Amore vacui. The void as an urban regenerator, Haifa, Israel

AMORE VACUI

ThE VOId As An URbAn REgEnERATOR hAIfA , IsRAEl

Master of Science in Architecture (1136) Candidate: Vanessa Laos

Mat.: 871150 Relators: Andrea Adami - Orit Shmueli (Technion University)

Indroduction

There is an uncountable number of abandoned buildings around the world. Nowadays, a lot of pro-jects are creating new uses inside the abandoned buildings in order to reuse the place and so the cities. However, sometimes, the places are not abandoned and some human activites reveals that something is happening inside: the place has became a place for spontaneous activities and unplan-ned encounters, a VOID of the planunplan-ned city. This democratic space, instead of being deleted for the allocation of new uses inside the building, can become the starting point of the urban regeneration of its context.

Amore Vacui, “the love for the void” is a work based in the urban analysis, urban diagnosis, theore-tical approach, and urban proposal in the city of Haifa, Israel.

The purpose of this thesis is discovering, analysing and showing the potential of a new kind of public space arising in an abandoned area in Haifa, defined as “the void”, a place where espontaneous actions and encounters are happening. In this way, the project aims to propose a Masterplan that is sensitive with the existing urban logic of the void and that connects it with the city.

Urban

Analysis

Haifa, 1.1 Geographical information 1.2 Historical information 1.3.Mobility 1.3 Uses 1.4 Enclosed spaces

1.5 Masterplans already approved in Haifa

13 16 39 40 43 59 90 99 76 78 80 84 86 88 62 63

1

2

3

4

The void I, 2.1 Historical information 2.2 Spatial analysis

The void II,

3.1 Theoretical explanation of the void 3.1.1 The Right to the City

3.1.2 Loose Space 3.1.3 Horror Vacui 3.1.4 Micromegas 3.2 Theoretical proposal

The void III, 4.1 Amore Vacui Bybliohraphy

Urban Diagnosis

Theoretical approach

Amore V

acui

!"#$%&'$#"( !"#$"! 0 50 100 150 miles Study place Jerusalem 857 752 Tel Aviv 429 515 Haifa 276 993

Urban

Analysis

1

The study place is located in Haifa. Haifa is a city located at the North of Israel. Having 845 km², is the thrid biggest city of the country (after Jerusalem and Tel Aviv). It’s recognized by its topography since it is located on the northern hillside of the Carmel Mountains and going down around the Haifa Bay, facing the Mediterranean Sea.

It is distributed in three levels: the lowest is mainly the commercial and industrial area, the middle level is already in the slopes of Mount Carmel and is conformed by old residential constructions, and the highest level is occupied by new neighborhoods and two important academic institutions: the University of Haifa and the Technion University.

Haifa has been occupied during the last 3000 years by the jewish, persian, hasmonean, ro-mans, bizantines, arabs, cruzaders, ottoro-mans, egypts, british and finally israelis. Because of that, nowadays the city has diversity in terms of constructions, population, religions and uses; and it is a real example of coexistence between jews, muslim and christians.

Urban

Analysis

Haifa,

1.1 Geographical information

1

+10m

+100m

+500m

Haifa is located on the Israeli Mediterranean Coastal Plain, the historic land between Europe, Africa and Asia, This plain varies from 40 km wide to 5km wide, being streched by the Mount Carmel, a coastal mountain range in northern Israel that is considered by UNESCO as a biosphere reserve.

The mountain range is a natural barrier on the landscape. It is about 6.5 to 8 kilometres wide, having the biggest elevation towards the northeastern face with around 546 meters high. The composition of the mountain is an admixture of flint and limestone, and covered with volcanic rocks. The northen slope (where Haifa is located) is covered by trees as oak, olive, laurel and pine.

Urban

Analysis

Haifa,

1.1 Geographical information

Haifa is sourrounded by different geographical accidents. To begin, it is located in the biggest geographical accident called the Mediterranean Coastal Plain, with 187 km long and located from the north of Siria until the north limit with Lebanon. The Mediterranean Coastal Plain is called in this area the Carmel Coastal Plain, due to the existence of the Mount Carmel, almost stopping the plain when is the closest to the sea.

North the Mount Carmel is located the Haifa Bay, the only natural harbor on the Mediterranean Sea, basically occupied by the harbor and industry.

The Jezreel Valley lies on the East side of Mount Carmel, and it is known as a large fertile area around the area, producing products as melon, oranges, watermelon, wheat, white beans, cowpeas, chickpeas, green beans, cotton, sunflowers and corn.

