Urban Conductivity - Honorable Mention

90, Dimitriou Poliorkitou, Thessaloniki, Greece

Add To Collection

Other Projects by O3 open group for architecture

Add To Collection

'Thessaloniki X 4 architectural competition' - award winning entry

Urban Conductivity - Honorable Mention

90, Dimitriou Poliorkitou, Thessaloniki, Greece

Firm

O3 open group for architecture

Type

Landscape + Planning › Urban Green Space

YEAR

2013

The project is an Honorable Mention at the Architectural Competition "Creation and recovery of public spaces and enhancement of ‘landmarks’ in the urban area of the municipality of Thessaloniki".The area is
located in Ano Poli (Upper City) of the municipality of Thessaloniki. The
present condition of Ano Poli is an evolution of the Muslim neighborhoods, the
Christian neighborhood of Vlatades and the newer builds around the Byzantine
churches and the mosques. It consists of a number of conflicting +
contradicting elements that merge to create the transitional zone between the
highly urban areas of the center of Thessaloniki and the amorphous and anarchic
expansion areas outside the historic city’s walls. The layout of the area is
characterized by pattern-less networks of narrow streets of non-specific width.
The buildings are mainly contemporary structures (1960 and onwards), while few
of them were built in the early 20th century. It is mainly a housing area, thus
having a strong neighborhood character.The designed area,
as most places in Ano Poli, is characterized by the absence of public open
spaces. The few existing ones are dormant fractions of the urban tissue as they
are in fact residual spaces along either side of the passing street. They
remain unused and unformed unable to correspond to their primary role as outdoor
activities spaces organically fused to the urban in contradiction to the evolution
of traditional settlements – including Ano Poli – where public open spaces
formed the backbone of everyday urban life, currently the area fails to support
the same kind of functionality.Along this
organic, un-planned and un-programmed urbanscape, the proposal aims to re-
insert functions and structures that in the past have formed and established
the special character for the settlement. These elements, both specific and
abstract, are redefined to adapt to the contemporary facts, figures and needs
of the inhabitants and the visitors so as to create a connection with the
area’s collective memory and upgrade the quality of life in an area that is
lacking basic infrastructure and organization. The proposal
consists of a series of spot interventions strategically scattered across the
intervention area, as in traditional settlements the important elements of
public life had a singular spot aspect. Thus immediate adaptability to the
settlement’s character is ensured coupled with cost efficiency. The design
integrity between these spot interventions is certified through an overall
urban concept approach, where the spot interventions, although unique in
function, they complement one another.All of them are
shaped via a common design vocabulary with flexibility as the main aspect so
that it is easy to adapt to differentiating topography and the proposed
function of each spot area. As mentioned, this vocabulary derives from
definitions that described the settlement in cellular level. Specific meanings
as the “ksefoto” (= “glade”)- randomly resulting open space shape, commonly at
the end of a street, the “square with the great tree and the bench”- redesigned
as a wooden plateau around the existing tree of Tsitsani square), the
“agnanti”(= “belvedere” “view”) formed as a look out facing the sea view, the
“vrisi” (=“faucet” “fountain”) sculpted as water columns with bioclimatic
function and the “sokaki-chair on the street” (seat rows reclaiming the public
space) are applied. Some more abstract are related to form, structure or
geometry such as the “kentima” (= “embroidery”) -new flooring out of paver
stones and grass forming geometric patterns, the “cube”- elemental geometry
form and the “tsatmas” (=traditional construction method) - redefined for
the design of the covered seats + bus terminals). On top of this
scenery of spot interventions a layer of plantation in abundance is added so as
to augment the environmental conditions and to upgrade the optical experience
of the urban user.