Marianna Karakosta
Dipl.-Ing., M.Sc. Urban Design - TU Berlin
PORTFOLIO
INTRODUCTION
The projects enclosed in this portfolio aim to show my personal approach in different aspects and fields of Urban Planning and Design. They display a variety of scales, sites and urban contexts as they are being conceived in different countries serving differing purposes. Projects have been completed within a studio environment either individually or as part of a team. I seek to constatly update this collection of work and expand my skills into different areas of urban design and visual communication.
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Education
Project
PROJECT SELECTION
Cultural Heritage Trail and Refugee Memorial Space/ Thessaloniki, Greece Urban Design/ Heritage management/ Wayfinding Signage design
Chengdu: Smart City- Intelligent Mobilities/ Chengdu, China
Urban Planning/Prototypes/Utopias/ Smart technologies
Regeneration of a former military camp / Thessaloniki, Greece Regeneration/ Landscape architecture/ Urban planning
Redesign Yesilderek /Sanliurfa, Turkey Architecture/ Urban planning
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Realised project Visions of Karl-Marx Strasse /Berlin, Germany Urban Intervention/ Interactive Architecture/ Cross-cultural Design
Conceptual Design work Designing an Accessible City- LOCUS/Girona, Spain Accessibility/ Urban intervention
ABOUT ME
I am an internationally educated urban planner and designer with an enthusiasm for the built environment. I am interested in the dialogue between culture, art and urbanism and in the behaviour and interaction of things, environments and their inhabitants. Apart from Urban Planning and Design I am interested in visual publication, graphic design and experimenting with textures and textiles.
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SHORT CV EDUCATION Personal Information Name
Marianna Karakosta
Birth date
19/09/1986
Birth place
Thessaloniki, Greece
Nationality
Greek
mariannakarak@gmail.com
Phone
0049 163 160 7692
Address
Prinzenallee 81 13357 Berlin
2011-2014
Urban Design (Master) Technische Universit채t Berlin/ Germany
2010 - 2012
Interdisciplinary Postgraduate Studies in Architecture Design of Space - Urban and Regional Planning School of Architecture of the National Technical University of Athens/Greece
2004 - 2010
Degree in Urban Planning and Regional Development Engineering (Diplom) Aristotle University of Thessaloniki/ Greece
2007 - 2008
Architecture (LLP/Erasmus programme) Fachhochshule OOW, Oldenburg/ Germany
2004
High School Diploma Experimental high school of University of Macedonia Thessaloniki/ Greece
WORKING EXPERIENCE 2013-to date
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Freelance Architecture City Guide Plus One Berlin/ Germany
2011
Census Data Collector-Researcher National Statistical Service of Greece (EL.STAT.) Athens /Greece / May- June
2010
Urban Planner - Designer Architecture - Technical Office / Dionysis Zafiris Zakynthos island/ Greece/ April- August
2007
Assistant transportation researcher Public Transport Council of Thessaloniki (SASTH) Thessaloniki/ Greece/ June- August
2006
Assistant Designer Interior Designer Office/ Constantinos Bikas Veria/ Greece/ October- December
2006
Student Researcher French-Greek Cooperation Program ‘Platon’ Thessaloniki/ Greece
SKILLS Languages
Greek
Native language (excellent)
English
Excellent, IELTS, overall score 7.5
German
University Level (CEFR C1 level ‘Effective Operational Proficiency’)
French
Basic knowledge, Diplôme d’ Études en langue Française (Delf),1er Degré
Software
MS Office, Adobe (Photoshop, InDesign, Illustrator, Premiere), Autocad 2013, ArchiCad 16, 3D Studio Max 2009, Google SketchUp 8, ArcGIS 9.1, QuantumGIS 0.8.0, Townscope
Hardware
Camera, Digital video, Model making
CULTURAL HERITAGE TRAIL AND REFUGEE MEMORIAL SPACE Master Thesis Title: ‘Integration of Historical Traces to Modern Urban Context. A case study in the Upper Town of Thessaloniki, Greece’ Supervisors: Prof. Dr.-Ing. Angela Uttke, Dipl.-Ing Andreas Brück Master Sc. Urban Design Technical University of Berlin March, 2014
Thessaloniki is one of the Greek cities with the richest history, however its historical traces stay unconnected with each other and the urban space that surrounds them. The project focuses on the integration of the tangible and intagible imprints of the long and eventful history of the traditional district of Ano Poli (Upper Town). The project’s proposal comprises of two main seperate elements: the Cutural Heritage Trail and the Refugee Heritage Memorial Space. The design stands for the development of integrated and inclusive heritage management practices and the recognition of the vernacular physical remnants, as heritage to be protected and safeguarded. The goal is to create an outdoor museum of the Upper town’s history for residents and visitors.
