DESIGN PORTFOLIO MArch Urban Design
Bartlett School of Architecture
THESIS PART (team work) Louisa Varelidi Stella Papazoglou Unit_3 tutors: Nickolas Boyarski Camila E. Sotomayor
Table of contents initial explorations:
Wonderers in Fener Documentation of Urban Vocabulary Documentation of Urban space Studies of typology Experiments on geometry Social explorations
main design part: Curative parasite: “it is a matter of choice...�
Wonderers in Fener
Documentation_Through our first visit at Fener we documented various elements and materials that are adapted to the social and urban texture of
the sites. It is quite obvious that the actual method the inhabitants use to produce space, to decorate the existing space and to enhance public space is giving different uses and social meanings to local, cheap everyday elements. This is part of the mobility and constant interaction between the inhabitants, which characterizes both areas and which is one of the things we aim to maintain and promote. For example, people just used a wooden fruit box, facing backwards to create a coffee table or a combination of tires, canvas sacks and barrels to make stands for the street markets. Even the hanging baskets that can be found at the streets of those areas nave a meaning, it’s a local media of connection between the balconies as the locals use them to exchange various things without moving out of their houses. Those are just a few examples of the urban informality those people are experiencing, which is an extension of their culture and their reality.
The site, the buildings, the people...
Collages Identifying the local patchwork urban character of the area.
These collages are an initial try to show the complexity of those areas in terms of this self-organized urban space. Firstly, experimenting with the existing situation and how the local materials are incorporated into their environment and after with which way we can propose some new spaces that adapt the characteristic locality and incorporate more elements depending on their meaning as it has been defined at our glossary.
Documantation of Urban Vocabulary
Housing
Public space
Urban Vocabulary Through our documentations and initial propositions we are dealing with finding ways to boost this informal urbanism while upgrading their standards of living. We want to use this patchwork identity in our design proposal defining specific uses in new public or private spaces located as a network that derive from the derelict spaces we have detected in both sites. We started by creating a glossary containing all those elements found within the urban space of the two sites and categorize them by their meaning spatially and socially. The main reason for this action is that we want to have a main “vocabulary� to use in our design proposal, each element, based on its meaning, will be translated in a new architectural or urban element and incorporated into our proposal so that the locality of the place can be kept alive and even enhanced.
Some first attempts of creating fictional reused space, mostly giving a feeling of how the quality of those empty or unused spaces can be designed through the re-use of local elements.
Documantation of Urban space (models)
Studies of typology
Experiments on geometry
(which we rejected afterwards..)
Social explorations
Initial mapping of Fener identifying the spatial networks and flows
Analyzing the social fabric of a part of Fener, the permanent and temporal uses and activities
Social network_studies about how people, houses and uses are connected
First ateempt to organize our intensions and categorize our actions
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
Co-existing layers
18th century, Fener&Balat were very rich areas inhabited by Greeks and Jews
1980s, several fires destroyed many timber buildings
1980s, an earthquake occured destroying more historical buildings
1980s, more concrete houses appeared as a low came out forbidding timber houses to be built.
1990s, construction of the highway that isolates Fener from the seafront
Unescoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s fragmental proposal, 2003
Adding a new layer of intervantions
The traces of different â&#x20AC;&#x153;layersâ&#x20AC;? are obvious, layers of time and various social and spatial conditions that have evolved through years. Different qualities are dispersed around the streets showing the rich social fabric that existed and continues to exist until today, creating a diverse environment that have kept identity hints of every period the area went through. We strongly believe that this identity should not be kept by recreating a perfectly preserved environment that resembles the old image of the area. Instead, a new layer of intervention should be added, one that can fulfil the current needs of the inhabitants and reflect the existing social conditions.
The “curating” process_timeline diagram showing the initial stages and rules of the “curating” process.
Initial explorations of different stages of the process.
An exaggerated illustration of yhe first stage when vans start to be converted into mobile houses and dispersed around the blocks. They can park only deside active houses and on accessible roofs.
Initial exlorations of different stages of the process.
Diagramatic illustration of the first constructions, extensions of the roofs and connection between the houses.
Section and diagrams indicaing demographics of one part pf the neighborhood of Fener.
