Re-mining Giali: a new scenario for the manufactured landscape_
Βathing and power production facilities
Diploma Thesis
Department of Architecture, University of Thessaly,
Supervisor: Evelyn Gavrilou
2022
EUMiesAwards YTAA 23 Finalist | Fundació Mies van der Rohe, European Commission
A+ Award for Student works + People's Choice Award | AZURE Magazine
Diploma Thesis Award | Cyprus Architects Association
Excellence in Innovative Technologies in Architecture | Youth Board of Cyprus
Excellence in Innovative Technologies in Architecture | Youth Board of Cyprus
The project reimagines Giali’s manufactured landscape which has been irreparably altered by mining, causing environmental and social effects. It explores the relation between energy production infrastructure and recreational facilities to reclaim the mine and create a new revenue stream for the local communities.
Giali is a small volcanic island in Greece with one of the world's largest pumice mines. Despite its inclusion in the Natura 2000 Network and its designation as a Protected Landscape, it hosts operations from two mining companies. The royalty fees mining brings to the nearby island of Nisyros are the biggest source of revenue for its Municipality. The excavations commenced in the 1950s and have a specific time frame, but they proceeded without a comprehensive developmental plan. So, within the future climate goals, Nisyrians decided to prevent further exploitation of unrenewable resources and reclaim the mine sustainably.
The thesis focuses on utilizing Giali’s geothermal energy for power production and communal bathing. Geothermal energy is a renewable energy source in the form of heat generated inside the earth. The geothermal plant is a heat hub producing electricity for Nisyros, meeting its needs. Its waste heat is consumed at the bathing facilities, just as geothermal sources are used by different cultures for purification and relaxation. The spaces are arranged according to a cascading energy system, creating a hybrid where all the senses are stimulated.
The proposal connects the plant’s industrial character with the thermal baths’ aura and is in harmony with the genius loci. Departing from typical mine reclamation practices, it integrates three design approaches. The first one seeks to engage the public and educate people about energy production and consumption, mining, and future land use by designing the info point, power plant, and exhibition. The second one focuses on utilizing Giali’s rainwater and clean energy resources to reduce energy inputs. The third one suggests rehabilitating the location for public and recreational amenities, namely electric utilities, baths, and walking trails.
The project highlights the architects’ social responsibility and addresses environmental and energy management challenges, offering viable solutions for the region’s socioeconomic future.