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CULTURAL HERITAGE TRAIL
A cultural route is created in order to link together the many historical fragments of the western part of Ano Poli. The Cultural Heritage Trail is a walking route connecting 16 representative points.Additional 10 points are selected, as Extra places of interest, located in the vicinity of the main ones. Each node fits into at least one of the the 3 topics that characterize the area : History, Architecture, Viewpoints. The trail is designed as a self-guided walking tour and consists of one main route (120’) and two subdivisions (60’ and 30’). It forms a loop and there is no actual starting point. However the numbering in terms of orientation starts from the proposed memorial site and follows the inclination of the terrain. The design is taking into consideration the inclination of the terrain, following the topographic lines of the area, linking existing resting areas creating passages between the inner and outer area defined by the Byzantine Walls. The disrupted line of the city Wall allows this in-out movement.
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Ground Signage It serves as a guide or a pointer towards various facilities. The Cultural Heritage Trail is marked by orange-red brick pavers and paving signage, keeping visitors on the trail.
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Signs -typographic installations This type of signage marks each node of the Cultural Heritage Trail. They identify buildings and spaces that may usually go unnoticed unless brought to attention and provides some useful architectural/ historical information. The places of interest are signed with different coloured signs according to their category of origin (Architecture, History. Viewpoint). The majority of the places in the area with historical or architectural significance offer a great view to the city centre. Therefore, instead of creating a sign with the colour of the viewpoint topic, only the viewpoint symbol is implimented to the signs of the other two categories.
Wayfinding/Orientational signs The individual signs are double-sided, so one can easily identify them through an open space. They are made of expanded metal, a material that creates a balanced contrast with the traditional buildings and the city wall. The sign bares on both sides the logo and a short description of the Cultural Heritage Trail project. One side contains a reference
map showing the whole area with the proposed places of interest and a more detailed map. The other side presents a short history of the area with additional photographic material. In the pillar is integrated a wifi box where the visitors can connect online and download the developed self-guide application ‘‘Thess Walk’’.
detailed map
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Mobile application A mobile application was designed in order to provide a more detailed walking map. The App (‘‘Thess Walk’’)identifies the users’ location and provides walking directions to the different proposed sites, as well as other features important to walkers such as steps, railings, bus stops and rest stops. Users can create custom routes of the places of interest or follow pre-loaded tours based on time duration. Furthermore, by using the filtering options the user can choose different criteria, such as choosing the sites of only one of the three categories provided (Architecture, History, View points). The application is linked with the QR code being displayed on each sign of the different sites proposed along the trail. In that way the user can easily acquire more information related to its history and special characteristics.
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REFUGEE MEMORIAL SPACE The location of this intervention is on the nort-western part of Ano Poli, on Eptapyrgiou Street. The area is known for the demolition actions performed by the Municipality of Thessaloniki, which have left an interrupted line of refugee houses’ facades and an empty area between these structures and the outline of the Byzantine Wall.
Connect the outlines of the one existing refugee houses
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The aim is to design a memorial site as an outside exhibition illustrating the history of the Greek refugees from Asia Minor. The memorial site is defined by a linear promenade between the city Wall and the remaining refugee houses, the museum of local memory and a staircase with an observatory platform on the Laparda’s Tower. In an attempt to commemorate the absence of things that used to be there (presence of absence), a graphic pattern is created on the pavement of the promenade, demonstrating either the outlines or the detailed building layout of the once-existing houses. As the promenade evolves, the drawn walls often are being elevated in different heights in order to create a place to rest and lean or function as information boards showing important facts about the area and its residents.
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Existing houses Demolished houses
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Form the promenade
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Graphic pattern with the outlines of the buildings. Some of the depicted walls are extruded in order to form the public furniture.
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Museum of local memory A museum is emerging from the innovative adaptive reuse of old refugee houses’ ruins. The purpose of this intervention is to create a community space where the rich history and traditions can be documented and presented to the public. Its central role on the heritage trail aims to create a new focal point in the area and revitalize the western part of the Upper Town. The new intervention uses single-shell prefabricated structures erected into the ruins of the old buildings. The new structures are slightly elevated above the original buildings in order to approach the level of the building attached to the Wall. A new opening was created between the second added structured and the red-tiled building as a connecting element, which facilitates the entrance to the latter. The patio of the old building was preserved, as well as its vegetation.