year 2010 Current condition of the four selected blocks
section showing the current urban condition, the interiors of the houses and level of decay
year 2014 Future condition of the four selected blocks
section showing the future urban condition, the interiors of the houses and how decayed houses are being used
Future condition of the area
section shownung the different activities and intervantions taking place
2. intervantions for public use:
1. intervantions for private use/extensions:
2.1. market passage: extension of the street market inside the framed derelict house 2.2. informal square: space surrounded by other intervensions used for various purposes 2.3. crate sattle: multifunctional public “furniture”, used for festivals, celebrations, seats, scaffolder for workers 2.4. meeting plattform: elevated wooden plattform attached to an active house 2.5. tree house: wooden framed construction used as vertical garden and also as in frastructure as future constructions can be applied on it. 2.6. fabric shed: shed made out of reused fabric or old clothing 2.7. basket lighting: lights for public space made out of reused baskets 3. mobile constructions 3.1. truck house: abandonned truck/van transformed into temporary 3.2. info “vending” center: information centre used for the stage of the documentation
1.1. elevated sokak : bridging two buildings that have a street inbetween 1.2. inbetween balcony : extension of the upper floor of a house to the roof of the neighbouring building 1.3. plug-in scaffolder : infratstucture where various constructions can be attached 1.4. sheltered garden : terrace with growing vegetables sheltered by an extension of the roof 1.5. living on the roof : extension of the interior 1.6. planted roof: roof with growing vegetables and fruits 1.7. interior’s refurbishment : renew an interior either for living purposes or for hosting a local business 1.8. hanging box : wooden box used to elevate material and workers 1.9. moving wall : mobile timber wall used to create temporary spaces inside derelict buildings
Possible stages of future transformation of the selected four blocks
Un-Folding Parasite shot_A 15 December 2011. 09:30 am The process is at its very beginning. The first scaffolding structures have been attached to the buildings. Some workshops are taking place with the most experienced craftsmen training other inhabitants and newcomers who are interested in learning a skill. The workshops are mainly focused on traditional construction methods, timber, metal and knitting.
shot_B 26 March 2012. 11:00 am People has started using the manual handouts with the help of the craftsmen and our guidance. The NGOs are doing a great job promoting the DIY methods and persuading more people to get involved. A couple of abandoned interiors have been refurbished. Some temporal houses has been located in the courtyards of the blocks.
shot_C 29 September 2012. 10:20 am Its morning and the street market is located along a corridor that used to be the abandoned courtyards of the block. The corridor is sheltered with sheds made out of timber and reused fabric. Two or three roofs are being used, and some extensions have now been completed merging houses and shops.
shot_D 07 June 2012. 6:45pm Pedestrian movement finds its way into the blocks creating the background for more uses. Some extensions and bridges start to develop. More and more people use the manuals and build small interventions for public or private use.
shot_E 18 April 2013. 8:45 am The fabric keeps changing. Some constructions has remained the same, some have been developed further and some have been removed or recycled. Its almost night and we can see how the new ÂŤinformalÂť public space that connect the blocks is hosting events and celebrations. A stage is placed and people watch local dancers and singers perform.
shot_F 23 July 2014. 2.15 pm The process continues to evolve. The difference is obvious in many different ways. Now we have two layers added to the initial urban environment. The upper layer which includes roofs, bridges and extensions and the ground layer which introduces new pedestrians and connection of the blocks. Also we can see now how the streets that were from asphalt turn into pedestrians gradually. Intervantions can form temporary public space in many ways such as closing a street with vans for2-3 hours and making this part of the street part of the public space inside the block.
year 2010
year 2014
Postcards from the future...
“The neighbourhood has changed a lot, we our now more united and have more opportunities. After our wedding we were very worried that we wouldn’t afford to have a big family as we wanted. After participating at one of the workshops that my friend Alkis organized I was able to be employed and work for the project. Now I rent a flat with my wife. We extended our space to the roof beside and grow our own vegetables. Life is still hard but at least we have started taking things on our own hands.” Asin and Adelaida
“I am currently working on the extension of a basement so that it will become a metal workshop. My wife Rabia finally found space to shelter her crafting activities with four of her friends and created an association. They have started selling their products already..” Gediz and Rabia
“One year ago I was afraid of losing my restaurant. Now I think I must do an extension, as I haven’t seen it so crowded since my father run it. In front of my restaurant a whole square has been constructed and many local events take place every week. I participate myself in the process by organizing workshops. I am very happy to provide to others the knowledge and heritage my father and grandfather gave to me.” Alkis
Postcards from the future...
“I was able to refurbish my spice shop with the help of my neighbours and moreover extent it to a nearby derelict building. I am very excited. We started by adding greenery and growing some of the spices and ended up in constructing a vertical garden with spices and vegetables. The smell of the growing spices covers the whole block.” Kaspar. “I am a shoemaker and I have a big family. I have 6 young children. I was worried that they will not be interested in learning my skill or another Turkish traditional skill. Now with this project we can all see that we have the tools to preserve our neighbourhood, as we want, we only needed the guidance. Tree of my sons has started working with timber and metal and we just finished an exterior extension of our flat through the roof. Its unbelievable what you can do with things you considered as trash.” Yusuf
“I live with my 9-member-family in a 65sq.m. flat. At the same building there was one empty flat, abandoned and in an uninhabitable condition. It took us 3 months to fully refurbish it but now we have more space. At first I thought the whole concept of craftsmanship and reused materials was another deceiving way to take our houses. Now I am persuaded that we can resist to gentrification with our hands and crafts.” Luftu
References
constructions made by reused materials and recycled elements such as timber, facric, metal, trucks etc