Professional Documents
Culture Documents
BLOCKS FOR
SOCIAL
SUSTAINABILITY
Nicosia, Cyprus
Edited by Lapithis Petros, Papadopoulou Anna, Postekkis Alexandros, Tsaousis Nikolas, Chrysochos Andreas
Building Blocks for Social Sustainability Nicosia, Cyprus
Any part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted, in any form
or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, just by referencing the
participants work.
Edited by Lapithis Petros, Papadopoulou Anna, Postekkis Alexandros, Tsaousis Nikolas, Chrysochos
Andreas
ISBN 978-9963-9789-7-7
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Acknowledgements
The editors of this book would like to extend their appreciation by acknowledging the
contribution of all students of the Architecture and Interior Design Programmes of the
Department of Architecture, University of Nicosia who have participated in the Building
Blocks for Social Sustainability workshops from the first years of its inception.
This book is a compilation of student design projects that aim to address sustainability
beyond its conventional environmental component and push the boundaries of what
it means for communities to thrive as part of the great infinity of civilization. The goal
of this book is to convey knowledge attained through participants’ efforts without any
profit.
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Table of Contents
Acknowledgements 3
Introduction7
Workshops 11
Walled City19
Move to the End 21
Safe Art25
Live Streaming -Connecting Cultures29
In-Fix33
Multi-One Food Network37
Prosperity of the Abandoned41
Playgrounds Developed Through Meanwhile Spaces45
Re-Finding49
Inter-Group Mixing53
Back to Nature57
Agios Mamas Refugee Estates61
Multifunctional Temporality63
Safe Visibility67
Linking Through Appropriation71
Red Path75
Interaction-Installation-Movable Platform79
Enlightment83
Ledra Palace Crossing87
Green Design for Diversity89
Wide Open Spaces93
Feel the Moat97
Kaimakli Industrial Area101
Industrial Upcycle103
Re-Rail107
GreenIn the City111
Educating Nature115
Participants119
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Building Blocks for Social Sustainability Nicosia, Cyprus
Acknowledgements
Introduction
Workshops
Walled City
Move to the End
Safe Art
In-Fix
Re-Finding
Inter-Group Mixing
Back to Nature
Safe Visibility
Red Path
Interaction-Installation-Movable Platform
Enlightment
Re-Rail
Educating Nature
Participants
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Introduction
Introduction
Life in the 21st century comes with a unique set of challenges that encompass social, fi-
nancial and ecological crises. Management of these predicaments hinges on an integral
relationship between humanity, nature and the built environment, and an acknowledg-
ment of mankind’s agency within this cycle.
With the advent of urbanization, links to nature faded and links between community
members were challenged. Cypriot urban society, like most contemporary western soci-
eties, suffers from a similar predicament. Communal relationships are strained because
of materialist values and challenges of racial heterogeneity. Thus, Cyprus offers a fruitful
geography to test design narratives that further an agenda of social sustainability.
Cyprus is the third largest island in the Mediterranean, found at the crossroads of Eu-
rope, Asia and Africa. Considering its tumultuous history, the island’s civilisation and
culture should be of interest to each and every Cypriot seen as it is these civilasations
and cultures which have created its identity as a nation.
The Mycenaeans and the Achaeans brought their civilisation to the island, establish-
ing its first Greek roots over 3,000 years ago. Many others passed through, including
the Phoenicians, Assyrians, Egyptians, Persians, Romans, Crusaders, Venetians, Otto-
mans and British. The apostles of Christ walked this land. The splendour of the Byz-
antium, founded by Constantine the Great in Constantinople, encompassed the island
of Cyprus. Prehistoric settlements, ancient Greek temples, Roman theaters and villas,
early Christian basilicas, Byzantine churches and monasteries, Crusader castles, Gothic
churches and Venetian fortifications can be witnessed across the island.
Cultural heritage is civilizations’ most valued asset. Culture and civilization are concepts
that are in essence intertwined that are expressed spatially as well as socially. In architec-
ture and design, all too often, focus is set on spatiality, with sustainability located within
the tangible and intangible norms of the natural and the built environment. The notion
of social sustainability enters architectural discourse to provide a component of sustain-
ability that speaks directly to the contribution of community and society to civilization
and to cultural heritage.
Social sustainability extends the essence of sustainable design and combines design
of the physical realm with the design of the social world in order to create successful
places that promote well-being by understanding what people need from the places
where they live and work. This book is a compilation of student design projects that aim
to address sustainability beyond its conventional environmental component and push
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Building Blocks for Social Sustainability Nicosia, Cyprus
the boundaries of what it means for communities to thrive as part of the great infinity of
civilization.
Regardless of efforts undertaken in the past 100 years or so, people have still not come
to terms with the fact that humanity has been lead into a serious environmental crisis
that is quite capable of vanishing the human species. A terrifying reality is that people
don’t acknowledge that this crisis was born from the way we have structured our social
systems, in other words, the way we live.
Climate
If one was to generalise, one could describe the Mediterranean’s climate as moderate.
(Givoni, 1976). In fact this moderate characterisation is so distinctive that the term Med-
iterranean climate is used to describe several other regions of the world. The climate of
Cyprus can be summarised as:
The following conclusions were made concerning thermal comfort in Cyprus: (Lapithis,
2003)
• The results (Lapithis, 2003) showed that in order to achieve thermal comfort
conditions, ventilation is required during the summer months (June, July, August
and September). In this case, natural ventilation actually occurs, or if there are no
breezes, then ceiling fans are needed
• In the months of December, January, February and March passive solar gains are
used to achieve thermal comfort
• It must be noted that steps should be taken to avoid over heating during the summer
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Introduction
• The same is to be said for the passive cooling needs in the summer
• The results show that all heating requirements are covered through solar energy,
while natural ventilation or ceiling fans cover all the cooling needs
Accepting different groups of people is very important for democratic societies to flour-
ish, along with multicultural education. The ability to provide the opportunity to differ-
ent groups of people to have an active participation within the general community is an
important factor that can help solve some of the issues mentioned above. Basic prin-
ciples for a multicultural education are the exchange of information and experiences,
communication, elimination of racism, growth of sensitivity, solidarity, collaboration and
general respect towards multicultural education.
