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architectural competition
**Commendation (among 64 entries)** The Venetian West Docks & its surrounds in Heraklion, Greece 2010 *in collaboration with: A. Gontinou, X. Makantasi and M. Pitsiladi |
The project attempts to re-establish the lost connection between the inhabitants or visitors of Heraklion city and the seafront.
The redefinition of this connection is achieved by creating a big open public space, the “Sea Plaza”, characterized by a slightly sloping surface – direct reference to the Venetian West Docks – that rises, from the sea level towards the Dock complex. This permits the Docks to function not as an individual complex, but as part of semi open extension of the open public space. The pavement acts as a unifying element towards this direction, making less recognizable the limit between the interior and exterior. The lines of the pavement follow the traces of the Venetian Dock’s complex while the reversibility is present within the whole intervention. Where the pavement is lifted, sitting areas are formed and where it is lowered, plantation areas are created of typical mediterranean aromatic plants, wind and water resistant. All new features (lightpoles, benches, pavements, window frames etc.) are self–supporting and autonomous from the existing shell.
The current exhibitions in the interior are organized around a two storey scaffolding construction – which revokes ship forms, or in smaller exhibition unites. A second large scale element is placed in the entrance of the complex, embracing all the administration and reception activities.
The redefinition of this connection is achieved by creating a big open public space, the “Sea Plaza”, characterized by a slightly sloping surface – direct reference to the Venetian West Docks – that rises, from the sea level towards the Dock complex. This permits the Docks to function not as an individual complex, but as part of semi open extension of the open public space. The pavement acts as a unifying element towards this direction, making less recognizable the limit between the interior and exterior. The lines of the pavement follow the traces of the Venetian Dock’s complex while the reversibility is present within the whole intervention. Where the pavement is lifted, sitting areas are formed and where it is lowered, plantation areas are created of typical mediterranean aromatic plants, wind and water resistant. All new features (lightpoles, benches, pavements, window frames etc.) are self–supporting and autonomous from the existing shell.
The current exhibitions in the interior are organized around a two storey scaffolding construction – which revokes ship forms, or in smaller exhibition unites. A second large scale element is placed in the entrance of the complex, embracing all the administration and reception activities.