Street-ify the riverbed
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Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
School of Arts, Design and Architecture |
Master's thesis
Location:
P1 Ark A
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Author
Date
2018
Department
Major/Subject
Mcode
Degree programme
Language
en
Pages
166
Series
Abstract
The aim of this thesis is to revitalize the western neighbourhoods of Limassol by transforming the mono-functional Garillis riverbed into a multifunctional pedestrian friendly streetscape and series of public spaces, public buildings and dwellings that are physically, socially and functionally connected with the surrounding urban fabric. The thesis challenges the current development trends of Limassol, which limit the public urban life and provides an urban design proposal in which street and its public spaces generate an active public realm and revitalize its existing surrounding context by offering opportunities for developments that generate social interaction, economic exchange and employment while also reducing the area’s car - dependency. The concept of street and public space merge together in order to create a platform for multiple uses and users. The site of the river Garillis, has been functioning as a rain water management infrastructure, preventing the occasional flood of the city. While currently this function is maintained, few plots along this river are used for agricultural purposes. However, its state has deteriorated by becoming a hidden garbage site, behind the existing urban fabric, invisible to the public. Over the years, like the river Garillis, the western part of Limassol brings out an image of negligence and disconnection from the city’s public realm. Human activity is minimal with no places for people to meet or interact in close proximity to their place of residence. Most people rely on their private vehicle to conduct their daily activities or seek leisure and interaction with other people in the small area of the old town centre. The private vehicles are currently the only efficient means to move within the city. Greener transportation modes have not yet been developed. The few pedestrian and bike routes have primarily a leisure character. Public transport is inefficient due to the sparse “suburban like” built fabric where disconnected built structures, private housing and garages rarely permit the concentration of people and programs outside the old town centre. Traffic, noise and air pollution are some of the common problems that affect both the urban and the natural environment. The current urban policies for development of Limassol are limited to addressing only zoning and use (functions). Building requirements tend to be vehicle oriented, where access and parking of vehicles is the primary concern. A mixture of programmes and human activity do not develop on the street level since the built form is fragmented and open space privileges vehicle use. With no variety of different uses, the western neighbourhoods are lacking public life with no places to meet or interact with other people. The sense of community and the concerns on the urban “commons” are almost non-existent. Therefore, the urban design proposal is developing a masterplan for transforming the current riverbed into affordable housing, public buildings and urban public spaces like parks, squares and streets that generate activity nodes which will benefit also its surrounding context. These activity nodes and their mixed uses, aim in concentrating enough people through a dense spatial configuration of the built fabric, to develop also alternative transportation hubs by linking the existing road network. It is a strategy to improve the socioeconomic and cultural agenda of those neighbourhoods by suggesting spaces for recreation, sports, commerce, co-working environments, research & educational hubs and culture. Through active participation of the people in the urban commons and concerns, this proposal aims in forming communities with a sense of identity which should see an increase by introducing urban farming schemes and community gardens. The proposal suggests a grand scale intervention and transformation of the existing situation which requires to be made through different phases of development. By providing a flexible framework, the development of the neighbourhoods can be readjusted to the current needs and demands of that time period. This is a scheme which requires active participation from local authorities, a combination of private and public investments, but most importantly the input of the existing inhabitants in the area in design and development decisions. While the proposal addresses a specific context and some specific issues, this strategy hopes in becoming flexible to be implemented in other areas for development. Its principles rely in transforming streets to usable public spaces by variety of users and able to adjust in the changing needs of the society.Description
Supervisor
Lindgren, TommyThesis advisor
Hsu, FrancesKeywords
street, public space, revitalization, urban space, riverbed, transformation