The aim is to provide skills that encourage cohabitation in a multicultural society in order
to enhance respect towards varying nationalities but encourage recognition of the dif-
ferent cultural identities through a consistent dialogue of understanding and coopera-
tion. Creating an intellectual background allows respect for the different and fruits open
societies with a multicultural harmony that are distinguished by equality, understanding,
interaction and solidarity.
Social sustainability is mainly concerned with the creation and maintenance of the quali-
ty of life of people within a society. It gives emphasis to the protection of the psycholog-
ical and physical health of all people, it encourages social cohesion and provides educa-
tion to people who in turn have the opportunity to contribute to society as a whole and
develop relationships within it. Confronting individuals equally provides equal opportu-
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Building Blocks for Social Sustainability Nicosia, Cyprus
nities to all while giving more emphasis to those in need, encourages and educates the
diversity and provides social cohesion between people with different status. Eventually,
the quality of life which has to do with basic needs, is cultivated on a personal, group
and community level.
Public spaces are spaces within a city were different people have the opportunity to
socialise. These have to be “democratic spaces” which all people feel welcome to use
and have the right to be in. They have to offer a quality of life and be able to release the
creativity of citizens. The participation of people in the society can bring people togeth-
er and create a sense of place and identity. When citizens have the opportunity to feel
safe and actively use public spaces within a city, criminality is eliminated.
References:
• Givoni B., (1976) Man, Climate and Architecture, Applied Science Publishers Ltd.
• Lapithis P., (2003)“Solar Architecture in Cyprus”, International Solar Energy Society
Conference Proceedings, 15-19 June, Goteburg, Sweden. International Solar Energy Society
• Nomikos, M. (2004) Re-establishment and reuse of historical buildings and totals, Methodology
-Applications, Aristotelio University of Salonica Press, Department of Architecture, Salonica,
Greece.
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Workshops
Introduction
Since social sustainability is more of an inquiry than a definition, workshops such as the
BBSS (Building Blocks for Social Sustainability) serve as an orientation device rather than
a solution to a problem. Social sustainability ensures cohabitation and coexistence be-
tween all racial groups; thus this workshop aimed to accentuate cultural differences and
similarities while enhancing mutual respect between communities of cultural diversity
and environmental systems. The workshops targeted to explore the concept of social
sustainability and to discover its placement concerning broader issues of sustainability.
The four to five day workshops took place between March 2013-March 2017 at the De-
partment of Architecture, University of Nicosia. The student team consists of students
of the Architecture programme and the Interior programme of the Department of Ar-
chitecture, University of Nicosia.
These BBSS workshops are classified by the University of Nicosia curriculum as a cata-
lyst workshop because it occurs for a limited amount of days (ARCH-392 Catalyst I and
ARCH-491 Catalyst II), and it aims to hone in on particular and unique skills, not usually
encountered in the curriculum. Catalyst workshops take place twice a year, in the mid-
dle of the Fall and Spring semester respectively. At this time, students take time away
from their scheduled classes and concentrate on a four- or five-day thematic workshop
of their choice. Catalyst workshops are pre approved by the department and maybe of-
fered by any member of permanent faculty, adjunct faculty or design professional. The
benefit of this educational scheme is three-fold: students are encouraged to acquire
non-conventional skills that will enrich their architectural pallets. Secondly, students are
compelled to complete a project in significantly shorter time-frame and thirdly, students
have the opportunity to come into contact with specialists and instructors outside the
department’s faculty.
The participants were required to gather in groups of three or four, each group explor-
ing a particular thematic topic. The final output required was two panels (A1 size) in
portrait orientation, produced with any available media. The first panel should exhibit
the group’s site analysis findings and the second the design proposal. The format of the
final output had to be maintained to facilitate future publications.
The workshop addresses the issue of social sustainability within a humanistic and cultur-
al context, set on the platform of the built environment. Participants are called to con-
sider matters of formal and informal urban structure, sense of community, social identity
and ethics as those pertain to societal development in a diverse, multicultural setting.
Operating under the premise that social sustainability can be attained through means
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Building Blocks for Social Sustainability Nicosia, Cyprus
of collaboration and common awareness, the workshop’s findings aim to activate urban
spaces in a three-dimensional and temporal manner in order to induce values of social
and egalitarian participation.
At demanding times such as these, when we are called upon as a nation to withstand
the turbulence of the financial crisis and the challenges of the energy potential, issues
of community and social cohesion become pivotal to our global survival. The time has
come to look beyond skin color, religion and social order and to employ architecture as
a means of creating living spaces that transcend racial division and micro-politics.
With this in mind, a group of instructors and dedicated students gathered around four
specific areas in Nicosia and invented a world where social problems are tackled with
urban proposals.
The initial impetus for this workshop was the desire on behalf of the team of instruc-
tors to explore the much-elusive concept of social sustainability and to synthesize the
diverse findings resulting from the different perspective of the instructors. The interests
and research areas of the instructors vary from participatory design, urban sustainability,
industrial adaptive reuse, solar architecture and gendered spaces. A distinct overlap in
the team’s research areas is sustainability.
The instructing team consists of practitioners and theoreticians with an extensive back-
ground on issues of sustainable design, bioclimatic architecture, sustainable urbanism
and social and environmental ethics. Dr Petros Lapithis is a professor of architecture and
the coordinator of the Sustainable Design Unit (SDU) at the Department of Architecture,
University of Nicosia, while Anna Papadopoulou joins the SDU as adjunct faculty and
special consultant. Alexandros Postekkis who masterminded the entire initiative, is a
graduate of the SDU and an active practitioner. Nikolas Tsaousis and Andreas Chryso-
chos are also graduates of architecture from the University of Nicosia and their special
interests and thesis, with Dr Lapithis as their advisor, lay well within urbanism and social
sustainability.
