Master Thesis

Ekklesia

A Journey to Citizenship Reconnecting the fragments of Glasgow’s Social and urban fabric

Ekklesia

A Journey to Citizenship Reconnecting the fragments of Glasgow’s Social and urban fabric

Orestis Liaskos- Antoniou Ορέστης Λιάσκος - Αντωνίου

University of Strathclyde Department of Architecture Design Studies MArch Advanced Architectural Design

Orestis Liaskos - Antoniou April 2019

Orestis Liaskos - Antoniou

MANIFESTO

The famous ‘’Crosses of Glasgow’’, is an indication how a wellconnected and well-functioning city once operating. Formerly places, focal points for the local communities, places of gathering for everyone no matter the social rank where people went to work, shop, socialize, be entertained and politically engaged, are now gone only to be remembered by the distinct names and the against all odds remaining architecture & infrastructure.

Although the Crosses around Glasgow didn’t have a well-defined urban Landscape/RealM with today’s standards, offered all the important qualities for a wide range of cultural and political exchanges to take place similar to the Roman forum and the Athenian Agora.

Using what remains of the old fabric that made Glasgow neighbourhoods strong, independent and creative in the past, this project is aiming to redefine the roll of crosses looking at the future but also at the past in order to create a new ‘’breathing’’ space for the currently deprived communities in an attempt to relief ‘’hard edges’’ around the city center of Glasgow.

The ultimate goal of this project is to create a journey focusing on healing and empower local communities by giving them a sense of belonging and pride but also, provide with a way out of deprivation through mental fortitude, art and political engagement for all those communities that have, in many cases, lost a sense of purpose in times of rapid change.

Ekklesia: The Temple of Citizenship

[01] IDENTIFYING THE PROBLEM

[02] HISTORIC OBSERVATION

[03] THE CONCEPT

[04] PROPOSED NETWORK

[05] MASTERPLANNING

[06] DESIGN

CONTENTS

MANIFESTO

7

INTRODUCTION

11

CHAPTER 2

45

THE GLASGOW EFFECT 01. URBAN SPRAWL, GLASGOW AS A MEDIATOR CITY 02. URBAN DECAY 03. CENTRALITY vs PERIPHERY 04. MODERNIZATION POLICIES IMPROSED TO GLASGOW 05. POLICIES OF THE CENTRAL GOVERMENT 06. APATHY & MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES 07. SCOTTISH INDEX OF MULTIPLE DEPRIVATION 08. POLITICAL POWELESSNESS AND MORTALITY 09. GLASGOW CITY CHAMBERS; A FORTRESS 10. URBAN NETWORKS, A DRIVER OF CHANGE

14 15 16 17 18 20 21 22 23 24

CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK Social Incubation & Social Healing 01 POLITICAL DRAMA, GLASGOW EAST 02 PEOPLE THEATER & POLITICS 03 ASKLEPION THE TEMPLE OF HEALING 04 HEALING THROUGH ARTS

46 47 48 50

05 INSPIRATION; A JOURNEY OF HEALING

51

CHAPTER 3

53

MASTERPLAN; GLASGOW’S GATE TO EAST A JOURNEY OF HEALING

CHAPTER 1 CONTEXTUAL & HISTORIC ANALYSIS 01. URBAN GEOMETRIES, GLASGOWS LOST TOWNSCAPES 02. URBAN FRAGMENTATION 03. MOTORWAYS DOMINATED THE OLD CROSSES OF GLASGOW 04. THE OLD NETWORK OF TOWNSCAPES 05. THE SITE; GLASGOW CROSS HISTORIC OBSERVATION 06. THE OLD TOWN HALL AND THE STEEPLE 07. HISTORIC MAPS, URBAN GROWTH 08. AREA ANALYSIS & DEVELOPEMENT APPORTUNITIES 09. THE IMPORTANCE OF LANDMARKS 10. THE OLD GLASGOW CROSS STATION 11. CONTEXTUAL ANALYSIS 12. CONCEPTUAL SYNTHESIS

27 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 43

01. SKETCH STUDY MASTERPLAN 02. VOLUMETRIC, CONCEPTUAL STUDY 03. SITE ANALYSIS & MASTERPLAN 04. URBAN FRAGMENTS 05. MASTERPLAN OF HEALING

