the walled city of NICOSIA CYPRUS THE CASE OF Maria Costi and David Castrillo A r c h i t e c t s

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1 THE CASE OF the walled city of NICOSIA CYPRUS Maria Costi and David Castrillo A r c h i t e c t s

2 Nicosia Capital of Cyprus geographic & historic facts

3 Nicosia- Diameter=1,6km

4 Diversion of the river out of the city by the Venetians when they built the star shaped Walls Old course of the river passing through the city now underground sewage system realised during British Rule.

5 Traces seen in the urban fabric- road, axes Venetian Period Existing buildings until today from these periods Resulted in the buffer zone, abandonment- many empty buildings, decline of historic center many opportunities for serious studies and correct interventions in the historic center

6 Buffer zone Residential areas Restoration projects

7 Fighting for the obvious

8 Famagusta Gate Monument- an excellent parking place at night

9 WE MUST B R I N G L I F E TO THE O L D CITY HOW? do we maintain historic sites and complexes successfully for urban life C O N T R A D I C T I O N S

10 Mentality up to the 1980 s Bring Life = Destroy Old/ Build New concrete buildings Women s Market Building Destroyed in 1969 near Faneromeni Area- No longer exists as a building nor as a Function

11 Magic Palace Cinema-Theatre also destroyed and replaced by a building with shops, offices and apartments. No longer exists as a building nor as a Function

12 Today: A Law against destroying buildings declared as historical B R I N G L I F E = restoration of buildings into museums, cultural centers, exhibition halls bring high society activities?

13 CONTRADICTION 1 PANKYPRIO VERS NEIGHBORHOOD Pankyprio Gymnasium Typical example of the 2 mentalities

14 Pankyprio Gymnasium Public School The whole block of the school and residential buildings that the School is aiming to own one day. Thisseos street has changed completely in the last 50 years due to urban damage caused by the School. It s immaterial quality has been lost. Houses that the School expropriated and demolished until mid 80 s Houses that the School expropriated and wanted to demolished in the mid 80 s but was stopped by activist Architects. With TODAY s mentality they have been made Museums. All the interventions and restoration projects have at the least had in mind the material part of the building. In no case was it taken into consideration the altering and destruction caused to the immaterial elements and urban life House that the School expropriated is now in process of being restored into a cultural center. Houses not the School s Property yet.

15 Panoramic view of Pagkyprio Gymnasium from Thisseos str.

16 CONTRADICTION2 HOMES VERS NIGHT CLUBS Municipality sponsors 50% of the restoration of historic buildings aiming to attract people (young couples and families) to live in the historic center Municipality is giving more and more permits to night clubs, taverns and restaurants inside the historic center.

17 Night clubs, taverrns and restaurants Residential Area Area near Archbishop Palace.

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19 Noise pollution in the core of the residential area.

20 CONTRADICTION 3 HIGHER VERS LOWER SOCIETY THE OMERIYE HAMAM Excellent Building Restoration/ Poor Urban Function Restoration

21 Excellent restoration of the Historic Omeriye Hamam Building by the Municipality that won the Europa Nostra 1 st prize for restoration in The way the Hamam functions today has caused the disappearance of an important social and urban immaterial element in the city.

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25 CONTRADICTION 4 TRADITIONAL MARKET VERS CULTURAL CENTER Old Municipality Market Threatened to be turned into another cultural center

26 The material aspect of the building needs restoration, but mainly the immaterial function (the traditional market space) must urgently and carefully be restored. Thinking of using the building as an extension of the new municipality building that will we built right next to it. Possibly be used as cultural center. Function of Market building will disappear from the area.

27 Municipal Traditional Food Market Area where New Municipality will be built now excavations are being held. New Mall- Commercial Center

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32 ATTRACT NEW RESIDENTS VERS OFFER FACILITIES TO THE RESIDENTS ALREADY LIVING IN THE AREA? CONTRADICTION 5 FAMAGUSTA STREET FAÇADE RESTORATION PROJECT A Street with almost no Residents

33 Facade Restoration Projects and infrastructure in Famagusta str. - a street with barely any residents- in order to attract NEW residents. No projects in already residential areas. OLD residents don t have basic facilities and infrastructure and are considering abandoning the area as they don t find the situation attractive at all.

34 Famagusta street Restoration Project Residential Area lacking basic infrastructure

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37 From our experience in situ we come to the following conclusions: So the contradiction as I see it is that we want to bring life but by the methods used up to now we only manage an artificial restoration of the historic center. Importance must be given to the immaterial elements for it is those that preserve the quality of life. People are attracted to quality life- not romantic facades immaterial elements SHOULD be studied and restored with the same precision and attention (if not more) that the material elements are. That is the future of HISTORIC CITIES... THANK YOU