Urban Design on the Move
ISBN 978-3-98612-100-6
ISBN 978-3-98612-100-6
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Five Stories About<br />
Implementing a<br />
Winning<br />
Europan Project<br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>Urban</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>Design</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />
<strong>on</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>Move</strong><br />
Socrates Stratis
© 2024 by jovis Verlag<br />
An imprint of Walter de Gruyter GmbH, Berlin/Bost<strong>on</strong><br />
Texts by kind permissi<strong>on</strong> of <strong>the</strong> authors.<br />
Pictures by kind permissi<strong>on</strong> of <strong>the</strong> photographers/holders of <strong>the</strong> picture rights.<br />
All rights reserved.<br />
With <strong>the</strong> support of Europan Europe, Paris.<br />
Author: Socrates Stratis, Ph.D. Architect, <str<strong>on</strong>g>Urban</str<strong>on</strong>g>ist, Professor, Department of Architecture,<br />
University of Cyprus, <strong>on</strong>e of <strong>the</strong> main AA&U founders.<br />
Graphic <str<strong>on</strong>g>Design</str<strong>on</strong>g>: AA&U for Architecture, Art and <str<strong>on</strong>g>Urban</str<strong>on</strong>g>ism, LUCY Laboratory of <str<strong>on</strong>g>Urban</str<strong>on</strong>g>ism<br />
University of Cyprus: Mary Mavrohanna, Socrates Stratis.<br />
Editing of Drawings: AA&U for Architecture, Art and <str<strong>on</strong>g>Urban</str<strong>on</strong>g>ism: Chrysan<strong>the</strong> C<strong>on</strong>stantinou,<br />
Despina Kouppa, Eleni Andreou, Maria Prokopiou, Mary Mavrohanna, Revekka Evangelou,<br />
Savvas Anastasiou.<br />
Copy Editing: Charis Nika.<br />
Proofreading: Charis Nika, Bianca Murphy.<br />
Printed in <strong>the</strong> European Uni<strong>on</strong>.<br />
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ISBN 978-3-98612-100-6 (softcover)<br />
ISBN 978-3-98612-101-3 (e-book)
I devote <str<strong>on</strong>g>Urban</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>Design</str<strong>on</strong>g> <strong>on</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>Move</strong> to all who c<strong>on</strong>tributed to<br />
this l<strong>on</strong>g journey in many and utterly different ways:<br />
To my friends and colleagues in <strong>the</strong> Europan network,<br />
<strong>the</strong> design team members in Nicosia, especially Riccardo<br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>Urban</str<strong>on</strong>g>o. To <strong>the</strong> team’s collaborators in A<strong>the</strong>ns, especially<br />
Christos Panousakis. To my friends in Herakli<strong>on</strong>, especially<br />
Nicos Skoutelis and Flavio Zan<strong>on</strong>. Finally, I devote this book<br />
to my collaborators, especially George Fournarakis, George<br />
Tavernarakis and Kalia Nikolidaki.<br />
I also thank IASPIS Stockholm and Magnus Eriks<strong>on</strong>. My<br />
Architect Curatorial Residency in October 2020 helped me<br />
c<strong>on</strong>tinue this journey of <strong>the</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>Urban</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>Design</str<strong>on</strong>g> <strong>on</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>Move</strong>.<br />
A huge thank you to all!
C<strong>on</strong>tents<br />
page<br />
10–17 Forewords<br />
12–13 Foreword by Didier Rebois<br />
14–17 Foreword by Albena Yaneva<br />
20–31 A. Introducti<strong>on</strong> Capturing <str<strong>on</strong>g>Urban</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>Design</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />
<strong>on</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>Move</strong> for <strong>the</strong> Open City<br />
32–51 B. About a Piecemeal <str<strong>on</strong>g>Urban</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>Design</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />
Strategy: Operating in <strong>the</strong> Space<br />
Between <strong>the</strong> City and <strong>the</strong> Sea<br />
36–37 B1. An Interview about <strong>the</strong> “Scenario for <strong>the</strong><br />
Space Between <strong>the</strong> City and <strong>the</strong> Sea”<br />
38–39 B2. Europan Europe Interviews with <strong>the</strong><br />
Mayor of Herakli<strong>on</strong><br />
52–215 C. Five Stories about <str<strong>on</strong>g>Design</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />
C<strong>on</strong>troversies: Hercules is Strolling<br />
Al<strong>on</strong>g <strong>the</strong> Herakli<strong>on</strong> Old City<br />
Waterfr<strong>on</strong>t<br />
60–87 C1. The Historic Walls, <strong>the</strong> Safety Building<br />
Code, and <strong>the</strong> Coastal Cantilevered Corridor<br />
88–111 C2. The Disputed Territory, <strong>the</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>Urban</str<strong>on</strong>g> Ramp,<br />
