The City within the City

Student: Zouroudi Maria
Supervisor: Tzompanakis Alexios
Technical University of Crete, Department of Architecture
Date of Presentation: 7-12-2012

The thesis project introduces the design of a supralocal, mixed use pole, which deals with both the megascale (Bigness) of the contemporary city and the spatial characteristics of the coherent Mediterranean city, aiming at the idea of urban stitching. Within this context, shopping as a unifying factor can contribute to the redefinition of the notions of the contemporary agora and public space.

The thesis project introduces the design of a supralocal, mixed use pole, which deals with both the megascale (Bigness) of the contemporary city and the spatial characteristics of the coherent Mediterranean city, aiming at the idea of urban stitching. Within this context, shopping as a unifying factor can contribute to the redefinition of the notions of the contemporary agora and public space.

The selected area is perceived as an intersection of diverse urban patterns and land uses. The adjacent metro and bus station of Nomismatokopeio, as well as the supralocal nature of the area in general, give the site a key role in achieving the desirable connections and the gradual transition from the vehicle scale (Mesogeion Avenue) to the human scale (Sarantaporou Street). Another challenging issue for this project is the social diversity and heterogeneity of the neighboring area (inhabitants, nomads, passengers, workers).

As a result, the proposal for the master plan is based on two overlapping and interactive network fields: a network of squares, which are defined by linear "landscape - building" elements and a path - axis network, which serves the passage from the public to the more private programmatic entities.

The shopping center is placed along Mesogeion Avenue, forming a specific car - oriented boundary. Its recognizable form that makes it a kind of landmark within the urban environment. This is quite obvious, not only by the roof that angles to ground level, but also by a dynamic solid (accumulators) - void (chasms) relationship, that acts like a break in the structural and functional continuity of the linear "wall". The south elevation of the condenser constitutes its "backside", as it is dedicated to delivery and storage areas, except for some intervening openings that serve as window displays for the stores. On the contrary, the north elevation, that consists of perforated metal panels opens up to the sunken urban square, revealing the center's inner core. The cultural centre, which is on the same level with the sunken square, is differentiated from the rest body of the building. Finally, three distinct platforms of public space are created, in relation with the urban condenser: the road level, the sunken square and the accessible roof top.

The building aims to formulate an alternative prototype to the usual retail box development.