55 56 57 58 59

06. RENDERED VIEWS

61

CHAPTER 4

63

THE DESIGN;LOCAL ASSEMBLY HALL 01. BUILDING IN CONTEXT 02. BUILDING DIAGRAM, EVENT SCHEDULE 03. BUILDING PLANS 04. INTERIOR VIEWS 05. BUILDING CORE CROSS SECTION 06. RESTORING A SENSE OF TIME AND PLACE

66 68 70 74 77 79

PROJECT DESCRIPTION

Powerlessness According to a striking research by the (GCPH) Glasgow Center for Population health, Glasgow’s excess mortality is a direct result of a democratic deficit. Today the city chambers is a building isolated and its council unreachable. The public in Glasgow has little to no access in the decision making processes.

Apathy In recent years, the participation of citizens in common affairs has followed a steady decline, a fact often seen in parallel with the researches on multiple deprivation, showing that the more deprived local communities get the less their voice is heard.

Awareness To reconnect people with democracy, sensitization should happen through a process of ‘’healing’’ that would bring the individual to an indirect contact with politics as a whole.

Provocation Theatrical plays of political drama, social advisors and activists are the ones that will orient the boarders of debate by re-occupying historic places-landmarks that hold a special role to Glasgow’s resilient identity.

Orestis Liaskos - Antoniou

5A

INTRODUCTION

01. URBAN SPRAWL, GLASGOW AS A MEDIATOR CITY

Glasgow, with its unique and complex urban setting, for the last 100 years is continuously facing a mixture of growing issues, unprecedented for a city of European standards.

Orestis Liaskos - Antoniou

INTRODUCTION

02. URBAN DECAY

Problematic phenomena stretching all the way from social to natural to urban networks, when combined, generate a multidimensional deprivation effect with disturbing socioeconomic and health related consequences that remain to this day widely unanswered.

Ekklesia: The Temple of Citizenship

INTRODUCTION

03. CENTRALITY vs PERIPHERY

The major developments of the 20th century, forced the city and its communities into wild changes. Those in power favoring a rapid modernization have largely ignored the city’s historic context and existing fabric causing severe damage to urban continuity and city’s networks. As a result, extreme segregation and fragmentation have created many ‘’hard edges/barrier’’ within the very core of Glasgow breaking and often erasing with every possible way the proud neighbourhoods and vibrant townscapes casting its people away.

Orestis Liaskos - Antoniou

INTRODUCTION

04. MODERNIZATION POLICIES IMPROSED TO GLASGOW

Ekklesia: The Temple of Citizenship

INTRODUCTION

05. POLICIES OF THE CENTRAL GOVERMENT A timeline of Glasgow’s last 100 years

Orestis Liaskos - Antoniou

Ekklesia: The Temple of Citizenship

INTRODUCTION

06. APATHY & MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES

Orestis Liaskos - Antoniou

INTRODUCTION

07. SCOTTISH INDEX OF MULTIPLE DEPRIVATION

Apathy In recent years, the participation of citizens in common affairs has followed a steady decline, a fact often seen in parallel with the researches on multiple deprivation, showing that the more deprived local communities get the less their voice is heard.

Ekklesia: The Temple of Citizenship

INTRODUCTION

08. POLITICAL POWELESSNESS AND MORTALITY

Powerlessness According to a striking research by the (GCPH) Glasgow Center for Population health, Glasgow’s excess mortality is a direct result of a democratic deficit. Today the city chambers is a building isolated and its council unreachable. The public in Glasgow has little to no access in the decision making processes.

Orestis Liaskos - Antoniou

INTRODUCTION

09. GLASGOW CITY CHAMBERS; A FORTRESS

Glasgow in each recent history has suffered continues change in its fabric and planning.

Although huge efforts for change have been made, it has no been proven that it only caused more complex problems.

The majority of people in local communities are still cherishing the old buildings and try to protect them, but the state still fails to promote the need for better design and better approach in reusing and repurposing all buildings and infrastructure.

The city beyond its many modernization phases it is only getting older.

Ekklesia: The Temple of Citizenship

INTRODUCTION

10. URBAN NETWORKS, A DRIVER OF CHANGE

Orestis Liaskos - Antoniou

To understand a city one had to identify its Networks.Then change, as a result, can be found in the center of interaction and contradiction between the various networks.