and <strong>the</strong> Roof of <strong>the</strong> Municipal Baths<br />
112–139 C3. The Muscled Minotaur Holding a<br />
Footbridge, <strong>the</strong> Box-Like Metal Truss<br />
Corridor, and <strong>the</strong> 250-Metre-L<strong>on</strong>g Ramp<br />
140–171 C4. The <str<strong>on</strong>g>Urban</str<strong>on</strong>g> Beach, <strong>the</strong> Revealed City<br />
Walls, and <strong>the</strong> Enemy Who Comes from <strong>the</strong><br />
Sea<br />
172–215 C5. The Balc<strong>on</strong>y Overlooking <strong>the</strong> Sea, <strong>the</strong><br />
Dinosaur Loggia, and <strong>the</strong> Tail of a European<br />
Programme<br />
216–229 D. Hercules’ Letters: To New<br />
Europan <str<strong>on</strong>g>Urban</str<strong>on</strong>g> Actors<br />
218–221 D1. Letter to a Mayor Whose City Will<br />
Implement a Winning Europan <str<strong>on</strong>g>Urban</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>Design</str<strong>on</strong>g> Project<br />
222–229 D2. Letter to a Young <str<strong>on</strong>g>Urban</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>Design</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />
Team Who Just W<strong>on</strong> a Europan Prize<br />
230–277 E. Archive of <strong>the</strong> Process:<br />
Transforming <strong>the</strong> Europan 4<br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>Design</str<strong>on</strong>g> Strategy Ideas into <str<strong>on</strong>g>Urban</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />
Practices<br />
234–243 E1. Europan 4 Competiti<strong>on</strong> Material<br />
245–265 E2. The Project’s Public Life<br />
267–277 E3. Coverage of <strong>the</strong> Project in <strong>the</strong> Local<br />
Daily Press
OPERATING IN THE SPACE BETWEEN THE<br />
CITY AND THE SEA<br />
32
B<br />
ABOUT A<br />
PIECEMEAL URBAN<br />
DESIGN STRATEGY<br />
#B1-233
A Navigati<strong>on</strong> Map to a Piecemeal Transformati<strong>on</strong> of an<br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>Urban</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>Design</str<strong>on</strong>g> Strategy into <str<strong>on</strong>g>Urban</str<strong>on</strong>g> Practices<br />
12<br />
09<br />
07<br />
11<br />
08<br />
10<br />
Figure 5: The twelve project fragments, most of which are implemented with different public funds. Some are yet to be realised<br />
34
01<br />
02<br />
05<br />
06<br />
03<br />
04<br />
0 10 40 N<br />
About a Piecemeal <str<strong>on</strong>g>Urban</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>Design</str<strong>on</strong>g> Strategy<br />
35
B1. An Interview about <strong>the</strong> “Scenario for <strong>the</strong> Space Between<br />
<strong>the</strong> City and <strong>the</strong> Sea” 2<br />
Michael Rudolph talks with Socrates Stratis<br />
Michael Rudolph: We would like to talk about<br />
your Europan 4 project from 1996 and how<br />
it has been adapted since <strong>the</strong> competiti<strong>on</strong>.<br />
Was <strong>the</strong>re already a c<strong>on</strong>cept of an<br />
<strong>on</strong>going process in <strong>the</strong> original proposal?<br />
Socrates Stratis: Our proposal was a criticism of<br />
master plans, which are often ra<strong>the</strong>r rigid and<br />
imposed. We also openly admitted our incomplete<br />
knowledge of <strong>the</strong> project c<strong>on</strong>diti<strong>on</strong>s. We <strong>the</strong>refore<br />
proposed a new interpretati<strong>on</strong> of <strong>the</strong> overall<br />
competiti<strong>on</strong> site from which we derived a strategy<br />
for <strong>the</strong> dynamic redefiniti<strong>on</strong> of <strong>the</strong> fringe area<br />
between <strong>the</strong> old city of Herakli<strong>on</strong> and <strong>the</strong> sea.<br />
Developing a scenario ra<strong>the</strong>r than presenting a fixed<br />
soluti<strong>on</strong> allowed us sufficient scope for developing an<br />
independent strategy, even though c<strong>on</strong>stantly changing<br />
tactics were necessary during <strong>the</strong> implementati<strong>on</strong><br />
process. The competiti<strong>on</strong> entry was a kind of case<br />
study for <strong>the</strong> strategy that sustained <strong>the</strong> project over<br />
<strong>the</strong> years.<br />
How did <strong>the</strong> project evolve after <strong>the</strong><br />
competiti<strong>on</strong>? Are you still working <strong>on</strong> it?<br />
At first, nothing happened until 2000. However, I<br />
used <strong>the</strong> project for my Master’s <strong>the</strong>sis research, and I<br />
seized <strong>the</strong> opportunity to proceed with my PhD work<br />
in Paris during that “frozen” project time. From<br />
2000-2002, we worked informally toge<strong>the</strong>r with <strong>the</strong><br />
