Re-mining Giali: a new scenario for the manufactured landscape

Personal Info

Name: Dimitrios Mitsimponas

Nationality: Greek

Institution / Company: Department of Architecture, School of Engineering, University of Thessaly

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dmitsimponas/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dimitris-mitsimponas-5b46b924b/

-FINALIST of Non Architecture Award 2022 Competition | Category: Urban & Landscape

The project proposes a new scenario for the manufactured landscape of Giali, an uninhabited volcanic island in Greece. Mining has extensively affected its landscape, causing many environmental and social effects. Still, no plans have been suggested regarding the island’s development after the completion of the mining works. 

A primary concern during the design phase was how different programs could be introduced to Giali sustainably to reclaim the mine and create a new economic policy for the neighboring communities. It is proposed to utilize Giali’s geothermal energy through an underground architectural program in which the energy production and the bathing element have the primary roles.

The Binary Cycle Geothermal Power Plant is a heat hub that produces electricity meeting the neighboring islands’ needs. Its waste energy is consumed directly at the bathing facilities, just as geothermal sources are used by different cultures for purification and relaxation. The design of the baths in Giali’s industrial landscape and their proximity to the geothermal power plant constitutes a new challenge and encourages visitors to be informed about the origin of energy in modern societies, to reflect and to relax. 

The proposal differs from the standard techniques for reclaiming mining sites and explores the relationship between production infrastructure and leisure programs. It is also in harmony with the “genius loci,” highlighting the site’s distinctive atmosphere. The porous building is integrated into the landscape, and according to a cascading energy system, each space is organized depending on its heat and humidity needs (from warmer to cooler), creating a hybrid structure where all the senses are stimulated.

Project Type

Bathing facilities and geothermal power plant