3 and 1 thematic proposals at Ladonas Lake

Students: Loukia Iliopoulou, Chryssa Krassa, Stella Rousogiannaki
supervisors: Nelli Marda, Spyros Rogan
consultant: Constantinos Karadimas
Architecture department, National Technical University of Athens
Presentation date: November 28, 2011

___the changing landscape

The subject of our diploma project is the development of the artificial Ladonas lake, which is located in Peloponnese, in order to highlight the natural landscape and simultaneously upgrade the villages that are located nearby. We choose the area of Ladonas and we are inspired by its particularities, seen as it possesses certain features that lay it as a unique natural landmark.

It is an Arcadian Landscape. It belongs to the county of Arcadia and conveys the tranquility and beauty that characterize the Arcadian land.
A mythological landscape. Considered to be the meeting place for the Olympian gods, the lake of Ladonas and its waters are bound with the ancient Greek legends and traditions.
Most of all, it is a changing landscape. The hydroelectric plant and the dam, combined with the seasonal rainfall, create an interesting phenomenon.  the alteration of the water level during the year. When the water level is low, the lake reveals in its depths its history. Watermills, old houses, bridges and entire reefs appear on the surface in periods of drought and then disappear again in the bottom when the rainy season begins.

In response to the variability of the landscape, we choose to create structures that are affected by the rise and fall of the water level, in a natural way. In comparison to the transforming environment, the architectural forms we propose are designed to alter their form along with it.

___ 3 + 1 thematic proposals/ the suggestion

We suggest the creation of two serpentine paths. one that is aquatic throughout the virgin, eastern part of the lake and one that follows the northwestern shore, which is more manmade. Along the second path we choose to place four proposals. A floating exhibition, an open market with local products combined with a refectory, a music stage as well as a small camping center. Taking under consideration the mythological background of the lake, we use a symbolism as an inspiration for each of our four proposals. This symbolism is drawn from the very landscape of Ladonas.

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.the branch__discovering the local tastes
Our jointed route starts from the square of the Mouria village and ends in another square on the water, branching into smaller paths in the in-between. The visitor can walk below the level of the ground, through a slit in the rock, while meeting on the left thematic crops in successive levels. A small refectory is placed near the water and one can taste there the products that are cultivated and exhibited at the crops mentioned above, overlooking the lake at the same time. The second half of the "branch" extends into the water, where, with the use of a jointed wooden deck, it leads to a floating platform. This deck, using the joint, is able to "break" in two parts and be moved freely by the water ripples. The platform can subsequently follow an arced path and be tied against twelve pillars, which represent the twelve agricultural months in Greek tradition.

.the keel__capturing the spirit of the place
Near the refectory, inside the curve of the bay, we place a floating exhibition in the form of an abandoned keel. Like a shipwreck, forgotten by time, it looks like it was there since forever. This feeling is enhanced by the use of rusty metal. Located entirely in the water, it bridges the two bay shores and contains both fixed and floating parts. Access to the central part, the main body of the "ship", becomes possible through two long corridors - ramps, which hold it captive in its place, like giant stretched ropes. Alongside them, inside six elevated container cubes, lies the permanent, covered exhibition. In the center, the keel can metaphorically be seen as the place in which the secrets and the special characteristics of the lake are stored - in other words, the "genius loci". There we can find the experiential exhibition, named as such because the visitor is able to observe the water plants and the fish whilst reading at the same time about the myths associated with them. At the bow of the structure he could use one of the small boats to travel throughout the lake and visit the other spots of interest.

.the shell__reviving aural memories
We choose to place a music scene at the same point where a jazz festival takes place every summer. Drawing inspiration from the form of a shell, we design a structure that lies between land and water and has been washed at the shore. We create an introvert shape, which encloses the water, turning its back on earth but arising from it at the same time. The structure has a spiral form, one that wraps and loses its continuity at the spots where human motion is traced. The bleachers, sometimes swinging above water, sometimes floating over it, are oriented towards a floating stage, shaped like a piece of a puzzle. Once the water level rises, said stage slips away from the "shell" and moves towards the lake, buckling to the "missing" puzzle piece - a smaller stage located inside the center of the lake. A water show can now take place, using nature as a background and people onboard the passing boats as spectators. Behind the theatre, near the road, we suggest a small wetland for ducks and migratory birds, as well as two container canteens for the theatre visitors.

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.the hive__the residence that alters
Lastly, to facilitate the visitors and taking under consideration that nearby villages don't offer any kind of accommodation, we suggest the operation of a small camping center. The basic form of a cube is chosen for each of the residences we design, willing to resemble the design logic of a bee hive with the irregular placing of the cubes altogether. The camping center operates all year long and affords two kinds of housing - a residence that is fixed and one that is variable. The fixed one is placed on a high spot and includes hygiene premises as well as a small greenhouse that provides heating. The altering one, on the other hand, lies near the water, can be used only during the summer months and resembles a sort of an organized form of a camping tent. It contains a closed inner shell, which can be opened up during the day, gaining more space and unifying the internal with the external. Moreover, inside the camping center premises there can also be found a restaurant, a mini market, a water tank as well as a small grove that is preserved and open to the public.

4 symbols, 4 thematic proposals. The branch, the keel, the shell and the hive. In the vast and timeless Arcadian landscape, our goal is to highlight the beauty of the lake and uncover its history. To explore the past, but design for the future.
"Ladon qui citis acquis io mare currit". (Ladon, who flows into the sea with rapid stream, meaning that I always pull ahead, pass me the seasons, the years, but I still roll on the infinite, eternal journey towards the sea). Ovid.