municipality, helping to develop <strong>the</strong> programmatic<br />
brief. The first c<strong>on</strong>tract was signed in 2002, <strong>the</strong><br />
follow-up c<strong>on</strong>tracts in 2004. Currently, we are about<br />
to sign a fur<strong>the</strong>r c<strong>on</strong>tract for <strong>the</strong> planning of a ramped<br />
footbridge, c<strong>on</strong>necting <strong>the</strong> waterfr<strong>on</strong>t boulevard to <strong>the</strong><br />
pedestrian walk <strong>on</strong> <strong>the</strong> city wall, six metres higher.<br />
1<br />
Would you now ra<strong>the</strong>r call it “project” or<br />
“process”?<br />
I call <strong>the</strong> draft design a “project” which c<strong>on</strong>sists of a<br />
defined strategy accompanied by changing tactical tools<br />
for <strong>the</strong> formal and informal negotiati<strong>on</strong>s between those<br />
involved. Later, <strong>the</strong> project receded into <strong>the</strong><br />
background and yielded to <strong>the</strong> specific form of physical<br />
space and public programme. A process is always<br />
embedded in <strong>the</strong> making of <strong>the</strong> project. It is, in fact,<br />
a trajectory fluctuating back and forth between tactics<br />
and overriding strategy, between negotiati<strong>on</strong> and <strong>the</strong><br />
build form.<br />
How is it possible to create a str<strong>on</strong>g local<br />
identity for <strong>the</strong> site and still keep a<br />
proposal “unspecific”?<br />
The specific part of <strong>the</strong> project is <strong>the</strong> strategy, whereas<br />
<strong>the</strong> tactics required for implementati<strong>on</strong> have been<br />
c<strong>on</strong>stantly adjusted and adapted. The new<br />
perspective introduced by <strong>the</strong> competiti<strong>on</strong> entry serves<br />
as a comm<strong>on</strong> ground for discourse between <strong>the</strong> actors.<br />
The core questi<strong>on</strong> here is how to rec<strong>on</strong>cile <strong>the</strong> clearly<br />
defined strategy of <strong>the</strong> original proposal with <strong>the</strong><br />
ever-changing tactical c<strong>on</strong>siderati<strong>on</strong>s.<br />
Is <strong>the</strong> project adaptable for future changes<br />
and developments?<br />
The acupuncture method we adopted has reinforced<br />
<strong>the</strong> major elements of <strong>the</strong> space between city and sea.<br />
I can imagine this method being pursued in <strong>the</strong> future.<br />
Ano<strong>the</strong>r quite different dimensi<strong>on</strong> of adaptability<br />
is to be found in <strong>the</strong> design of <strong>the</strong> buildings of <strong>the</strong><br />
former market. Different uses share <strong>the</strong> same space,<br />
and this has l<strong>on</strong>g since become reality. The city council<br />
has established a neighbourhood advisory centre<br />
here, toge<strong>the</strong>r with an employment advisory service<br />
2 The interview was first published in 2014 in Germany’s Europan 12 Catalogue of Results.<br />
36
and a multipurpose hall. The former market space<br />
additi<strong>on</strong>ally houses municipal offices for European<br />
affairs. What did not work was a group of kiosks<br />
located at <strong>the</strong> perimeter of <strong>the</strong> public space as <strong>the</strong>y<br />
were not operated by <strong>the</strong> municipality. At present, <strong>the</strong>y<br />
are used as display cabinets for agricultural products<br />
from <strong>the</strong> regi<strong>on</strong>. I very much like <strong>the</strong> creativity<br />
dem<strong>on</strong>strated in this soluti<strong>on</strong>.<br />
Which c<strong>on</strong>stant elements existed in <strong>the</strong><br />
process?<br />
The mayor, elected in 2003, and his city architect.<br />
And, of course, our office in Nicosia, that exists to<br />
<strong>the</strong> present day. Nor should we forget <strong>the</strong> friends we<br />
found in Herakli<strong>on</strong> and who have c<strong>on</strong>tinued to update<br />
us <strong>on</strong> what’s happening in <strong>the</strong> city.<br />
How have <strong>the</strong> team and protag<strong>on</strong>ists<br />
changed over time?<br />
The original team has been reduced in size. Of <strong>the</strong><br />
four people participating in <strong>the</strong> competiti<strong>on</strong> entry, two<br />
remained until <strong>the</strong> award of <strong>the</strong> first c<strong>on</strong>tract.<br />
Subsequently, I was <strong>the</strong> <strong>on</strong>ly remaining original<br />
member. Over <strong>the</strong> years, some of he engineers<br />
involved, who were already around sixty years old in<br />
<strong>the</strong> 1990s, have retired. My s<strong>on</strong> Manos was born<br />
