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Maria Tziora
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Nauplion is a coastal region of the Eastern Peloponnese and the capital of Argolida. As a traditional settlement, it constitutes one of the most well preserved, historical towns of Greece. For this reason, Nauplion attracts many tourists throughout the year; also, due to its proximity to Athens. According to the Greek Mythology, this town was established in this mountainous peninsula by the son of god Poseidon, Nauplios, due to its fortified location and the existence of a natural harbor.The different fortifications during the Francocracy, the Ottoman period and the Venetian period affected gradually the coastline of Nauplion. This coastline of Nauplion is the in-between space between the modern part of the town and the beach of Arvanitia. An important characteristic of Nauplion’s coastline is Bourtzi, a Venetian fortress, which was connected through a chain with the Southwest part of Akronauplia. This research is an analysis on the various programs and activities, that take place along the coastline and aim to redefine the connection between the coast and the historical center of Nauplion.
Coastal Platforms
Nauplion is an important historical place affected by different cultures throughout its presence. The old town is attracting a large amount of tourist every day, who due to their numbers are causing traffic and parking problems, facts that are affecting the locals, too. As a result, the coastline plays a supplementary and supportive role for the historical center of Nauplion, by providing parking lots for the visitors of the town center. Main purpose of this project is to create a new experience in the historical city of Nauplion, by converting it in a city for pedestrians. Firstly, a parking area for residents is built under a spacious public space on the west of the old city, towards the five brothers’ Venetian fortress. This parking space is linked through Pharmakopoulou and Staikopoulou streets to the entrance of the historical city. Continuously, small ‘’urban voids’ are transformed, by creating new points of interest such as rest places, wi-fi spots, projection spaces, open air libraries, little gardens which are connected to pedestrian routes. Consequently, the old city of Nauplion not only becomes an area without traffic, but it is also converted to a new public experience. In the coastline of Nauplion there are three problematic spots; he abandoned area in front of Amphitryon hotel, the abandoned swimming pier on the west as well as the concrete platform on the northwest. All three of them are refurbished and redesigned, by creating both public and private places, which link the coastline to the concept of the pedestrian- historical city park.