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Workshops
ical dysfunction is addressed and tackled, happy communities will ensue. It was the
intention of the instructing team to impart to participating students that sustainability is
very much a social issue and is deeply connected to community consciousness.
It must be noted that currently, many architecture schools have shifted towards cross-
and multi-disciplinary teaching methods that encourage students to acquire a more
global perspective that allows them to position themselves in a healthier stance with
respect to global circumstances and to their peers. Nevertheless, defining the success-
ful architect as the one who produces high profile, high-budget projects is still quite
prominent among professional and academic strata.
The workshop aimed at introducing the notion of the architect as the facilitator or co-
ordinator, rather than the all-knowing expert. The facilitator is keen to help community
members express their own ideas and desire about their living spaces (both public and
private), rather than educate them on the better ideas. The facilitator will then collect
these ideas, and by utilizing his or her academic expertise, will produce a design, and
ultimately a built project, that will satisfy the community’s needs for better living.
Two particular elements of the workshop allowed for the participants to practice the role
of the facilitator: one was its brevity and the other was the fact that the participants were
to work in groups, rather than on their own. The short time allowed for the workshop –
four days in total – made it less conducive for long exercises in form finding, that some-
times lead the well-intentioned architect astray from the real issues and the complexities
of the project program. Group work also lends itself toward the skills of facilitating and
coordinating. Not only is there a better possibility of constant flow of creativity, there
is the inherent condition where the team members need to be well coordinated and
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Building Blocks for Social Sustainability Nicosia, Cyprus
respectful of each other in order to for the team to reach optimum results.
The Sites
It was decided early on in the preparation of the workshop brief, that the students would
be provided with a site in Nicosia. The prerequisites for the site selection were that it
be urbanistically diverse so that all participants would have the opportunity to explore
a group’s particular interests. Also, it was important that the chosen site offer the chal-
lenge of multiple layers of history and human ecosystems. The sites chosen in Nicosia
where:
Workshop Process
Part of the workshop’s success is owed to the fact that schedules were promptly kept on
behalf of the participants and the instruction team. The workshop’s schedule ran as fol-
lows: the first half of the first day, students were required to follow introductory lectures
on social sustainability. During the second half of the day participants were to settle into
groups of three or four and visit the site. On the second day students presented their
project concentration and design proposal and spent the day working on site analysis.
On the third day, participants were expected to work on their design intervention and
the fourth and fifth day was dedicated to panel preparation. At the end of the fifth day,
all projects were presented to peers, faculty and guests.
Day One
The first half of the first day was spent addressing the theoretical premise of the work-
shop. At the University of Nicosia, issues of sustainable design are first introduced to the
academic curriculum in the fourth year of architectural studies. Since most participants
in the BBSS workshop were in their third year of studies, compressing a comprehensive
introduction to sustainability and then branching off to matters of social sustainability
was a significant challenge.
The first of the two lectures aimed to explain the key concept of social sustainability,
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Workshops
while at the same time, position it in the broader spectrum of sustainability. Firstly, defi-
nitions were set forth, and an attempt was made at distinguishing between the terms
green, ecological and sustainable. It was then crucial to link these terms to issues of ar-
chitecture, urbanism and regional design. Sustainability was then linked to the compo-
nents of economy, community and environment, pointing out that sustainability needs
to employ all three in equal measure.
Following this general introduction, the term social sustainability was discussed at some
length. Participants were encouraged to consider examples from their own residential
environment. Overall, matters of social isolation and spatial exclusion were discussed
more enthusiastically than other topics.
The second lecture delivered by a member of the instructing team, presented a com-
prehensive introduction to the physical, infrastructural, cultural and historical charac-
teristics of the site. The presentation was visually powerful as well as informative and it
provided the participants, some of which from other cities and other countries, a rich
visual library and a wealth of material to draw inspiration from.
Images included land use maps, infrastructural patters, mapping of temporal uses and
events of cultural significance, demographics, open spaces and green spaces, etc.
Some of the information imparted was also through interpretive sketching on urban
design principles. Development of the area was shown through progressive mappings
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Building Blocks for Social Sustainability Nicosia, Cyprus
Day Two
The majority of the day was spent in discussion of relevant issues in small groups and on
a one-to-one basis, which proved beneficial in allowing participants to internalize the-
oretical perspectives. Subsequently, participants were encouraged to personalize the
concept of sustainability and invent their own definitions and design direction. Groups
presented their site analysis findings to the instructing team and discussed reasons for
choosing a particular theme. In terms of production, groups were advised to spend the
day on formatting their site analysis findings and arranging them in a legible and con-
structive manner. At the end of the day, each group was expected to print a draft copy
of their first panel to be presented the following day.
Day Three
The day began by a pin-up presentation of all draft panels on site analysis. The instruct-
ing team and the participants offered constructive comments on the context of the site
analysis, its applicability to the design proposal and on the legibility of the panel. The
rest of the day was spent on designing interventions. Time was set aside to make nec-
essary amendments to the site analysis panel.
In order to facilitate the final output process, one of the instructors undertook the task
of printing all panels. This was helpful in avoiding plotter congestion and malfunction,
which is a frequent occurrence among architecture students. The same instructor was
also responsible for preparing all panels in electronic order so that they may be project-
ed during the Presentation event. Another instructor was in charge of preparing each
group’s verbal presentation. Groups were required to choose a group speaker and each
speaker was required to prepare a description of their project that consisted of only two
sentences. This was not an easy task to complete. Another instructor took over organiz-
ing the participants while they pinned up their final printed panels.
The Catalyst Presentation event commenced on time, and after a brief introduction by
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Workshops
one of the instructors, the participants presented their projects eloquently and profi-
ciently. All projects were well received and the workshop was concluded with a few
hours of relaxed celebrations.