about <strong>the</strong> same time as our competiti<strong>on</strong> entry was<br />
submitted – and now he’s 18 years old…<br />
Project Team<br />
For <strong>the</strong> Europan 4 competiti<strong>on</strong>, 1st prize (1996):<br />
Socrates Stratis, Kyriakos Koundouros, Akis Ioannides,<br />
Maria Loizidou.<br />
For <strong>the</strong> first c<strong>on</strong>tract (2002-2004):<br />
Socrates Stratis (AA&U), Kyriakos Koundouros<br />
Assistant architect: Riccardo <str<strong>on</strong>g>Urban</str<strong>on</strong>g>o.<br />
For <strong>the</strong> sec<strong>on</strong>d c<strong>on</strong>tract (2004-2018):<br />
Socrates Stratis (AA&U)<br />
Assistant architect: Riccardo <str<strong>on</strong>g>Urban</str<strong>on</strong>g>o.<br />
Collaborators in A<strong>the</strong>ns for both c<strong>on</strong>tracts:<br />
Architect<strong>on</strong>iki EPE, (architects),<br />
Myl<strong>on</strong>as & Tzivanakis, structural engineers,<br />
LDK, electromechanical engineers,<br />
D. Rentzos, transport engineer,<br />
ENVECO, envir<strong>on</strong>mental engineers.<br />
External assistants for <strong>the</strong> first phase:<br />
M. Cosmas, M. Papademetriou, A. Poumbouri, Nicosia.<br />
Implementati<strong>on</strong>: 2002–2008 (first phase),<br />
2011–2018 (sec<strong>on</strong>d phase).<br />
Figure 6: Project model in three pieces / Scale 1:200<br />
About a Piecemeal <str<strong>on</strong>g>Urban</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>Design</str<strong>on</strong>g> Strategy<br />
37
C3<br />
C1<br />
C2<br />
C5<br />
C4<br />
Figure 21: Use of ramps to c<strong>on</strong>nect <strong>the</strong> old city with <strong>the</strong> levels of <strong>the</strong> sea and <strong>the</strong> city walls<br />
Figure 22: C4: 2002<br />
Figure 23: C1/C2: 2002<br />
Figure 24: C4: 2016<br />
Figure 25: C1/C2: 2016<br />
Aerial images before and after <strong>the</strong> project’s implementati<strong>on</strong> (source: Google Earth)<br />
48
C3<br />
C1<br />
C2<br />
C5<br />
C4<br />
Figure 26: Project strategy: extending <strong>the</strong> city’s public everyday life towards <strong>the</strong> seacoast with public programmes and spaces<br />
Figure 27: C2: 2020<br />
Figure 28: C5: 2002<br />
Figure 29: C5: 2020<br />
Figure 30: C5: 2016<br />
About a Piecemeal <str<strong>on</strong>g>Urban</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>Design</str<strong>on</strong>g> Strategy<br />
49
HERCULES IS STROLLING ALONG THE<br />
HERAKLION OLD CITY WATERFRONT<br />
52
C<br />
FIVE STORIES<br />
ABOUT DESIGN<br />
CONTROVERSIES<br />
#C1-553
CONTROVERSY 3: THE<br />
RAMP THAT WANTS TO BE<br />
GROUND AND THE MUSCLED<br />
MINOTAUR HOLDING A<br />
FOOTBRIDGE<br />
CONTROVERSY 1: THE<br />
COASTAL CANTILEVERED<br />
CORRIDOR<br />
C3<br />
C1<br />
Figure 32: The archipelago of c<strong>on</strong>troversial design stories: Hercules’ stroll al<strong>on</strong>g <strong>the</strong> space between <strong>the</strong> city and <strong>the</strong> sea<br />
54
CONTROVERSY 2: A RAMP<br />
THAT WANTS TO BE THE ROOF OF<br />
THE MUNICIPAL BATHS CONTROVERSY 5:<br />
THE DINOSAUR LOGGIA<br />
C2<br />
THE NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM<br />
CONTROVERSY 4:<br />
THE ENEMY COMES FROM<br />
THE SEA<br />
C5<br />
C4<br />
0 10 40<br />
Five Stories About <str<strong>on</strong>g>Design</str<strong>on</strong>g> C<strong>on</strong>troversies<br />
55
The Historic Walls, <strong>the</strong> Safety Building Code,<br />
and <strong>the</strong> Coastal Cantilevered Corridor<br />
A<br />
wooden corridor, barely a few metres wide,<br />
stretches for some dozen metres al<strong>on</strong>g <strong>the</strong><br />
north edge of <strong>the</strong> Herakli<strong>on</strong> Old City in Crete, six<br />
metres above <strong>the</strong> Mediterranean Sea. The sound<br />
of <strong>the</strong> waves and <strong>the</strong> moisture of <strong>the</strong>ir evaporati<strong>on</strong><br />
reaches <strong>the</strong> shore in an eternal rhythm, just below.<br />
The four-lane road al<strong>on</strong>g <strong>the</strong> Herakli<strong>on</strong> Old City<br />
coastline shrinks slightly to cross that point. Yet, it<br />
squeezes <strong>the</strong> “corridor” sitting <strong>on</strong> a metal structure,<br />
half a metre higher than <strong>the</strong> tarmac, cantilevering<br />
over <strong>the</strong> edge of <strong>the</strong> city. The passing cars barely<br />
avoid a refined crash barrier made of metal secti<strong>on</strong>s<br />
that protects <strong>the</strong> pedestrians walking <strong>on</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />
corridor. A biker is crossing cautiously <strong>the</strong> same<br />
“corridor”, just next to Hercules who is looking<br />
down <strong>the</strong> seven-metre drop to <strong>the</strong> sea <strong>on</strong> <strong>the</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r<br />
