The ferry should be done far differently than I did it… It seemed like most people who had seats like me were able to fall asleep. I was less fortunate and envious of those who had realized the discomfort of a deck seat and supplied themselves with a sleeping mat and bag. I didn’t sleep more than 4 hours on a lightly carpeted floor. I woke up feeling achier than I ever have before, and as my joints cracked and a headache lodged itself behind my eyes I gathered my things and entered the port of Piraeus (Athens). I stored my luggage at the metro terminal that I would take later that day and made my way to the high-speed ferry departing for the island of Hydra in a few hours.
We had made a short stop at Hydra last year as part of my study abroad program, but only stayed for a short time. Hydra is famous for its “vehicle-less” streets and untarnished Mediterranean Island vernacular style. The island has long been known as a great military power despite its small size and therefore has avoided the majority of foreign invaders throughout its history. Walking the streets of this old city is a wonderfully peaceful with the absence of motorized vehicles (there are a few sanitation vehicles but all other transportation is done on foot or by donkey). The quintessential Greek island feel can be found here with the narrow passages between houses, small tavernas along the port, hill top monastic complexes, and bell towers.
As I walked around the town, taking the path less traveled by other tourists, to the highest points along the old town I found myself thinking as a future designer/planner… “What is it about an old town that I am fascinated with?” Furthermore, what are the requirements of an “Old Town” that make it such and how can I create something that invokes similar feelings in a wider range of settings? The obvious answer to this problem is to copy every element in actual old towns and translate them into any new construction. However, with changes in technology, needs of contemporary life, and wide variation in climatic conditions around the world the construction of a new-“old town” would be highly inefficient and could be designed with more care to the client/place… Can it be done by the pedestrianization of spaces (narrowing of streets blocked off to vehicle traffic), implementation of more public space and a promenade, or is it the repetition of architectural elements that give the old town its life? Does an old town require water, age, history, monuments, etc? Just a few things I will be contemplating as I move into the upcoming semester.
The ferry should be done far differently than I did it… It seemed like most people who had seats like me were able to fall asleep. I was less fortunate and envious of those who had realized the discomfort of a deck seat and supplied themselves with a sleeping mat and bag. I didn’t sleep more than 4 hours on a lightly carpeted floor. I woke up feeling achier than I ever have before, and as my joints cracked and a headache lodged itself behind my eyes I gathered my things and entered the port of Piraeus (Athens). I stored my luggage at the metro terminal that I would take later that day and made my way to the high-speed ferry departing for the island of Hydra in a few hours.
We had made a short stop at Hydra last year as part of my study abroad program, but only stayed for a short time. Hydra is famous for its “vehicle-less” streets and untarnished Mediterranean Island vernacular style. The island has long been known as a great military power despite its small size and therefore has avoided the majority of foreign invaders throughout its history. Walking the streets of this old city is a wonderfully peaceful with the absence of motorized vehicles (there are a few sanitation vehicles but all other transportation is done on foot or by donkey). The quintessential Greek island feel can be found here with the narrow passages between houses, small tavernas along the port, hill top monastic complexes, and bell towers.
As I walked around the town, taking the path less traveled by other tourists, to the highest points along the old town I found myself thinking as a future designer/planner… “What is it about an old town that I am fascinated with?” Furthermore, what are the requirements of an “Old Town” that make it such and how can I create something that invokes similar feelings in a wider range of settings? The obvious answer to this problem is to copy every element in actual old towns and translate them into any new construction. However, with changes in technology, needs of contemporary life, and wide variation in climatic conditions around the world the construction of a new-“old town” would be highly inefficient and could be designed with more care to the client/place… Can it be done by the pedestrianization of spaces (narrowing of streets blocked off to vehicle traffic), implementation of more public space and a promenade, or is it the repetition of architectural elements that give the old town its life? Does an old town require water, age, history, monuments, etc? Just a few things I will be contemplating as I move into the upcoming semester.
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