Inclusive Public Space - Waterfront on the Danube

Mahmudia, a small community on the southern edge of the Danube Delta, transformed its derelict riverbank into an inclusive public promenade. Structured into three zones - Mineral Park, Communal Waterfront, and Public Garden - the design integrates flood protection within a welcoming landscape. Using local stone, wood, and painted metal, it enhances natural features while promoting freedom of use for all ages and abilities. Co-created with locals, tourists, and NGOs, the project fosters community pride, ecological awareness, and a balance between tourism and local life..

Initially, the Local Council of Mahmudia, wanted an intervention that would boost tourism in the area. Our participatory design process transformed the project into an inclusive and resilient public equipment for community-building. The challenges revolved around turning the existing improvised waterfront into a safe, inlclusive public space while dealing with severe budgetary constraints and local bias regarding a participatory design approach. Our strategy focused on inclusive design and empathy-based collaboration, engaging public administration, citizens, fishermen, local businesses and tourists, people with diverse social backgrounds, in co-designing and testing sessions. The project redefines “thriving” at the edge of the Delta - balancing ecology, economy, and culture - by creating a community building infrastructure, while also increasing tourism. The result is a topography of experiences and contexts for interaction, emphasizing non-hierarchical and flexible use.

The design enhances the site’s natural qualities while promoting freedom of use through diverse forms of interaction -resting, playing, observing or simply being. The rocky riverbank is emphasized made accessible via ramps and viewpoints, with the terrain itself informing the design logic. The material palette includes local stone and wood, complementing the steel and concrete structures. Wayfinding becomes “playfinding,” transforming circulation into a sensory and social experience. The site acts as a continuous playscape, where plaza and playground merge, dissolving boundaries between locals and visitors. The Pavilion and Observation Tower serve as hybrid structures hosting events, tourist information, and accessible restrooms. A resiliet, biophilic approach drives the design solution that is based on drought-tolerant vegetation, durable materials and community-based maintenance ensure long-term ecological and social endurance.