Thessaloniki x4

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Thessaloniki x4. Urban renewal of Patr. Gregoriou V area

Thessaloniki

Architectural Competition - First prize (five equal). EAXA S.A. 2012

Backyard (akaliptos) view, the urban farm.

The competition, launched by EAXA S.A. in May 2012, was addressed to young architects up to 40 years old. The aim was the submission of proposals regarding the basic cell of the city, the building block. Since the Greek city consists of small blocks in a dense road network/system, narrow sidewalks and fragmented green areas, the goal was to create a bigger block (block x4, Thessaloniki x4), that will influence in a positive way the microclimate of the area, the quality of life and the image and functionality of the public space.

The subject was an area, out of five suggested ones, outside the city's historic center, with a degraded urban environment (whether due to high building rates or high density or a lack of

green areas or communal facilities or the obsolescence of old buildings, etc.) and the submission of a proposal that exploits the "cross", ie the intermediate roads, combining them with existing gaps or open spaces in the interior of the building block.

from EAXA's press release regarding the competition's results

Five equal prizes were awarded, one for each of the competition's five suggested areas. Atelier pm was awarded the prize for the space at Patr. Gregoriou V.

The deciduous and evergreen trees are a dominant element of the proposal and besides the obvious role in shading and cooling they organize visual axis and rythm.

In a clearing of the trees a seating element circumscribes a playground

The proposal focuses on the residual space in the interior of the building block, called “akaliptos”, and on the open space of the street and sidewalk. The aim of the proposed intervention at the “akaliptos” and the street-sidewalk is to convert them into a contemporary meta-technological urban version of a “backyard” and a “plantation” respectively.

Two of the existing “akaliptos”, open to the street through non-built sites, are redeveloped as intermediary private-public spaces. The fragmented property of the “akaliptos” space is attributed back to the residents of the surrounding buildings as a shared backyard – urban farm.

The open street-sidewalk zone is treated as a continuous zone that is planted throughout with lines of deciduous and evergreen trees. This zone is hosting seating units, a playground, ground planting and open air athletic recreation areas. The intervention treats differently the wide and narrow streets, adapting appropriate planting and equipment scenarios.