Conclusion
The diversity of interests and administrative strengths among the instructing team
proved to be valuable in the efficiency of the workshop and should be a serious con-
sideration when a workshop of similar parameters is being planned. Instructors played
to their strengths in matters of strategizing, organizing, technical support. On a theo-
retical level, the participants benefited from the contribution of a researcher in urban
sustainability, human comfort, industrial heritage, solar architecture and development
of interstitial spaces. The participants also benefited from the local knowledge of the
instructors of the different sites in Nicosia and experience with regulations regarding the
built environment.
The greatest challenge of the workshop was for participants and instructors to negoti-
ate the issues of a broad theoretical premise and tackle matters of scale in the span of
four to five days. The selection of theoretical axes imparted to the participants as well
as key associations proved to be crucial. One example of a decisive association is that
sustainability is associated with social welfare as much as it is with environmental ethics.
Another association is that a sustainable building has to be ‘green’ but a ‘green’ build-
ing is not necessarily sustainable. At the conclusion of the workshop, the participants
were infused with a significant dosage of ideas on sustainability, which they were able
to apply through efficient time management and constructive group work.
References:
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Building Blocks for Social Sustainability Nicosia, Cyprus
Acknowledgements
Introduction
Workshops
Walled City
Move to the End
Safe Art
In-Fix
Re-Finding
Inter-Group Mixing
Back to Nature
Safe Visibility
Red Path
Interaction-Installation-Movable Platform
Enlightment
Re-Rail
Educating Nature
Participants
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Walled City
The Walled City of Nicosia is the inner city of Nicosia that lies within the Venetian walls.
Following a military incursion from Turkey in 1974, the city has been divided into two
parts approximately equal in area, with a United Nations administered buffer zone in the
middle, running from east to west. It is a site that is rich in commercial and residential
activity, with a large number of craft shops and small-scale industries such as carpen-
tries, car-repair workshops etc. The area remains active for approximately twelve hours
daily, on weekdays and on weekends. The residential units accommodate low to middle
class income and houses mostly immigrant workers. Several buildings are listed and
new construction is highly regulated. As a result of its multicultural and long history, the
walled city of Nicosia,is well known for its romanticized atmosphere and attracts a large
number of tourists on a regular basis.
Projects:
5. Multi-One Food Network by Pavlou Constantinos, Mintsiou Anthi Eleni, Savva Ni-
kolas
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Building Blocks for Social Sustainability Nicosia, Cyprus
Acknowledgements
Introduction
Workshops
Walled City
Move to the End
Safe Art
In-Fix
Re-Finding
Inter-Group Mixing
Back to Nature
Safe Visibility
Red Path
Interaction-Installation-Movable Platform
Enlightment
Re-Rail
Educating Nature
Participants
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Walled City
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Building Blocks for Social Sustainability Nicosia, Cyprus
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Walled City
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Building Blocks for Social Sustainability Nicosia, Cyprus
Acknowledgements
Introduction
Workshops
Walled City
Move to the End
Safe Art
In-Fix
Re-Finding
Inter-Group Mixing
Back to Nature
Safe Visibility
Red Path
Interaction-Installation-Movable Platform
Enlightment
Re-Rail
Educating Nature
Participants
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Walled City
Safe Art
Observation: The project focuses on safety concerns that arise by observing the old
town of Nicosia. By discussing with locals, it was outlined that in the evenings, the area
is completely lacking of light, and therefore, the area seems to be abandoned. Some
also described the area as ‘frightening’.
Proposal: The proposed idea is the addition of a central 24/7 open market, and
three different paths with different uses to pass through. The aim is to connect Ledras
street and the Pangkyprio school area, in order to bring life in an undeveloped area of
Nicosia and to improve some existing conditions such as lack of safety. Different light
conditions, different time zones (morning, afternoon, evening) with proposed activities
were also proposed targeted age of the participants was considered. The addition of
graffiti on the roads as a guide is also proposed.
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Building Blocks for Social Sustainability Nicosia, Cyprus
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Walled City
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Building Blocks for Social Sustainability Nicosia, Cyprus
Acknowledgements
Introduction
Workshops
Walled City
Move to the End
Safe Art
In-Fix
Re-Finding
Inter-Group Mixing
Back to Nature
Safe Visibility
Red Path
Interaction-Installation-Movable Platform
Enlightment
Re-Rail
Educating Nature
Participants
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Walled City
Observation: An analysis of the existing cultural activities was done, showing that
throughout Nicosia different cultural activities are constantly occurring.
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Building Blocks for Social Sustainability Nicosia, Cyprus
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Walled City
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Building Blocks for Social Sustainability Nicosia, Cyprus
Acknowledgements
Introduction
Workshops
Walled City
Move to the End
Safe Art
In-Fix
Re-Finding
Inter-Group Mixing
Back to Nature
Safe Visibility
Red Path
Interaction-Installation-Movable Platform
Enlightment
Re-Rail
Educating Nature
Participants
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Walled City
In-Fix
Observation: Locals who live or work in the area were interviewed for their opinion
about the old city.
Proposal: Addition of activities that will enhance safety and will create a stronger
sense of place
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Building Blocks for Social Sustainability Nicosia, Cyprus
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Walled City
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Building Blocks for Social Sustainability Nicosia, Cyprus
Acknowledgements
Introduction
Workshops
Walled City
Move to the End
Safe Art
In-Fix
Re-Finding
Inter-Group Mixing
Back to Nature
Safe Visibility
Red Path
Interaction-Installation-Movable Platform
Enlightment
Re-Rail
Educating Nature
Participants
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Walled City
Observation: Street chosen presents multiethnic markets and restaurants, with patrons
being of ethnic background/culture background.
Proposal: Blend the different cultures, promote different home-grown produce, re-
inforce the relation between the shops, slow down and/or minimize traffic, eliminate the
road side parking spaces, welcoming scene for visitors to multi-ethnic elements. Also
propose sitting areas and structures above the road level for vegetation.