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Section of the Museum of Local Memory A-A’
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Laparda Tower staircase A dramatic Staircase on the side of Laparda Tower is created, which will provide a vertical link to the Byzantine Wall and a viewpoint to the city centre and sea, restore the movement on top of the Wall, give a close look to the inscriptions existing on its upper parts and add a visually contrasting element of new against old. The metal staircase itself is a striking visual form, almost sculptural in its appearance, create an interesting composition next to the existing stone retaining Wall. The new structure projects out from the city Wall and will lead to a viewing platform. The platform sits on the top of the Laparda Tower and provides structural support for the staircase. The result of the contemporary intervention will appear to float as it sits subtly against the boundary Wall without damaging the monument.
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Ground plan of the staircase
Section of the viewing platform
Section of the staircase on the side of Laparda Tower B-B’
CHENGDU: SMART CITYINTELLIGENT MOBILITIES Title: Low- Carbon Incubator: ‘Intelligent mobilities. Case study: Chengdu, China. Coordinators: Prof. Raoul Bunschoten, Tomaz Pipan, Janna Hohn Students: Loes Thjissen, Sanna Keskinnen, Marianna Karakosta, Jens Bayer CHORA - Institute of Architecture, TU Berlin August, 2012
‘Intelligent Mobilities´ system is about interlinking different kinds of infrastructure and functions in the 5th ring of Chengdu. One of the main components of the prototype is the sustainable energy production system, which is used to provide electricity, through a smart grid, for different purposes to all the households and business-units. Another part of the prototype is a wireless electronic based traffic system. The first prototype district will be set in the 5th ring in the south of Chengdu. The system is implemented to connect the airport district and the south area, which will become the new central hub for the city. The physically built ´Smart Grid´ is a net structure above the streets of Chengdu. The Grid consist of thin fibre- optic cables and it turn the streets into an energy- landscapes. It also delivers data of the whole telecommunication system to the inhabitants of that district.
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The first prototype district is planned as a mixed use residential area with central functions, offices, businesses, leisure and commercial facilities and is the place where the Smart mobilities prototype will be tested. The alternative public transportation system, called OTTO- system (OTTO = Optimal Transportation Technology) enables a new mode of transportation on an individual or shared base and on long term basis will replace totally the private car. The new mobility system plays an important role in forming the urban landscape and provides an easier and faster access to the new public transportation system, even in remote areas. The most important location in all the upcoming districts, is the Master Node, which is the place, where all the different modes of transportation are interlinked, always considering the fastest and most efficient movements. The new centre is linked over an OTTO speed lane. OTTO speed lane is a priority traffic lane for the new traffic system. The speed lane connects different districts and the airport area and it is always connected to the Master Node. In the future the OTTO speed lane will form the 5th ring of Chengdu, connecting all the new evolving districts.
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Section of Master Node
Masterplan of the prototype- district
Public Transportation Plan
The ´Smart Grid´ net works as a new design element for the city creating a new identity and feeling of space. Through the smart grid , energy and telecommunication infrastructure is provided to the central functions and the most important prime investments of the new district. The new traffic system is accessible for everyone as it is steered by a fully automatic system. The energy demanded for the movement of the vehicles is provided from the net, which transforms the electric energy into kinetic. Street view with `Smart Grid´
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Street Section with ´Smart Grid´ shows its´ functions inside the city
`Smart Grid´ Technical Detail
For the energy production, solar- and windparks as well as a biogas- steam turbine will be situated in vast fields outside the city. These energy sources deliver enough energy to cover the whole grid. The network consists of new generation transparent thin solar fibers. The key technology is a photovoltaic fiber based on organic molecules, which harnesses the energy of infrared light while allowing visible light to pass through. The new generation solar fibers are constructed of thin, flexible pieces of photovoltaic silicone, based on the technology of Thin Film Photo Voltaic cell (TFPV). The material works in the same way as the hornet utilizes solar power, it absorbs the radiation from sun and converts it into electricity, which is used for the whole traffic facilities, like robot system and street lightning and is able to store the required energy amount for night time. The fibers implement smart energy and telecommunication transmission lines providing power for lightning and other devices to the households. The OTTO cars of the new transportation system are equipped with internet connection, and use a wireless electricity technology for their movement through the city.
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Collects energy from the sun and gives it to the traffic system. ´Pedestrian Priority´ is steered by a smart lightning system.