side. He is leaning <strong>on</strong> <strong>the</strong> wooden balustrade,<br />
filled in with a stainless steel mesh. Hercules is<br />
not watching <strong>the</strong> magnificent view but something<br />
below <strong>the</strong> “corridor”.<br />
Figure 35-36: The project’s travelling model / Scale 1:500<br />
Figure 37: Historic map of Herakli<strong>on</strong>, source:<br />
Europan 4 competiti<strong>on</strong> material<br />
The shape of <strong>the</strong> raised cantilevered corridor<br />
is ra<strong>the</strong>r odd. Imagine <strong>the</strong> plan of a stretched<br />
rectangle. Then, carve out <strong>on</strong>e of its sides with an<br />
arch forming <strong>the</strong> road’s outer edge. The rectangle<br />
is sixty-nine metres l<strong>on</strong>g and five and a half metres<br />
wide. Its minimum width is two metres where it is<br />
squeezed by <strong>the</strong> road’s outer edge.<br />
Why such a form? A passer-by would w<strong>on</strong>der…<br />
Why couldn’t it be <strong>the</strong> same width and built of <strong>the</strong><br />
same materials as <strong>the</strong> rest of <strong>the</strong> coastal sidewalk<br />
and bikeway? It is a residual shape that betrays an<br />
60
actorial c<strong>on</strong>troversy during its design process,<br />
Hercules recalls.<br />
Looking at a map of <strong>the</strong> old city’s coastline,<br />
Hercules verifies that <strong>the</strong> corridor is situated at <strong>the</strong><br />
narrowest point between <strong>the</strong> city’s edge and <strong>the</strong><br />
sea. A listed st<strong>on</strong>e building marks <strong>the</strong> edge. The<br />
coastal road devours <strong>the</strong> narrow space between <strong>the</strong><br />
building and <strong>the</strong> edge of <strong>the</strong> historic walls.<br />
The historic walls of Herakli<strong>on</strong> date back to <strong>the</strong><br />
Venetians. A major defence structure built by <strong>the</strong><br />
Venetians to protect <strong>the</strong> city from <strong>the</strong> Ottomans.<br />
According to <strong>the</strong> Office of Antiquities, <strong>the</strong> seaside<br />
part of <strong>the</strong> walls is less significant, in terms of<br />
cultural heritage, than <strong>the</strong> secti<strong>on</strong> surrounding <strong>the</strong><br />
historical city. Yet, <strong>the</strong>y are protected by <strong>the</strong> same<br />
nati<strong>on</strong>al laws for cultural heritage. The landside<br />
part of <strong>the</strong> walls forms an impressive, six metres<br />
tall military defence structure that separates <strong>the</strong><br />
historic city from <strong>the</strong> former hinterland, that is now<br />
<strong>the</strong> c<strong>on</strong>temporary city of Herakli<strong>on</strong>. The seaside<br />
walls have been severely mishandled by <strong>the</strong> state<br />
bureaucrats, since <strong>the</strong> early 20th century. A part<br />
of <strong>the</strong> walls is covered by <strong>the</strong> 1930s coastal road<br />
that links <strong>the</strong> port to <strong>the</strong> rest of <strong>the</strong> island. O<strong>the</strong>r<br />
parts of <strong>the</strong> seaside walls are eroding due to <strong>the</strong>ir<br />
proximity to <strong>the</strong> sea that gets turbulent during <strong>the</strong><br />
winter. They are invisible from <strong>the</strong> city. When <strong>the</strong>y<br />
are not covered by <strong>the</strong> road embankments, <strong>the</strong>y<br />
form <strong>the</strong> edge of <strong>the</strong> city area six metres above sea<br />
level. Hercules is looking at <strong>the</strong>m, just below <strong>the</strong><br />
“corridor”. Yet, his glance travels bey<strong>on</strong>d those<br />
walls.<br />
Figure 38: On <strong>the</strong> cantilevered “corridor” – looking west<br />
“A new scandal at <strong>the</strong> city’s seafr<strong>on</strong>t! The c<strong>on</strong>tractor<br />
pierced <strong>the</strong> historic wall! ” In 2008, a journalist from<br />
<strong>the</strong> Herakli<strong>on</strong> local press denounced <strong>the</strong> chosen<br />
foundati<strong>on</strong> method (through piling) that was used<br />
for <strong>the</strong> road’s structural safety. The local Office of<br />
Antiquities stopped c<strong>on</strong>structi<strong>on</strong> works for a few<br />
days to investigate <strong>the</strong> findings. The coastal road<br />
had stayed inaccessible for a few weeks to allow for<br />
<strong>the</strong> c<strong>on</strong>structi<strong>on</strong> of <strong>the</strong> corridor.<br />
C<strong>on</strong>troversy 01<br />
61
A significant disrupti<strong>on</strong> of car traffic in <strong>the</strong> city that<br />
was prol<strong>on</strong>ged for a few days due to <strong>the</strong> incident of<br />