1

Jezreel Valley Haifa Bay 1 1 Mount Carmel Carmel Coastal plain 14

Urban

Analysis

1

Section 1-1 200m 0.5 km 1 km 1.5 km 2 km 2.5 km 3 km 3.5 km 150m 75m 0m Upper Haifa Medium Haifa Lower Haifa Study place

Haifa,

1.1 Historical information

Urban

Analysis

1

Roman and Byzantine periods

Haifa’s territory has been occu-pied for more than 1900 years and by many different civiliza-tions. The rich history of the place is perceived by the re-maining buildings of different periods coliving in the nowa-days city. In other words, the city is a palimpsest of different times and civilizations.

Medieval Period

Ottoman Period

Templars Period

British Mandate Period

Independence of Israel 37 B.C - 640 A.C. 640-1517 1600-1868 1869-1922 1922-1948 1948 and on 16

Roman and Byzantine periods

Period with mostly settlements on sea shore, port villages

37 B.C - 640 A.C.

The Roman and Byzantine Periods

37 B.C -640 A.D

Settlement

Cemetery

Mostly settlements on sea shore, port villages

[1] pg. 40

Urban

Analysis

1

Current cemetery sealed with railway

Section plan open cemetery [2] pg. 94 [2] pg. 95 [2] pg. 95

Urban

Analysis

1

18

Roman and Byzantine periods

Roman cemetery in today’s Haifa- sealed with railway

[2] pg. 96

Urban

Analysis

1

37 B.C - 640 A.C.

The Medieval Period

640 -1517 Crusaders Mameluke Arab Village City [1] pg. 45

Urban

Analysis

1

Akko 20

The Medieval Period

640 -1517

Haifa el-Atika dates back to the Arabs in medieval period.

During the Crusaders period the town was fortified with walls and towers. Tel-Shikmona was the most importance place at the time, used as main port.

In the 13th_{century, the Mameluke destroyed most of Haifa.}

By late 16th_{century, most of Haifa’s population extended over wide area of}

today’s Bat-Galim. [1] pg. 45

Urban

Analysis

1

Medieval period

During the medieval period Haifa was inhabited by arabs, cruza-ders and mamelukes.

By late 16th century, most of Haifa’s population extended over the north of Haifa (bat Galim area)

640- 1517

The Ottoman Period

1600 –

1868

In 1761 Zahir al-Umar ordered the destruction of Old-Haifa and established

the New Haifa.

Out of safety measures Zahir searched for a place that would protect the

passage way to Acre. He chose the narrowest point between sea and

mountain, today’s Downtown.

The new Haifa, was surrounded by a wall fortified by towers

[1] pg. 49

Urban

Analysis

1

Urban

Analysis

1

Ottoman period

In 1761 Zahir al Umar ordered the destruction of Old Haifa and established the New Haifa. Out of safety measure Zahir looked for a place that would protect the way to Akko (an arab town at the north of Haifa). He chose the narrowest area between the sea and the Carmel mountain (Today’s downtown). The new Haifa was sourrounded by walls.

Jaffa road connected old Haifa and new Haifa and this road will became the route 4 in today’s Haifa.

Almost at the end of this period, at 1847, the Carmelites inaugu-rated the Stella Maris monastery that drew hundreds of Christian Arabs to Haifa and this is why during the 19th Century Haifa enjo-yed prosperity and growth in population, that caused the moving outside the crowded walls of new Haifa and the expansion of it.

1600- 1868

The Ottoman Period

1600 –

1868

In 1847 the Carmelites inaugurated the Stella Maris monastery which

became the biggest and most influential institution in Haifa. It drew hundreds

of Christian Arabs to Haifa.

During the 19th century, Haifa enjoyed prosperity and growth in population.

In 1850 people started settling outside the crowded walls of New Haifa

Carmelites Monastery

Urban

Analysis

1

Templars period

In 1859 the Templars settled in Haifa. They established the Ger-man Colony on a place between old and new Haifa. They brought new technologies in agriculture and contributed to the prosperity of the city.

Nowadays, the German Colony is still existing and it has become one of the most succesfull boulevard in Haifa.

Another remaining of this period is the templar cemetery located in the study area.

1869- 1922

The Templars Period

Templar cemetery Old Haifa 1869

-1922

German Colony

Urban

Analysis

1

German colony May 1877

In 1869 the Templars settled in Haifa. They established the German colony on arable land between old Haifa and new Haifa. They brought new technologies in agriculture and contributed to the prosperity of the city.

The Templars Period

1869 -1922 [1] pg. 51 German Colony Cemetery 26

British Mandate Period

1920 Community distribution [1] pg. 53

Urban

Analysis

1

British Mandate period

This period is essential to understand the system of today’s Haifa sin-ce it is the moment when the population grew and the industrialization started. During this period, the different religions (jews, christians and muslims) inhabited the place into communities and expanded the city, creating new infrastructure such roads and the railway.