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Building Blocks for Social Sustainability Nicosia, Cyprus
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Walled City
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Building Blocks for Social Sustainability Nicosia, Cyprus
Acknowledgements
Introduction
Workshops
Walled City
Move to the End
Safe Art
In-Fix
Re-Finding
Inter-Group Mixing
Back to Nature
Safe Visibility
Red Path
Interaction-Installation-Movable Platform
Enlightment
Re-Rail
Educating Nature
Participants
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Walled City
Proposal: Bring people on the back-streets and remove parking lots from the cen-
ter. Develop active and friendly places either at empty spaces or ruined/abandoned
buildings. Activities proposed are green zones, sports, spots for musicians, cafeterias,
shops, creative potential.
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Building Blocks for Social Sustainability Nicosia, Cyprus
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Walled City
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Building Blocks for Social Sustainability Nicosia, Cyprus
Acknowledgements
Introduction
Workshops
Walled City
Move to the End
Safe Art
In-Fix
Re-Finding
Inter-Group Mixing
Back to Nature
Safe Visibility
Red Path
Interaction-Installation-Movable Platform
Enlightment
Re-Rail
Educating Nature
Participants
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Walled City
Observation: Roads and pedestrian circulation paths were investigated. Also taking
into consideration the ages of the users, classification of commercial and public spaces
and the classification of open spaces and in-between spaces.
Proposal: Design a continuous playground that loops through residential and com-
mercial areas to create conditions for various activities through its design, this design
proposes to bring together social groups and ages through the activities. Its design
takes place in meanwhile spaces such as corridors, abandoned buildings, empty-open
spaces, etc
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Building Blocks for Social Sustainability Nicosia, Cyprus
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Walled City
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Building Blocks for Social Sustainability Nicosia, Cyprus
Acknowledgements
Introduction
Workshops
Walled City
Move to the End
Safe Art
In-Fix
Re-Finding
Inter-Group Mixing
Back to Nature
Safe Visibility
Red Path
Interaction-Installation-Movable Platform
Enlightment
Re-Rail
Educating Nature
Participants
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Walled City
Re-Finding
Observation: All important cultural buildings were noted on the map. The goal was to
connect all these buildings/sites together forming a path. RE Finding one’s way through
the walled city of Nicosia by creating a visible, clear path which will bring energy back
to the city.
Proposal: The path is reformed by a red panel that is either on the ground (in
commercial areas) or 3 to 4 meters high. Arrows are cut out from the panels and direct
sunlight that is projected on the street. On various points on the path the panel extrudes
towards the ground and forms sitting areas or booths.
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Building Blocks for Social Sustainability Nicosia, Cyprus
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Walled City
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Building Blocks for Social Sustainability Nicosia, Cyprus
Acknowledgements
Introduction
Workshops
Walled City
Move to the End
Safe Art
In-Fix
Re-Finding
Inter-Group Mixing
Back to Nature
Safe Visibility
Red Path
Interaction-Installation-Movable Platform
Enlightment
Re-Rail
Educating Nature
Participants
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Walled City
Inter-Group Mixing
Proposal: Creating a network for the different groups of people living or visiting
old Nicosia center that will serve their daily and leisure needs but also give them the
opportunity for interaction and an experience between them. Encourage inter-genera-
tional/inter- group mixing and improve communication and awareness through a series
of portals for audiovisual recordings to be transmitted throughout the city.
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Building Blocks for Social Sustainability Nicosia, Cyprus
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Walled City
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Building Blocks for Social Sustainability Nicosia, Cyprus
Acknowledgements
Introduction
Workshops
Safe Art
In-Fix
Re-Finding
Inter-Group Mixing
Back to Nature
Safe Visibility
Red Path
Interaction-Installation-Movable Platform
Enlightment
Re-Rail
Educating Nature
Participants
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Walled City
Back to Nature
Observation: Observe where and how people and car circulation move in the old city
and around the municipal garden, identify pedestrian flow and accessibility to the gar-
den. Pedestrian accessibility to the site is the biggest problem and is hindered by nu-
merous government buildings needs of big road access. Road crossings do not exist
and sidewalks are in very bad shape. The particular site is enhanced with a variety of
species of vegetation. During weekdays, a short number of people use the site basic as
a shortcut, and some of them to just relax on resting areas, while on Sunday’s different
cultures, visit the site, as to mingle, socialize, cook, have picnics, and sell items.
Proposal: A selection of old and new city spots that introduce and direct the locals,
immigrants and tourists to the municipal garden is accomplished via ‘Green Graffiti’
(design symbols and drawings on streets, sidewalks, walls and buildings that are re-
lated to the Park). Develop the park through the peoples’ needs in the city, such as
better recreational spaces and resting spots, in-nature playgrounds for minors, cooking
area, bazaar, cafeterias, free range animals, grow-it-yourself learning opportunities and
a “multi-ethnicity village” area is created for 1 or 2 week events, introducing foreign cul-
tures. Through the peoples’ need of being heard for social, political, economic reasons,
an ‘Agora’ emerges for citizen gathering, exposing and recording problems and ideas.
Accountable individuals on a daily basis will pass the peoples’ voice in the parliament.
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Building Blocks for Social Sustainability Nicosia, Cyprus
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Walled City
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Building Blocks for Social Sustainability Nicosia, Cyprus
Acknowledgements
Introduction
Workshops
Walled City
Move to the End
Safe Art
In-Fix
Re-Finding
Inter-Group Mixing
Back to Nature
Safe Visibility
Red Path
Interaction-Installation-Movable Platform
Enlightment
Re-Rail
Educating Nature
Participants
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Agios Mamas Refugee Estates
The Refugee Estates of Agios Mamas in Nicosia is a planned neighborhood built after
the 1974 invasion to accommodate refugees who required immediate housing. As such,
the area is rich in historical and cultural layers. One of the most prominent spatial fea-
tures is a system of cul-de-sacs and temporary structures. Consequently, the greatest
challenge of negotiating the site is achieving social sustainability by overcoming issues
of spatial isolation.
