Nouvelle Nature, the new urban nuggets of nature

Technical University of Crete, Department of Architecture, Chania, Crete

Project idea

Man's contact with nature and habitation of the landscape is a prime reminder of the past. An early inhabitation that began with the cultivation of the landscape and the exploitation of natural resources, acquired luxury and recreation for a portion of society, was acquired by most of society, reached the absolute encroachment, destruction, abuse and construction of urban landscapes, ending the modern need for protection and return of outdoor life.
In particular, the creation of conditions to achieve the coexistence of the bourgeois with the natural landscape, searching imperative in a time of rapid rhythm and virtual and artificial reality, seems essential. The return to the generating roots, the return to the traces of an old everyday life in modern life.

Project description

The observation of the Attica basin proves that nuggets of natural landscapes within the urban structure exist, vary in size and remain remnants of a lifetime struggle. Modern everyday life treats these nuggets as the limits of an unknown, inaccessible nature.
The choice of one of these urban natural landscapes is made, the Estate of Syngrou is selected at the borders of Kifissia and Maroussi and welcomes the new natures.
The Estate of Syngrou serves the purpose of work by its very nature.
It is an area of about 700 acres covered with pine and holm trees aged 150 years and 250 acres are landscaped for agricultural use. while the remaining area is occupied by the buildings of the Institute of Agricultural Sciences and the National School of Anavryta, as well as the preserved mansion of Andreas Sygrou and the also preserved temple of Agios Andreas, building of Ernesto Ziller.
The Estate is a legacy to the former Agricultural Society of Athens by Iphigenia Mavrokordatou - Syngrou (1842-1921), husband of Andreas Syngrou, who in her will expresses the express wish to use the Estate to contribute to the "education of good farmers and gardeners »
Situated on the foot of Penteli, it has natural water springs with abundant water flowing in the area, hence its name as Anavryta as well as rich vegetation, dominated even today by the Mediterranean pine. this place includes the only natural forest in the whole of Athens and one of the last of Attica.
It is obvious that the place is ideal to redefine the relationship of modern man, and with nature. Relationship as reported over time and varied.


But what are the new natures
• Meditation with landscape_ breakage of landscape partition and architecture.
• dematerialization _ of disturbance of natural and perceived boundaries for the creation of spaces in association with Nature.
• space _ creation of sequential and cinematic space, edited in a single way.
• system _ to understand all the features proposed by the work and to rebuild a system.
• public and social functioning _ a combination of the existential and community character of the sites with their functions.
• presence of time _ recording and enjoyment of the presence of time in space, through the interaction caused between light and the materials selected, as well as through the material itself.
• structure and materiality _ creation of spaces, with the essence of matter and materials.

The basic feature of the new nature is the gradual Initiation into Nature, which we are no longer part of.
This is how you create a system of 3 domains
1. 1st domain: contact, coexistence and restoration of the civil-physical relationship. Urban daily life and land production coexist via urban crops, agricultural training sites, experiential spaces - a "new-nature lab" - and recreation and cessation areas.
2. Second field: smooth reintegration into the natural virgin landscape - gradual removal from the urban space (image and sound) have a prime role. The elements of nature - earth, water, sky, fire - organize the space by providing transient places that then lead to places of contact with these elements. Public places that can accommodate groups of people and provide communication and contact.
3. 3rd sector: the entrance to the natural is done. The design of small structures - shelters - provides the experience of living in nature. Experience primitive, archetypal and totally personal. In order to isolate, calm and fuel the person with energy that stems from the elements of nature.

Technical information

master plan, sketches, drawings, visualizations