Kastraki

The purpose of this competition is to establish a design for “Kastraki” area, which will host a specific range of activities, such as playground, open-air theater and cafe and will be accessible to the citizens and tourists. Focusing on the spatial characteristics which consti­tute the distinctive identity of the study area (proxim­ity with the archaeological site of Ietioneia Gate and the port of Piraeus, the geomorphology of the area, its position in relation to the urban fabric), the proposal aims at the reinforcement of those characteristics that provide its specific cultural, social and natural iden­tity.

The fact that the site lies in between the artificial land­scape of the city and the port, combined with the incli­nation of the ground, defines the area of intervention as a certain type of island in terms of distinctive natural and geomorphologic presence in the urban landscape, standing out as an inclined natural balcony. 

While focusing on the characteristics which define the distinctive identity of the area of intervention, the pro­posal aims at their strengthening and reinterpretation, in a manner that would unify the study area with the archaeological site, both perceptually and spatially.

Proposal

The proposal intends to strengthen certain characteris­tics of the study area such as

-its unique character in terms of the natural landscape (the island) and the pedestrian flow towards the ar­chaeological site and from the residential area of Dra­petsona (the access).

-the sightings from the study area over the city of Pi­raeus and major urban landmarks such as the port of Piraeus (the balconies). The exploitation of the differentiated views is achieved through a sliding process which is applied to the dif­ferent levels of the terrain, producing a set of exterior-referenced areas (the square, the balconies), while the individual treatment of specific areas generates leisure and rest units which are more internal and self-refer­ential (the hanging garden, the forest, the playground).

-its relation to the urban surroundings (the edge of the city). The suspension over the harbor area, in combination with the need to underline the limits of the area to the port and the railway lines, leads to the creation of a route which is designed as a dislocated fortress wall and as a new linear edge of the city.

Material

Using as a starting point the proximity with the archae­ological site and more specifically, the intended unifi­cation, an extended use of the  soil stabilizer is proposed.  The proximity with dominant structures, such as the port and the archaeological site of the Ietionia Gate leads to a treatment of the materiality of the terrain as a tool for a further reinforcement of the perceptual continuity and for the creation of a solid place of reflection.

The urban flow, together with the geometry and plan­tation influences the materiality as well, introducing entrance areas which gradually adopt a more natural appearance.