OF. STUDIO + degree zero architects propose 10 tube-shaped towers for thessaloniki’s waterfront – Designboom

in response to an international call to redevelop thessalonikis waterfront, OF. STUDIO has teamed up with degree zero architects to create OCULIS. launched by ALUMIL, the competition called for innovative ideas regarding the redevelopment of the greek citys western coastal side and the creation of a new central business district. the criteria set by UIA sought high energy efficiency and sustainability to redefine thessalonikis position on the international map while welcoming citizens and entrepreneurs alike.

aerial view of OCULIS

image by cosmoscube

the proposal is composed of ten striking towers to highlight the new central business district at the entrance of the city. a podium, designed at the lower levels as a fluid, multi-program zone, sparks the revitalization of the site area, the adjacent city quarters, and the city waterfront. through a sequence of public plazas, the proposal opens up and connects to the city at the northern boundary while creating a public path through the project site.

the podiums create a base for the tube-shaped towers

image by cosmoscube

a green buffer zone of natural beauty forms the southern edge towards the commercial port. in order to connect the development to the water without interrupting the operations of the port, the water bays are extended to reach the site. at the same time, to create a buffer zone between the port, the design explores the creation of a green zone of coastal afforestation.

the podiums contain a sequence of covered, semi-covered and open spaces

image by cosmoscube

the towers follow a modular concept. the design emerges from a basic tube-shape geometry that transforms to respond to different programmatic uses. this maintains formal coherence throughout the design proposal while at the same time promotes mutation and variation, integrating the particularities of each tower according to functional requirements.

the towers propose a striking skyline for the new central business district of thessaloniki

the podium represents the expansion of the city fabric into the site. it consists of a sequence of covered, semi-covered and open spaces, corresponding to the mediterranean climate, rituals, and lifestyle. multiple free-shaped spaces interconnect or detach to allow ventilation and sun penetration while the roofs overhang to provide shade. green roofs and ramping surfaces create a fluid and continuous landscape allowing routes for pedestrians and cyclists to circulate throughout the development. the podiums create a base for the towers, lifting their geometries above it and providing protected access to their circulation cores at ground level.

layout at +82m and ground level: a fluid landscape runs throughout the development, connecting the various programs of the towers

a wide range of programs is proposed alongside two additional functions education and cultural spaces to further enrich the civil fabric

the modular concept behind the towers

the transparency or opaqueness of the faade systems change according to the use of each building

project info:

project name: OCULIS

competition: ArXellence 2 by ALUMIL

location: thessaloniki, greece

design: OF. STUDIO and degree zero architects

designboom has received this project from our DIY submissions feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readershere.

edited by: lynne myers | designboom

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OF. STUDIO + degree zero architects propose 10 tube-shaped towers for thessaloniki's waterfront - Designboom