1922-1948

Urban

Analysis

1

British Mandate Period

1930

Community distribution

[1] pg. 53

Urban

Analysis

1

British Mandate Period

1920 – 1948

Population growth and industrialization

[1] pg. 53

British Mandate period

1922-1948

British Mandate Period

1920

Built area, road and railway

[3] pg. 144

Urban

Analysis

1

Build area, road and railway

img. 6.) img 5.)

Port and railway station

1938

-first deep water port in Israel

-Haifa became most important harbour city -railway brought goods and people through Haifa

Urban

Analysis

1

British Mandate period

1938

One of the most important episodes in this period is the construction of the deep water port in Israel, that make Haifa the most important harbour city.

Another important infrastructure like the railway was also constructed and brought goods and people through Haifa.

Independence of Israel 1949 built area [3] pg. 147

Urban

Analysis

1

At the time of the independence of Israel, the built area covered mostly the lower part of Haifa close to the sea and the East Haifa (downtown)

Downtown

Development of built area through the years

[1] pg. 62

Urban

Analysis

1

Built area through the years

superposition

1880 -1960

Through the years the strip between the railway and jaffa road remained vacant and unused

[3] pg. 149

Urban

Analysis

1

The city is the result of the superposition of multiple periods over 3000 years. Remaining places from different times colive together with different architecture, religions and cultures.

However, the place of study has had an unused space during all the-se periods, until 1967.

1922-1948

Haifa nowadays

Built area through the years Unused space

http://cafe.themarker.com/post/3363906/

Bat Galim central bus station

1967

- built in 1967

- bus organisation built many functional, modern buildings - important bus station for Haifa / near to the railway station - replaced through HaMitfratz central bus station

Urban

Analysis

1

The central bus station was built on 1967, time when the bus orga-nization of Israel built functional and modern buildings in the country. The importance of the bus station is also because it was near to the railway station.

The architect of this project is Arieh Sharon, a Polish born on 1900 that studied architecture at the Bauhaus in Dessau (Germany) and inmigrate to Israel.

1967

http://www.ariehsharon.org/Acknowledgements/Acknowledgement http://www.ariehsharon.org/Archive/Public-Buildings/Radar-Memorial-Jerusalem-1970/i-6X7PVSw/A http://www.ariehsharon.org/Archive/Public-Buildings/Chemistry-Institute-Hebrew/i-HJTpt3f/A

Arieh Sharon

-famous architect -born 1900 in Poland

-studied architecture at the Bauhaus in Dessau (Germany) -immigrate to Israel and had a great impact on its architecture

Urban

Analysis

1

Urban

Analysis

Haifa,

1.2 Mobility

1

The mobility from North to South of Israel is given by 3 major arterials: 2, 4 and 6. The route 4 is going inside Haifa, sourrounding the Mount Carmel. Paralell to the route 4, the trainlane that connects the north part of Israel and the South cities is located. Both lines, the route 4 and the trainlane, are dividing the city into two parts, the seafront and the hill.

Besides, route 23 is a tunnel inside Mount Carmel that connects West, East and the top of the mountain; meanwhile route 75 is connecting East Haifa with the Eastern cities of Israel like Nazareth, Afula or Tiberias.

The local streets are connecting the upper and the lower part of Haifa, following the slope of the Mount, generally by zigzags.

The study place is located in between the trainrails and the route 4.

2 4 4 4 75 23 Study place

Urban

Analysis

Haifa,

1.3 Uses

1

INDUSTRIAL

One of the reasons Haifa is important in the economy of Israel is because of the country’s largest zone that is located there. From the trainlane towards the sea, the industrial area of Haifa is composed by the harbor, the biggest and oldest high-tech park of Israel, an oil refinery and chemical processing areas.

During the years, some regulations and transformations for reducing the air contamination on the Bay has been implemented.

Urban

Analysis

Haifa,

1.3 Uses

1

HOUSING

Haifa harbors housing areas in its 3 topographic levels: In the lowest level, the only neighbor-hood close to the sea is Bat Galim, the first jewish settlement in modern Haifa, and nowadays has a minimum opening to the Sea.

In the middle level, different neighborhoods are placed, being Hadar HaCarmel one of the most important one due to the market area it provides, with the local market and commercial centers.

The highest level is occupied by the newest and modern housing, towers and big houses.

Bat Galim

Hadar HaCarmel

Urban

Analysis

1

Haifa,

1.3 Uses

PUBLIC HUBS

The city of Haifa provides a diverse range of public hubs. On the lowest level, there are two military bases (one on the southwest and one on the north of Haifa), a Medical Center and government buildings. On the lowest level, the Stadium at the Southeast and some museums at the North are located.

Finally, at the top of the mount Carmel, another medical center and two respected academic institutions as University of Haifa and Technion University take place.

The variety of public hubs make Haifa a city attrative for people to live.