‘Communities aren’t disappearing, but to find them we need to stop looking at places and look at Networks.

—Zachary P.Neal, 2013

PROJECT DESCRIPTION

The Network The Crosses of Glasgow, diachronically, became locations where the local communities engaged politically, economically and socially. A microcosm of Glasgow thriving public life in the past.

A series of townscapes that once gave Glasgow a renowned city worldwide.

The Place (site) Glasgow cross is the meeting point between the east and center of the city. Currently a ‘’hard edge’’, a boarder within a city, between two townscapes that since the very early days of the city creation were constantly in a dialogue, only to be interrupted by the rage of the forces of modernization of the 20th century.

Ambition The goal of the project is to provide spaces, where Art can become the social incubator raising awareness and empowering the community with an opportunity for direct participation in the local consultation processes.

CHAPTER 1

CONTEXTUAL & HISTORIC ANALYSIS

01. URBAN GEOMETRIES, GLASGOWS LOST TOWNSCAPES

Orestis Liaskos - Antoniou

CHAPTER 1

CONTEXTUAL & HISTORIC ANALYSIS

02. URBAN FRAGMENTATION

Glasgow in each recent history has suffered continues change in its fabric and planning.

Although huge efforts for change have been made, it has no been proven that it only caused more complex problems.

The majority of people in local communities are still cherishing the old buildings and try to protect them, but the state still fails to promote the need for better design and better approach in reusing and repurposing all buildings and infrastructure.

The city beyond its many modernization phases it is only getting older.

Ekklesia: The Temple of Citizenship

CHAPTER 1

CONTEXTUAL & HISTORIC ANALYSIS

03. MOTORWAYS DOMINATED THE OLD CROSSES OF GLASGOW

Glasgow crosses used to be a microcos of glasgow’s unique urban idenity.

Places where social political and economic exchanges thrived.

The small reach and crowded towscapes expanded to create to create the city of Glasgow as we know it today

Orestis Liaskos - Antoniou

CHAPTER 1

CONTEXTUAL & HISTORIC ANALYSIS

04. THE OLD NETWORK OF TOWNSCAPES

Around the center the most importance crosses used to exist in about 20-40 minute walk radius.

The diagram shows the density old fabric up untill the 50s in contrast with the current segregated urban landscape.

Ekklesia: The Temple of Citizenship

CHAPTER 1

CONTEXTUAL & HISTORIC ANALYSIS

05. THE SITE; GLASGOW CROSS HISTORIC OBSERVATION

This historic phots of the 19th & 20th century capture how busy and crowded as meeting place the glasgow cross used to be. The dominant factor at those times was human presence in contrast with today that car has taken over.

Orestis Liaskos - Antoniou

CHAPTER 1

CONTEXTUAL & HISTORIC ANALYSIS

06. THE OLD TOWN HALL AND THE STEEPLE

Glasgow old town hall once survived and server people and local communities for centuries until its demolition.

Today only the steeple stands as a reminder.

Ekklesia: The Temple of Citizenship

CHAPTER 1

CONTEXTUAL & HISTORIC ANALYSIS

07. HISTORIC MAPS, URBAN GROWTH

The historic importance of glasgow cross is revealed through the passage of time Most of the roads are still in the same place as they were in medieval times. The density and the size of urban blocks has changed significally.

Today the area around glasgow cross is less impornt to the city.Enough of the fabric however remains to remind people of past glories.

Orestis Liaskos - Antoniou

CHAPTER 1

CONTEXTUAL & HISTORIC ANALYSIS

08. AREA ANALYSIS & DEVELOPEMENT APPORTUNITIES

The urban morphology of the area is challenging and old.

The Glasgow cross is located at the meetin point of 2-3 diffent urban grids which generate a unique dynamic and uncommon geomentry.

The static regural grid of the city center , the ancient hightstret from the norh and the more random grid of calton The train line is another dominant feature that complicates the site even more

Ekklesia: The Temple of Citizenship

CHAPTER 1

CONTEXTUAL & HISTORIC ANALYSIS

09. THE IMPORTANCE OF LANDMARKS

without an adjecent public space the toolbooth steeple feels akwardly alianated and agressive.In the current urban contect the steeple works more as an obstacle rather than an invitation.