Projects:
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Building Blocks for Social Sustainability Nicosia, Cyprus
Acknowledgements
Introduction
Workshops
Walled City
Move to the End
Safe Art
In-Fix
Re-Finding
Inter-Group Mixing
Back to Nature
Safe Visibility
Red Path
Interaction-Installation-Movable Platform
Enlightment
Re-Rail
Educating Nature
Participants
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Agios Mamas Refugee Estates
Multifunctional Temporality
Observation: Dead Ends / Green Areas are creating a small community of the neigh-
bouring houses. The purpose of their function is to provide safety and enclosure so they
should be effectively used. People on site are disappointed by the way these areas are
being treated, as they provide unpleasant views, and environment. They wish that these
areas where well treated and organized, they would like to be able to walk there, grow
their plants or vegetables, and have a pleasurable place to sit, relax and interact. Poor
temporal structures at dead ends usually used as car park shelters, storage or workings
spaces. The green areas are left abandoned instead of being productively used. There
is an absence of local young couples who prefer to move to another area.
Proposal: By focusing on Dead Ends and Green Areas of the Site the proposal is
offering: A multifunctional space of interaction where the inhabitants of the community
will gain a sense of ownership, productivity, socializing and relaxation. It aims to satis-
fy the needs of all age groups, and increasing the quality of life and at the same time
creates a connection between the neighbours. The intervention will work as a place to
grow, to play, to sit, interact and relax
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Building Blocks for Social Sustainability Nicosia, Cyprus
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Agios Mamas Refugee Estates
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Building Blocks for Social Sustainability Nicosia, Cyprus
Acknowledgements
Introduction
Workshops
Walled City
Move to the End
Safe Art
In-Fix
Re-Finding
Inter-Group Mixing
Back to Nature
Safe Visibility
Red Path
Interaction-Installation-Movable Platform
Enlightment
Re-Rail
Educating Nature
Participants
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Agios Mamas Refugee Estates
Safe Visibility
Proposal: We proposed a change to the density between the permanent and the
temporary structures by reorganizing the temporary structures, considering the open
areas / green areas nearby to allow more unrestricted visibility around them. By moving
the temporary structures that belong to the edges of the dead-end and placing those
in order inside the dead-ends or by reorganised all the temporary structures only in the
edges of the dead ends.
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Building Blocks for Social Sustainability Nicosia, Cyprus
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Agios Mamas Refugee Estates
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Building Blocks for Social Sustainability Nicosia, Cyprus
Acknowledgements
Introduction
Workshops
Walled City
Move to the End
Safe Art
In-Fix
Re-Finding
Inter-Group Mixing
Back to Nature
Safe Visibility
Red Path
Interaction-Installation-Movable Platform
Enlightment
Re-Rail
Educating Nature
Participants
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Agios Mamas Refugee Estates
Observation: Although the site is located adjacent to a main road and cycling path, the
road serves the community, without allowing it to become a destination. The community
includes a dysfunctional central core, which divides the area into two parts. There is a
large degree of appropriation on the site, where residents extend their activities to the
otherwise inert open spaces and dead ends.
Proposal: A path linking the two ‘parts’ of the community, while at the same time
passing through the core and church (identified as landmarks), can help to attract res-
idents into meeting each other and socialising. Another path joins the first one to the
main road and the cycling path, as a means of attracting visitors that would otherwise
bypass the community. Proposed activities are introduced along the paths as point in-
terventions, and are based on extending and formalising the existing appropriated el-
ements.
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Building Blocks for Social Sustainability Nicosia, Cyprus
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Agios Mamas Refugee Estates
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Building Blocks for Social Sustainability Nicosia, Cyprus
Acknowledgements
Introduction
Workshops
Walled City
Move to the End
Safe Art
In-Fix
Re-Finding
Inter-Group Mixing
Back to Nature
Safe Visibility
Red Path
Interaction-Installation-Movable Platform
Enlightment
Re-Rail
Educating Nature
Participants
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Agios Mamas Refugee Estates
Red Path
Observation: Because of the dead ends more time is needed to reach a destination by
car than on foot. The church, the school and the market area were identified as import-
ant main spots of social interactions of the inhabitants.
Proposal: the proposal involves the extension and creation of paths that connect
the existing paths with points of activities and green areas. In order to achieve this,
a flexible modular box is introduced, that can be rearranged according to the use.
Through the organization of elements of the proposed red module, the inhabitants are
led to experience the paths and main spaces through planting, exercising, sitting under
the shade.
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Building Blocks for Social Sustainability Nicosia, Cyprus
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Agios Mamas Refugee Estates
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Building Blocks for Social Sustainability Nicosia, Cyprus
Acknowledgements
Introduction
Workshops
Walled City
Move to the End
Safe Art
In-Fix
Re-Finding
Inter-Group Mixing
Back to Nature
Safe Visibility
Red Path
Interaction-Installation-Movable Platform
Enlightment
Re-Rail
Educating Nature
Participants
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Agios Mamas Refugee Estates
Interaction-Installation-Movable Platform
Observation: Lack of interaction and Social isolation are the main observations within
this community. There is no limited interaction between people of different ages in this
community and they need a socializing space.
Proposal: areas have been chosen to connect together the surrounding communi-
ties of the refugee estates. It facilitates access for the people within the radius of 400m
from the hot spot. A movable ( It can easily move around the community by car) instal-
lation ( The design purpose is to improve the socialization between the people in and
out of the community )has been created providing interaction (Its flexible objects on the
platform are adjustable to their needs )
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Building Blocks for Social Sustainability Nicosia, Cyprus
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Agios Mamas Refugee Estates
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Building Blocks for Social Sustainability Nicosia, Cyprus
Acknowledgements
Introduction
Workshops
Walled City
Move to the End
Safe Art
In-Fix
Re-Finding
Inter-Group Mixing
Back to Nature
Safe Visibility
Red Path
Interaction-Installation-Movable Platform
Enlightment
Re-Rail
Educating Nature
Participants
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Agios Mamas Refugee Estates
Enlightment
Observation: Going through the analysis, observing the area and after speaking with
the locals we have spotted a major problem the criminality and the absence of lighting
in many areas of the site. Especially the dead ends, the empty plots and the abandoned
buildings are identified as cores of criminality.