piercing <strong>the</strong> historic walls.<br />
Hercules’ friends from Herakli<strong>on</strong> sent <strong>the</strong><br />
newspaper article to his office in Nicosia. Hercules<br />
is not as young as he was when he visited Herakli<strong>on</strong><br />
for <strong>the</strong> first time. During that first visit, he was<br />
shadowing <strong>the</strong> winning team of <strong>the</strong> Europan 4<br />
competiti<strong>on</strong>, that was full of excitement to share<br />
<strong>the</strong>ir winning project with <strong>the</strong> city’s actors. He was,<br />
and still is, a good friend of <strong>the</strong> Team. Hercules<br />
has been accompanying <strong>the</strong> passage from <strong>the</strong><br />
Europan 4 ideas competiti<strong>on</strong> to its realisati<strong>on</strong><br />
for twenty-two years. He is an expert in mapping<br />
c<strong>on</strong>troversial matters during such passage rituals.<br />
He likes to investigate <strong>the</strong> moments when urban<br />
strategies are transformed into material practices,<br />
and when multiple “desirables” are at stake,<br />
during a transformed design process trajectory,<br />
before bifurcati<strong>on</strong>. He likes to c<strong>on</strong>sider which<br />
“desirable” is going to prevail? This is why he<br />
shadows <strong>the</strong> team, to understand <strong>the</strong>ir ecology of<br />
practices and how <strong>the</strong>y negotiate by introducing<br />
new “desirables”, or by adjusting those <strong>on</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />
negotiati<strong>on</strong> table. This mapping of c<strong>on</strong>troversies<br />
has been his <strong>on</strong>-going passi<strong>on</strong>. He calls it “<str<strong>on</strong>g>Design</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />
Process Forensic Investigati<strong>on</strong>”. It is for this kind<br />
of investigati<strong>on</strong> that he is currently spending a few<br />
days in Herakli<strong>on</strong>.<br />
Hercules is still examining <strong>the</strong> corridor’s metal<br />
c<strong>on</strong>structi<strong>on</strong> that is part of <strong>the</strong> structural<br />
reinforcement of <strong>the</strong> road foundati<strong>on</strong>s. Why such<br />
an odd combinati<strong>on</strong>? He is about to remember.<br />
“Mr. Mayor, we can’t redesign <strong>the</strong> waterfr<strong>on</strong>t road without<br />
a minimum sidewalk width! We are killing <strong>the</strong> seafr<strong>on</strong>t<br />
pedestrian network,” he recalls <strong>the</strong> members of <strong>the</strong><br />
Team saying. They were standing at <strong>the</strong> same<br />
spot, a few years back, negotiating <strong>the</strong> future of<br />
<strong>the</strong> road with <strong>the</strong> Mayor of Herakli<strong>on</strong>, <strong>the</strong> old<br />
city department project engineer, and <strong>the</strong> Team’s<br />
transport engineer. They were squeezed between<br />
62
<strong>the</strong> passing-by cars, <strong>the</strong> parked cars, and <strong>the</strong><br />
six-metre drop. The mayor was standing before<br />
Hercules, looking carefully at <strong>the</strong> map unfolded by<br />
<strong>the</strong> transport engineer. Hercules put himself at <strong>the</strong><br />
edge of <strong>the</strong> group, not interfering with <strong>the</strong> heated<br />
discussi<strong>on</strong>s. He remained a shadow. The mayor<br />
liked him and quite often would invite him for a<br />
ride with his municipal Mercedes to proudly show<br />
him <strong>the</strong> city’s projects. “We need <strong>the</strong> space for <strong>the</strong> road.<br />
We can’t significantly reduce <strong>the</strong> width of <strong>the</strong> lanes at this<br />
narrow point. It will cause accidents. We will allow for a<br />
narrow sidewalk for <strong>the</strong> pedestrians,” <strong>the</strong> mayor persists.<br />
The Team explained in vain that it was not enough.<br />
Their transport engineer was supporting <strong>the</strong><br />
mayor’s positi<strong>on</strong>.<br />
Implementing a four-lane boulevard at all<br />
costs was <strong>the</strong> “desirable” outcome for <strong>the</strong><br />
mayor and <strong>the</strong> political leadership of <strong>the</strong> city.<br />
Implementing a less busy coastal urban boulevard,<br />
with acceptable sidewalks and bikeways, was <strong>the</strong><br />
Team’s “desirable”, backed up by <strong>the</strong> A<strong>the</strong>ns<br />
Central Archaeological Council. Unfortunately, <strong>the</strong><br />
Team failed to c<strong>on</strong>vince <strong>the</strong> local actors to turn<br />
<strong>the</strong> coastal road into a two-lane street by diverting<br />
<strong>the</strong> port traffic to a bypass. The city’s c<strong>on</strong>cern was<br />