Orestis Liaskos - Antoniou

CHAPTER 1

CONTEXTUAL & HISTORIC ANALYSIS

10. THE OLD GLASGOW CROSS STATION

The old railway station used to be a dominant factor of the area, busy noice and picturesqure now no longer in use.

Ekklesia: The Temple of Citizenship

CHAPTER 1

CONTEXTUAL & HISTORIC ANALYSIS

11. CONTEXTUAL ANALYSIS

Orestis Liaskos - Antoniou

CHAPTER 1

CONTEXTUAL & HISTORIC ANALYSIS

12. CONCEPTUAL SYNTHESIS

Ekklesia: The Temple of Citizenship

{ 2_ FABRICATING MEMORY}

CHAPTER 2

CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK Social Incubation & Social Healing 01. POLITICAL DRAMA, GLASGOW EAST

Arguably, most of the interaction of Glasgow’s communities in the recent past happened indoors.

Churches, theaters and community halls were the most common places where the neighbourhood met and interacted. Every neighbourhood had a unique set of buildings and activities, One of Scotlands and Glasgow’s must proud contribitions of the recent past is political drama.

The Glasgow East was an area of significance regarding the provocative political dramatourgy.

Critism, debate and interaction with common affairs was part of everyday life for a Glasgwegian.

Orestis Liaskos - Antoniou

CHAPTER 2

CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK Social Incubation & Social Healing 02. PEOPLE THEATER & POLITICS

The veggies penies were small one man theaters that dominated the area of Glasgow east giving a unique a vibrant atmosphere by satirizing the political status quo of the times The political drama plays become a true spiritual uplifting acts in times of hardship against opression and totality safeguarding democracy

Ekklesia: The Temple of Citizenship

CHAPTER 2

CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK Social Incubation & Social Healing 03. ASKLEPION THE TEMPLE OF HEALING

Orestis Liaskos - Antoniou

CHAPTER 2

CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK Social Incubation & Social Healing ASKLEPION THE TEMPLE OF HEALING

Asclepeions were healing temples located in ancient Greece Asclepeion included carefully controlled spaces conductive to healing and fulfilled several of the requirements of institutions created spiritual and physical healing.

Ekklesia: The Temple of Citizenship

CHAPTER 2

CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK Social Incubation & Social Healing 05. HEALING THROUGH ARTS

The method of healing in Asklepions were focused more around self awareness and self treatment. People with mental health issues anxiety or social difficulties visited asklepion to participate and seek for answers.

Medication and surgeries were the last reasort, instead healing was taking place though a series of activities that aimed to reconnect and rewire the individual with nature and society.

Orestis Liaskos - Antoniou

CHAPTER 2

CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK Social Incubation & Social Healing 06. INSPIRATION; A JOURNEY OF HEALING

Master plan analysis of Asclepion of Epidauros Inspiration for masterplan ig and the Journey of healing in Glasgow East erea.

Ekklesia: The Temple of Citizenship

The Master Plan This procession is imprinted in the masterplan as a passage from East to West, inspired by ‘’the journey to social healing’’ of the Asclepion of ancient Greece. New architectural elements are created to empower and relink the enduring fragments of the old urban fabric.

The Journey The beginning and the end of this journey is indicated with a local assembly hall and a public square.

In-between exist spaces that support and make the process of healing and sensitization possible. Namely, group activities, theatrical plays, workshops, a community kitchen and dormitories.

The project is focused at the assembly hall and its functions which bring together the local community, students of the local universities and the councilw representatives.

CHAPTER 3

MASTERPLAN; RECONNECTING GLASGOW EAST A Journey of Healing 01. SKETCH STUDY MASTERPLAN

Ekklesia: The Temple of Citizenship

CHAPTER 3

MASTERPLAN; GLASGOW’S GATE TO EAST A Journey of Healing 02. VOLUMETRIC, CONCEPTUAL STUDY

Orestis Liaskos - Antoniou

CHAPTER 3

03. SITE ANALYSIS & MASTERPLAN INTERVANTIONS

Ekklesia: The Temple of Citizenship

CHAPTER 3

MASTERPLAN; GLASGOW’S GATE TO EAST A Journey of Healing 04. URBAN FRAGMENTS

Piecing togther the existing infrustructure and architetural fragements into a comprehensivewhole. A journey gving new purpose to the area of Glasgow cross and breaking the harsh barriers wth to the east.