Proposal: The proposal is based on grouping certain problematic areas and trans-
forms them in order to serve the people needs. The dead ends, the uniformly green
spaces and the abandoned buildings as a group become the areas that will enlighten
the area around them metaphorically and literally. The five groups (cores) becoming
impromptu cultural centre-less formal and community oriented in the day time. In the
night time the previous abandoned buildings and now spontaneous art centres become
a source of light for the whole surrounding area and also a place that young artists and
common people can meet each other and entertain themselves at the casual bars of the
respective cultural centres
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Building Blocks for Social Sustainability Nicosia, Cyprus
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Agios Mamas Refugee Estates
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Building Blocks for Social Sustainability Nicosia, Cyprus
Acknowledgements
Introduction
Workshops
Walled City
Move to the End
Safe Art
In-Fix
Re-Finding
Inter-Group Mixing
Back to Nature
Safe Visibility
Red Path
Interaction-Installation-Movable Platform
Enlightment
Re-Rail
Educating Nature
Participants
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Ledra Palace Crossing
The Ledra Palace Crossing is situated just outside the western top of the Venetian Walls
of Nicosia. The name of the area was provided by a military checkpoint separating Nic-
osia’s militarized and demilitarized jurisdictions. Ledra Palace, the building immediately
adjacent to the checkpoint, was formerly a landmark hotel of the city, and currently
provides administrative and accommodation facilities for the United Nations (UN) forces
stationed in Cyprus. The rich tapestry of the area’s past extends along the approximate
north-south axis provided by the Wall and the Moat, which act as a spine that connects
civil buildings such as the District and Supreme Courts in the south, Ledra Palace in the
north, impressive sandstone colonial buildings on the west and a more humble and
dense residential fabric on the east. Conditions of spatial and social isolation occur as
a result of the different jurisdictions, the site’s elevation challenges and the area’s active
historicity.
Projects:
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Building Blocks for Social Sustainability Nicosia, Cyprus
Acknowledgements
Introduction
Workshops
Walled City
Move to the End
Safe Art
In-Fix
Re-Finding
Inter-Group Mixing
Back to Nature
Safe Visibility
Red Path
Interaction-Installation-Movable Platform
Enlightment
Re-Rail
Educating Nature
Participants
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Ledra Palace Crossing
Observation: The Ledra Palace site is a multi-culture area which gives the opportunity
of connection at one point between the Greek-Cypriot and Turkish-Cypriot sides. How-
ever, the morphology of the ground and the physical and technical boundaries such as
the vegetation, the wall of the moat and the transporting infrastructure do not allow
access between the two communities.
Proposal: The connection is now achieved by using bridges in order people can
across one side to another and also have the opportunity to descend to the moat which
is now transformed into an open green space.
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Building Blocks for Social Sustainability Nicosia, Cyprus
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Ledra Palace Crossing
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Building Blocks for Social Sustainability Nicosia, Cyprus
Acknowledgements
Introduction
Workshops
Walled City
Move to the End
Safe Art
In-Fix
Re-Finding
Inter-Group Mixing
Back to Nature
Safe Visibility
Red Path
Interaction-Installation-Movable Platform
Enlightment
Re-Rail
Educating Nature
Participants
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Ledra Palace Crossing
Observation: Observations of abandoned and inhabited space and also the different
uses. There is a contrast in density of vegetation and porosity of the urban fabric
Proposal: The proposal is based on the observations of contrast that exist within
the urban fabric. It is an experiential path starting from two different locations, which are
the House of Cooperation and the Arabahmet Mosque, since they are both important
community landmarks. The propose of the path is to enhance the social interaction with-
in the site and it has a flexible pattern in order to the different conditions.
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Building Blocks for Social Sustainability Nicosia, Cyprus
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Ledra Palace Crossing
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Building Blocks for Social Sustainability Nicosia, Cyprus
Acknowledgements
Introduction
Workshops
Walled City
Move to the End
Safe Art
In-Fix
Re-Finding
Inter-Group Mixing
Back to Nature
Safe Visibility
Red Path
Interaction-Installation-Movable Platform
Enlightment
Re-Rail
Educating Nature
Participants
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Ledra Palace Crossing
Observation: The time usage around the site was interesting as at the evening hours
most of the area before the borders is not used. Activities around the site like restau-
rants, bars football courts, playgrounds, school were also noted down. The most em-
phasis was given to the boundaries found which are visibility boundaries, architectural
and physical, and political boundaries, the borders. Thee is no connection from the one
side the other having the moat as a vastness of empty space separating them physically
but also politically
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Building Blocks for Social Sustainability Nicosia, Cyprus
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Ledra Palace Crossing
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Building Blocks for Social Sustainability Nicosia, Cyprus
Acknowledgements
Introduction
Workshops
Walled City
Move to the End
Safe Art
In-Fix
Re-Finding
Inter-Group Mixing
Back to Nature
Safe Visibility
Red Path
Interaction-Installation-Movable Platform
Enlightment
Re-Rail
Educating Nature
Participants
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Kaimakli Industrial Area
The former industrial site of Sopaz presents a unique challenge and opportunity for ex-
ploration within the workshop’s parameters. It is a site that has been an economic and
cultural landmark not only for the immediate area, but for Nicosia at large, and it is also
a site that is in dire need of environmental restoration because of its previous industrial
use. Its historic value and prominent physical presence make Sopaz a uniquely layered
area of study.