that <strong>the</strong> existing ring road was already problematic<br />
in terms of c<strong>on</strong>gesti<strong>on</strong>. There was no upgrading<br />
plan for <strong>the</strong> ring road by <strong>the</strong> regi<strong>on</strong>al and central<br />
governments. Strangely enough, <strong>the</strong> Herakli<strong>on</strong> Port<br />
Authority was not <strong>on</strong> <strong>the</strong> city’s side.<br />
Figure 39: Sketch of <strong>the</strong> Team’s desirable situati<strong>on</strong> of <strong>the</strong><br />
cantilevered corridor<br />
Figure 40: C<strong>on</strong>structi<strong>on</strong> details of <strong>the</strong> cantilevered<br />
corridor<br />
Hercules turns his head away from <strong>the</strong> sea to look<br />
at <strong>the</strong> city, where <strong>the</strong> four-lane road c<strong>on</strong>tinues to be<br />
a barrier between <strong>the</strong> city and <strong>the</strong> seacoast. Cars are<br />
c<strong>on</strong>tinually coming and going. He can see over <strong>the</strong><br />
cars’ tops, thanks to <strong>the</strong> raised “corridor”. He feels<br />
safer <strong>on</strong> this raised passage each time <strong>the</strong> incoming<br />
cars drive by.<br />
The Team’s suggesti<strong>on</strong> to create a cantilevered<br />
sidewalk was met with scepticism by <strong>the</strong> local<br />
authorities and was later rejected due to <strong>the</strong> high<br />
additi<strong>on</strong>al cost.<br />
C<strong>on</strong>troversy 01<br />
63
Hercules<br />
undertakes his<br />
Forensic <str<strong>on</strong>g>Design</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />
Process<br />
Investigati<strong>on</strong> by<br />
firstly choosing <strong>the</strong><br />
c<strong>on</strong>troversial<br />
moments regarding<br />
<strong>the</strong> rite of passage<br />
from strategies to<br />
practices. He<br />
carefully studies<br />
<strong>the</strong> ecology of <strong>the</strong><br />
practices and <strong>the</strong><br />
agencies of <strong>the</strong><br />
Team.<br />
Yet, it was a sort of ‘triggering desirable’, he<br />
recalls, since this suggesti<strong>on</strong> gradually led to <strong>the</strong><br />
implemented third desirable, <strong>the</strong> raised cantilevered<br />
“corridor”. Hercules has shadowed most of <strong>the</strong><br />
Europan 4 winning project’s implementati<strong>on</strong><br />
processes. He saw how <strong>the</strong>se processes<br />
transformed an urban acupuncture strategy of<br />
c<strong>on</strong>necting soft mobility networks into a matrix<br />
of material practices. He understood from <strong>the</strong><br />
very beginning how such transformati<strong>on</strong> lay at<br />
<strong>the</strong> heart of <strong>the</strong> implemented “desirables” that<br />
benefited <strong>the</strong> city’s publics. He witnessed how <strong>the</strong><br />
young, inexperienced Team gradually designed<br />
a tactful plan to incrementally gain alliances<br />
am<strong>on</strong>g <strong>the</strong> urban actors. He understood how this<br />
approach was <strong>the</strong> driving force of piecemeal urban<br />
interventi<strong>on</strong>s.<br />
“We can’t c<strong>on</strong>cede in designing <strong>the</strong> four-lane road, if we<br />
d<strong>on</strong>’t make sure that <strong>the</strong> historic walls will not collapse due<br />
to <strong>the</strong> heavy trucks that pass by. Safety codes, you know!<br />
The proximity of <strong>the</strong> Venetian walls with <strong>the</strong> new road may<br />
pose structural problems. The <strong>on</strong>ly way to accept <strong>the</strong><br />
design of a four-lane road is to include an underground<br />
structural wall in <strong>the</strong> project which will prevent <strong>the</strong> trucks’<br />
load from reaching <strong>the</strong> walls.” The Team brought<br />
<strong>the</strong>ir “desirable”, <strong>the</strong> cantilevered pathway, in<br />
through <strong>the</strong> back door. They tactfully redirected<br />
<strong>the</strong> outcome regarding <strong>the</strong> prevailing desirable<br />
of <strong>the</strong> negotiati<strong>on</strong>. A redirecti<strong>on</strong> that creatively<br />
entangled a structural detail, a safety code, and <strong>the</strong><br />
cantilevered corridor.<br />
Knowing that <strong>the</strong> local authority was not a<br />
homogeneous instituti<strong>on</strong> helped <strong>the</strong> Team in<br />
establishing “incremental alliances”. According<br />
to Hercules, it was a painstaking process for<br />
project actors, with no decisi<strong>on</strong>-power or leverage,<br />
to influence <strong>the</strong> choice of <strong>on</strong>e “desirable” over<br />
ano<strong>the</strong>r. The negotiati<strong>on</strong> fr<strong>on</strong>ts shifted during<br />