The goal of ´Intelligent Mobility´ is to highly improve the quality of living in a Megacity. It improves the quality of urban landscape in terms of air-, sound- pollution by optimizing the modes of transportation- and networking- systems. In the expansion process of the city of Chengdu, this system will always be implemented from the beginning of the construction phase of each district, always starting off from the master node. Within one construction, it covers the whole field of traffic,energy and telecommunication, and makes all the otherconstructions for each single of those functions unnecessary. The benefits of ´Intelligent Mobilities´ will reach the inhabitants directly, either in a physical part of a movement or in an abstract form of networks.
Streetview Special functions of the ´Smart Grid´ for priority traffic
Inside view of OTTO with automatic car- sharing system on screen
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Action plan with time- line
REGENERATION OF FORMER MILITARY CAMP Diploma Thesis
Title: ‘Regeneration of a former military camp. Case study: Kodra camp, Thessaloniki, Greece’ Supervisors: Prof. Evi Athanasiou, Dipl.-Ing Athina Vitopoulou Departmnet of Urban Planning and Regional Development Engineering Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece February, 2010
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The project is about a former military camp (Kodra) in eastern part of Thessaloniki. The site appears abandoned with incompatible land uses and illegal constructions close to the sea shore. The existing Th. Sofouli street seperates the area with the sea shore and the current land uses isolate the area from the outer urban context and create a closed fragmented space. The aim of the project was to reconnect the site with the shore and solve the ownership problem (separate holdings of overall 100 acres belong to private owners) that keeps the area unused for over 60 years.
A thematic park was created in the main site with cultural, sport and leisure activities as well as a residential area was proposed on the north-eastern part of the area. The focus has been given to culture and local history. A green promenade was designed connecting the former military camp Kodra with the city centre. The raster and the geometry of the outer urban fabric is extended and translated into walkways in order to connect the activities in the park but also organic paths are created as a contrast to the strict outlines of the military buildings. The main idea was to cancel the main road Th. Sofouli and tranfer the main artery at the north-eastern part of the site where the leisure and educational uses are already located and where the new residential area is proposed. In that way a limit is created between the urban functions and the green space.
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The alternative character of the area is strengthen by the promotion of festivals, cultural events, art exhibitions etc and cultural and leisure land uses were distributed in the site. Th
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Main square
Flower garden
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Residential area
Water element
Section A-A’
Urban land consolidation and creation of a new residential area with mixed uses in the northeast part of the former camp Kodra with special construction regulations. - Land of 30 acres, defined as the mixed residential area - Approximately 20,000 square meters is the overall extent of the built environment. - Best design practice design- principles of sustainability B
- Bioclimatic building design - Maximum 4-5 floors scaled construction
- Blocks around the common green space - All houses enjoy view to the park and sea even the closed block unit
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- Ground floor for galleries, offices, ateliers, and commercial spaces. On top residential use.
Section B-B’
View towards the park
cutting and relocating
REDESIGN YESILDEREK, SANLIURFA, TURKEY Title: Workshop Stadtplanung und Bauen, Sanliurfa, T端rkei. Coordinators: Prof. Kauhsen, Dipl. Ing. Almut Wolff Students: Mar Desveus, Marianna Karakosta CHORA - Institute of Architecture, TU Berlin August, 2012
Yesilderek district is situated in the east part of the city of Sanliurfa in Turkey and has been illegally formed as a residential area. Most of the houses in the region have been constructed by the residents themselves and they are in bad condition. The houses follow the model of a closed block, according to the ottomanish traditional architecture. Next to the district a new residential area with about 1,000 highrise housing units is being developing, which creates huge differences in terms of urban morphology and scale between the two areas. The aim was to improve the existing infrastructure, to develop new affordable housing for the current residents, to design the open spaces and to allow mixed land uses.
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main axis
green promenade
commercial zone
The street network was organized and improved in order to provide vertical and horizontal connection of the region. A main axis was created, which devides the area in the middle and connects it with the main streets and the new part of the city. A long green promenade was designed by connecting the existing small open spaces. The main commercial uses are located along the main axes and the local businesses are spread in the inner streets of the district. In the southern part of the district mixed used buildings from 4-7 floors were developed. In the rest area the mixture between residential, businesses and commercial uses continues with buildings from 1-3 floors.
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As privacy is quite important in the district due to religious and social reasons, a prototype multi storey building was developed according to the principles of the closed block and the ottoman traditional architecture. Every house has a private yard, which is not visible from the street level and a private entrance.