Projects:
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Building Blocks for Social Sustainability Nicosia, Cyprus
Acknowledgements
Introduction
Workshops
Walled City
Move to the End
Safe Art
In-Fix
Re-Finding
Inter-Group Mixing
Back to Nature
Safe Visibility
Red Path
Interaction-Installation-Movable Platform
Enlightment
Re-Rail
Educating Nature
Participants
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Kaimakli Industrial Area
Industrial Upcycle
Observation: The importance of industry and its contribution to the economy is fully
recognized. During the years, is generally noted that the industrial zones separate from
others, and especially residential areas. During the site visit at Industrial area of Kaimakli
we noted that the area used only by the workers. Also, we noticed that registered Nic-
osia industries and storage facilities are abandoned. Due to the partly abandonment of
the area a lot of empty space transformed into a big dump for useless materials, trash
and scraped metals. lack of relaxation spaces for workers, market only for suppliers,
asphalt covers the land, empty spaces are covered by trash.
Proposal: The negative aspects of the site such as excess waste materials, large
abandoned areas and lack of recreational spaces, could be used in particular ways to
reverse the damage and create a new cycle of life in the area. The aim of the proposal
is to take advantage of the existing situation by harvesting scrap material, stone and car
parts, to create new spaces for people to approach the area. Using these resources in
an attempt to recycle the site, a living unit complex, a large farmland with resting areas
and public retail market are introduced.
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Building Blocks for Social Sustainability Nicosia, Cyprus
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Kaimakli Industrial Area
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Building Blocks for Social Sustainability Nicosia, Cyprus
Acknowledgements
Introduction
Workshops
Walled City
Move to the End
Safe Art
In-Fix
Re-Finding
Inter-Group Mixing
Back to Nature
Safe Visibility
Red Path
Interaction-Installation-Movable Platform
Enlightment
Re-Rail
Educating Nature
Participants
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Kaimakli Industrial Area
Re-Rail
Observation: Empty large plots of military that workers from the factories are dropping
their garbage into them. Empty areas have no life, no activities that attract people. Ex-
isting paths are blocked by cars and trash
Proposal: The aim of the project is to give life to the area which is abandoned and
is empty when the industrial area is not working. the first part of the project is a specific
module that is placed on top of rails in order to guide it through the site without upset-
ting the already existing users. The second part is creating a wall over the specific path
that connects the activities. The wall is used for graffiti. The third part is the skate park,
for the skate park we used the already exiting grain collectors which are abandoned
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Building Blocks for Social Sustainability Nicosia, Cyprus
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Kaimakli Industrial Area
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Building Blocks for Social Sustainability Nicosia, Cyprus
Acknowledgements
Introduction
Workshops
Walled City
Move to the End
Safe Art
In-Fix
Re-Finding
Inter-Group Mixing
Back to Nature
Safe Visibility
Red Path
Interaction-Installation-Movable Platform
Enlightment
Re-Rail
Educating Nature
Participants
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Kaimakli Industrial Area
Observation: By walking on the site we realized that is an industrial area where people
are not interested to visit. Workers of the local industries mostly use the area. Further-
more there are not enough green areas at the site and thy don’t take advantage of the
existing linear park of Kaimakli. also the site is full of waste-garbage Accordingly, the
area smells bad and gets more unfriendly.
Proposal: We are attempting to create a linear multi-functional park along the in-
dustrial area which invites people to visit the area. Furthermore we are connecting the
proposed linear park with the existing one by proposing additional green plots in the
area. The idea was to take the green areas of the buffer zone and push them in the city.
in addition we proposed areas in that linear park where artist will exhibit
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Building Blocks for Social Sustainability Nicosia, Cyprus
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Kaimakli Industrial Area
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Building Blocks for Social Sustainability Nicosia, Cyprus
Acknowledgements
Introduction
Workshops
Walled City
Move to the End
Safe Art
In-Fix
Re-Finding
Inter-Group Mixing
Back to Nature
Safe Visibility
Red Path
Interaction-Installation-Movable Platform
Enlightment
Re-Rail
Educating Nature
Participants
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Kaimakli Industrial Area
Educating Nature
Observation: The urban analysis of 6km aims to seek and to analysis the surrounding
conditions in order to identify problems and opportunities. Within this framework is
investigating road networks, farmlands, agriculture and natural landscape, government
infrastructure and green areas along with the historic background of the area and the
people that are engaging the site. There are issues of segregation and abandonees
within the area. The pollution is a major issue within the area and case environment
and development problems. Some of the reasons are lack of surveillance, no one is
complaining, growing belief that the site has lower value and its high cost for proper
disposal for some of the materials.
As the project progress it will focus on the industrial area with a proposal on an agricul-
tural/mechanical education center which at the same time will help to improve/ suggest
other types of cultivations more sustainable for the island. The selection of the two types
of educational programs is aiming to unify the area since the one program will cultivate
the land and the other will produce and educate people how to create agricultural ma-
chineries . In other words the one is greening the site and the other assist this purposes.
The selected clusters of structures that have been selected to redevelop were the struc-
tures of commission of grains . The structure have been built by the British and it used
to be a storage of the seeds for agricultural peruses for the island. during 1995 a new
complex of structures started to created for the very same reason and it was aiming to
replace the old structures. The complex of the seed production center that can hold up
to the 50% of the seed for the whole Cyprus .
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Building Blocks for Social Sustainability Nicosia, Cyprus
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Kaimakli Industrial Area
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Acknowledgements
Introduction
Workshops
Walled City
Move to the End
Safe Art
In-Fix
Re-Finding
Inter-Group Mixing
Back to Nature
Safe Visibility
Red Path
Interaction-Installation-Movable Platform
Enlightment
Re-Rail
Educating Nature
Participants
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Participants
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Building Blocks for Social Sustainability Nicosia, Cyprus
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Participants
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Building Blocks for Social Sustainability Nicosia, Cyprus
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Participants
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Building Blocks for Social Sustainability Nicosia, Cyprus
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Participants
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Social sustainability extends the essence of sustainable design and combines design
of the physical realm with the design of the social world in order to create successful
places that promote well-being by understanding what people need from the places
where they live and work. This book is a compilation of the Building Blocks for Social
Sustainability Workshops, which students aim to address social sustainability.