basins, the limestone boulders, the textured paving, and the vegetation. By night, the promenade transforms into a poetic urban stage where light shapes atmosphere and perception.
Public Promenade Galați thus stands as a model of integrated urban regeneration, where functionality meets aesthetics and local identity is reinterpreted through contemporary design. It is a space that breathes together with the city – a place of connection between the Danube and the community, between memory and innovation, between nature and architecture.