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Ground plan of prototype buildings
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Type of houses
Model
VISIONS OF KARL-MARX STRASSE, BERLIN, GERMANY Title: Neukölln - Karl-Marx-Strasse, Planungskonzeptionen im Interkulturellen Umfeld Coordinators: Dr.-Ing. Paola Alfaro d’Alençon Dipl.-Ing. Bettina Bauerfeind, Katharina Rohde Students: Marianna Karakosta, Jens Bayer, Li Lun, Xinghuan Hao Urban Research and Design Laboratory in cooperation with the Institut für Stadt- und Regionalplannung, TU Berlin June, 2012
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Investigating intercultural potentials in the multi-national neighborhood of Berlin-Neukölln the need of spaces for prayer in the public sphere was identified by local communities. However it is not the conventional religious space such as churches and mosques that people require but rather physical moments that stimulate prayer, (self-) reflection and offer refuge from the daily hustle. ´A space for prayer in-between times that is open for all religions` is demanded. (Quote resident). The Praying Box is a space for prayer for all religions. Due to its neutral design the space can be used and appropriated broadly. Only the multi-lingual reference and the various religious symbols on the outer walls of the box indicates its function. Depending on size the Praying Box can be used by many people concurrently; supporting the idea of simultaneous prayer of different faiths in one space.
PRAYING BOX
location on KMS
The Design The main design element of the Praying Box is the Euro-pallet. Layered horizontally and vertically, an irregular texture is simulated. The structure is covered with a transparent and waterproof canvas that, due to the arrangement of the Euro-pallets, generates a play of light in the interior. on the external facade the different religious symbols are represented. A shelf is installed in the entrance where shoes and bags can be deposited and that functions as a room-divider simultaneously. The interior of the Praying Box has no religious symbols. Only a mobile bench and a water device are installed that can be used as required. The interior of the Praying Box is furthermore carpeted. The volume of the unit are of 2.4m*2.4m*2.4m. From the side walk the praying box is open in order to enhance the multi-culturality of the street and prevent any illegal actions inside it.
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The structure of Euro pallets create a semiopen unit, so the inside of the box is partly visible from the street.
The Praying Box was installed and tested as a temporary Urban Intervention as part of the Arts&Culture Festival 48 Hours NeukÜlln and its motto Last Exit Paradise in 2012. As the act of prayer is an intimate ritual, no documentation inside the Box was allowed. During the festival 324 persons of different faiths visited the Praying Box, some of those belonging to the festival´s crowd and others living and working in the area. During the day, Jehovahs witnesses positioned themselves in the vicinity of the box to advertise their magazine, while during the night it was appropriated by a homeless person for sleeping leaving the space cleared up at dawn. A tag (signature of a Graffiti Artist) in the interior indicated further appropriation. The Praying Box was awarded as a Festival Highlight by a distinct festival Jury.
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DESIGNING AN ACCESSIBLE CITY - LOCUS - GIRONA, SPAIN Title: Workshop der Zugänglichkeit unserer Stadt. LOCUS - Let’s Open Cities for Us- Access for All, Girona, Spain Coordinators: Prof. Dipl.-Ing. Holm Kleinmann, Marta Bordas Eddy - LOCUS Coordinator. Students: Katarzyna Krzysik ,Loredana Bonasera, Oana Vasile, Marianna Karakosta, Sílvia Font Barcelona School of Architecture (ETSAB) in cooperation with the Institute of Architecture and City Planning- FH Oldenburg/Ostfriesland/ Wilhelmshaven July, 2008 1st Prize
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During the second LOCUS IP workshop several interventions were proposed in Girona: in order to the design a link to communicate both sides of the Onyar river, the modern city with the historical center of the town. The need to improve the accesibility for people with disabilities or limited mobility, as well as the elderly in the old part of the city was a major urban challenge. The topographical condition of the city calls for several interventions either small scale or big scale ones, in order to minimize the slopes and interlink the different parts of the old core of Girona with the modern city centre.
Proposals - Interventions - Communicate inaccessible areas and create strong links through the city -Two different kinds of connection: a linear by reusing the old train bridge that crosses the whole city and an organic one through the old core of Girona - Maximizing the accessibility for people with disabilities with small scale interventions (ramps, mechanical vertical circulation elements) - Interventions to provide better cityscape perception for visually impaired - Connect important nodes of the city by creating a closed circuit of paths. - Bridge as a strong connecting element - Activate of the northern part of the city - Reduce traffic density in new city centre, giving priority to pedestrian circulation - Replace pavement with flat, hard and non-slippery material - Raise the road’s level to the same height as the sidewalks to assure a comfortable circulation for pedestrians and lower the speed of cars
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concept diagram
Small scale interventions
Special signs for visually impaired people
Big scale interventions
Ramps to improve accessibility
Replace existing pavement with more appropriate one and increase the width of the sidewalk
Marianna Karakosta