Orestis Liaskos - Antoniou

CHAPTER 3

05. MASTERPLAN OF HEALING

Ekklesia: The Temple of Citizenship

CHAPTER 3

MASTERPLAN; GLASGOW’S GATE TO EAST A Journey of Healing

06. RENDERED VIEWS

Orestis Liaskos - Antoniou

CHAPTER 3

MASTERPLAN; RECONNECTING GLASGOW EAST A JOURNEY OF HEALING

06. RENDERED VIEWS

Ekklesia: The Temple of Citizenship

THE DESIGN

The Architecture The concept design is driven by a contradiction between the strict enclosure of the ‘Faience Corridor’ (Councilors Corridor, Glasgow City Chambers) and the openess of the paganistic European Assemblies.

The choice of rationalism as a unifying language is driven by the existing city scale and architecture.

Its simplicity and the harmony becomes timeless and relevant in a continious manner.

CHAPTER 4

LOCAL ASSEMBLY HALL

01. BUILDING IN CONTEXT

Orestis Liaskos - Antoniou

Ekklesia: The Temple of Citizenship

CHAPTER 4

LOCAL ASSEMBLY HALL

02. BUILDING DIAGRAM, EVENT SCHEDULE

Daily Used by local council Students & artists Personal Advisory meetings Weekly Theatrical Plays Group advisory Sessions Monthly Open Political Debates Music events Every 6 months Art Competitions Every year Local Elections for Council Representatives Annual feast & ball of The local commuity

CHAPTER 4

LOCAL ASSEMBLY HALL

Ekklesia: The Temple of Citizenship

CHAPTER 4

LOCAL ASSEMBLY HALL

03. BUILDING PLANS

Basement Plan Located at lvl -01 At this lvl the local assembly is connected to the Railway station The basement is the main entrace to the building leading people to an emersive passage infront of the market/exhibition area before approach the core of the building

Orestis Liaskos - Antoniou

CHAPTER 4

LOCAL ASSEMBLY HALL

Ground Floor Located at lvl 00 The ground floor is dedicated to social activities, leisure activities and interaction.

The adjecent public space offers a sitting area than can be transform in an open event space for political protest and public gatherings of the local community

Ekklesia: The Temple of Citizenship

CHAPTER 4

LOCAL ASSEMBLY HALL

Library & Archive Located at lvl 01 Study area & Access to Lower mphitheater lvl. The purpose is to empower the local community with a rich library locally available to reinforce people with free access to knowledge empowering dialogue and the quality of debate.

Orestis Liaskos - Antoniou

CHAPTER 4

LOCAL ASSEMBLY HALL

Amphitheater Located at lvl 02 Public Theorion & Upper Amphitheater Access. The Theorion is overlooling the main amphitheater providing extra sitting and the ability to participate in a more indirect manner with the debate process.

Ekklesia: The Temple of Citizenship

CHAPTER 4

LOCAL ASSEMBLY HALL

04. INTERIOR VIEWS

The amphitheater The place of political debate and free speech dedicated to the Local Communities. The goal is to make political and participation a public spectacle once again. The openess and the free movements celebrates the idea of open and direct democracy amongst citizens.

Orestis Liaskos - Antoniou

The Promenade of Debate The platfroms of the new envelope wrap around the old circular voume and the old steeple creating a unique space with wide circulation. A place that overlooks the amphitheater and gives room to local community to be part in the open debate.

The exhibiton space The exhibition space is dedicated to local artists.

It is the fist think you see as you enter the building from the undeground. Its connection to the railway gives the artist the opportunity of constant exposure locally and internationally.

Ekklesia: The Temple of Citizenship

CHAPTER 4

LOCAL ASSEMBLY HALL

05. BUILDING CORE

Ekklesia: The Temple of Citizenship

CHAPTER 4

LOCAL ASSEMBLY HALL

06. RESTORING A SENSE OF TIME AND PLACE

Ekklesia: The Temple of Citizenship

Orestis Liaskos - Antoniou April 2019