<strong>the</strong> design process. Hercules witnessed how <strong>the</strong><br />
actors from <strong>the</strong> technical department would often<br />
shift to <strong>the</strong> Team’s side, thanks to such a tactful<br />
undertaking. He was not surprised, <strong>the</strong>refore, to<br />
64
hear that <strong>the</strong> city’s technical department agreed<br />
that any redesign of <strong>the</strong> coastal road should abide<br />
by structural safety regulati<strong>on</strong>s. The mayor had no<br />
choice but to follow <strong>the</strong>ir point of view.<br />
Hercules is walking up and down <strong>the</strong> short<br />
stretch of <strong>the</strong> “corridor”. When he is next to <strong>the</strong><br />
wooden balustrade, <strong>the</strong> sound of <strong>the</strong> waves<br />
prevails. The sound of <strong>the</strong> car engines dominates<br />
as so<strong>on</strong> as he walks closer to <strong>the</strong> opposite edge, just<br />
a couple of metres away. Fascinating, he notes. He<br />
stops at <strong>the</strong> road edge and looks down. Just under<br />
his feet, an invisible row of c<strong>on</strong>crete piles is buried<br />
in <strong>the</strong> thick ground, a banal retaining wall that<br />
nobody notices. Yet, by introducing that piling wall,<br />
<strong>the</strong> cantilever opti<strong>on</strong> was much cheaper and thus<br />
plausible. A checkmate by <strong>the</strong> Team, he smiles. He<br />
imagines he has X-ray visi<strong>on</strong> and takes a fresh look<br />
at <strong>the</strong> tarmac of <strong>the</strong> road, where he sees buried<br />
metal I-beams that cross <strong>the</strong> road foundati<strong>on</strong>,<br />
are supported by <strong>the</strong> pilling wall, and stretch over<br />
<strong>the</strong> historic walls without touching <strong>the</strong>m. All that<br />
infrastructural preparati<strong>on</strong> to install a wooden<br />
corridor! Yet, an utterly valuable fragment for <strong>the</strong><br />
city’s soft mobility network.<br />
Hercules undertakes his Forensic <str<strong>on</strong>g>Design</str<strong>on</strong>g> Process<br />
Investigati<strong>on</strong> by firstly choosing <strong>the</strong> c<strong>on</strong>troversial<br />
moments regarding <strong>the</strong> rite of passage from<br />
strategies to practices. He carefully studies <strong>the</strong><br />
ecology of <strong>the</strong> practices and <strong>the</strong> agencies of <strong>the</strong><br />
Team. Hercules puts his camera and notebook back<br />
in his briefcase and heads fur<strong>the</strong>r east al<strong>on</strong>g <strong>the</strong><br />
pathway, just a few hundred metres, to <strong>the</strong> sec<strong>on</strong>d<br />
c<strong>on</strong>troversial site of <strong>the</strong> Europan 4 project, <strong>the</strong><br />
ramps that wanted to be <strong>the</strong> roof of <strong>the</strong> Municipal<br />
Baths.<br />
Figure 41: The c<strong>on</strong>troversial site before <strong>the</strong> project’s<br />
implementati<strong>on</strong> – looking east<br />
C<strong>on</strong>troversy 01<br />
65
C1<br />
Figure 42: Existing situati<strong>on</strong><br />
66
C<strong>on</strong>troversy 01<br />
67
Figure 47: The cantilevered corridor – looking west<br />
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77
Figure 48: Al<strong>on</strong>g <strong>the</strong> cantilevered corridor – looking east<br />
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Figure 52: The cantilevered corridor under c<strong>on</strong>structi<strong>on</strong> – metal and wooden structure<br />
86
A<br />
A<br />
Figure 53: Site plan of <strong>the</strong> cantilevered corridor<br />
0 5 20<br />
N<br />
0 1 5 10<br />
Figure 54: Secti<strong>on</strong> AA: The hidden structure that protects <strong>the</strong> city walls and supports <strong>the</strong> cantilevered corridor<br />
C<strong>on</strong>troversy 01<br />
87
Figure 215: Box files archiving project documents in <strong>the</strong> office<br />
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THE PROJECT’S<br />
PUBLIC LIFE<br />
#E2245
Figure 233: A c<strong>on</strong>cert at <strong>the</strong> public space of <strong>the</strong> former vegetable market (see C5)<br />
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Figure 234: A c<strong>on</strong>cert (see C5) Figure 235<br />
Figures 235–236: Readjustment of <strong>the</strong> kiosks to showcase local food<br />
producti<strong>on</strong> (see C5)<br />
Figure 238: Food festival<br />
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Figure 236<br />
Figure 237: Food festival<br />
Figure 239: Preparing <strong>the</strong> chairs for a public event<br />
Figure 240: Christmas decorati<strong>on</strong><br />
The Project’s Public Life<br />
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