Urban

Analysis

Haifa,

1.4 Enclosed spaces

1

ENCLOSED SPACES

Along Haifa there are two moments when the trainlane and the route 4 split, creating two enclosed areas that make almost impossible the connection of the city with the sea. The first area is located in the southwest part of Haifa and is the place of a military base, meanwhile the second area is on the north of Haifa, and is mainly abandoned. Both areas are located in the Coastal plain and are flat. The study place is placed in one of the enclosed area.

4

4 STUDY PLACE

Urban

Analysis

1

Haifa,

1.4 Enclosed spaces

ENCLOSED SPACE 1: MILITARY BASE

The first enclosed space is the military base, a flat land located on the southwest of Haifa and connected with the tunnel of Mount Carmel (route 23). This is also the area where the route 2 finishes and connects with route 4 that is closer to the mountain, meanwhile the trainlane is closer to the sea. The military area is enclosed by the fast mobility aroind it (route 23, route 4, route 2 and the trainlane).

Urban

Analysis

1

2

2

Urban

Analysis

1

Haifa,

1.4 Enclosed spaces

ENCLOSED SPACE 1: MILITARY BASE

The areas around the military base are used for the industry on the south and for a big ce-metery on the east. The housing zone is located at the north of the military base and is con-nected to the sea by a linear park. The rest of the housing in the area is located on top of the mountains.

Due to the uses around the area, it is not urgent reconnect this enclosed space wirh the city and with the sea.

Urban

Analysis

1

Haifa,

1.4 Enclosed spaces

ENCLOSED SPACE 2: LONG SPACE

The second area enclosed is a 2km long and flat zone on the north of Haifa, delimited by the trainlane and the route 4, and divided by the only transversal street that connects the upper and the lower levels of the city in the northen part.

Urban

Analysis

1

ENCLOSED SPACE 2: LONG SPACE

Around the enclosed space there is mainly housing districs. On the north, closer to the sea, 3 different zones are placed: a second military base, Rambam medical center and the commer-cial and touristic harbor.

Haifa,

1.4 Enclosed spaces

ENCLOSED SPACE 2: LONG SPACE

The long enclosed space is divided in two parts by the only transversal path that connects upper Haifa and the seafront. The west side has the Bat Galim trainstation, moving and brin-ging people to the area, but the rest of this side is occupied by gas stations and a massive abandoned space.

On the other hand, the east side has a diversity of uses that are still not articulating together. Historical sites, cemeteries, housing and commerce are some of the uses of the east side of the long area, creating tensions between each others.

Due to the context of this enclosed space, more variables are analized.

Urban

Analysis

1

Haifa,

1.4 Enclosed spaces

Urban

Analysis

1

Urban

Analysis

1

Haifa,

1.4 Enclosed spaces

Trainlane Gas station Residential Trainstation

Urban

Analysis

1

Cemetery Cemetery Historical building

Cemetery under the route 4

Urban

Analysis

1

Haifa,

1.4 Enclosed spaces

ENCLOSED SPACE 2: LONG SPACE

The range of age in this area is heterogeneous. Around 30% of the population is aged 14 and under. In the age 15–29 group, 40% of the population is involved. 20% between 45 and 59, This continues with 10% of Jews and others aged 60–74 and 10% over age 75,

Ver

y lo

w

Ver

Urban

Analysis

1

ENCLOSED SPACE 2: LONG SPACE

There is a diversity of population also in terms of religions. Around the area, about 40% of the occupied area are muslims and christian neighborhoods, mainly in and around the west side of the long space.

On the other hand, about 60% of the occupied land are jewish neighborhoods, distributed on the west side of the long space, on the middle level and on the higher level of the Carmel Mountain.

Muslim and christians_Arabs Jews

Jews

Under transformation (the port and Navy)

Arabs Jews

Under transformation (the port and Navy)

Urban

Analysis

1

Haifa,

1.4 Enclosed spaces

The publics hubs around the long space are diverse, and they can be categorized according to their location: facing the sea, on the enclosed space and on the mountain.

Facing the sea, the waterfront promenade hosts some beaches and a soccer field. Next to the waterfront, the big Rambam medical center is located, taken care of people from 1938. Inside the enclosed space, two cemeteries are placed: the World War I British cemetery and the Templers cemetery.On the other hand, a series of parks, a promenade and a boulevard are taken place along the middle level of the Mountain.

Despite the variety of public hubs around, there is a lack of continuity between them and so that the communication in between the upper level and the seafront is missing.

Medical center Promenade Boulevard Park Park Cemeteries Beach Beach

Urban

Analysis

1

Haifa,

1.4 Enclosed spaces

Cemetery Beach

Medical center Promenade

Boulevard 56

Urban

Analysis

1

ENCLOSED SPACE 2: LONG SPACE

The discotinuity of the three levels of Haifa (highest, middle, lowest) is a consequence of the mobility context. As known, the trainlane and the route 4 is dividing the city into two parts. However, the existence of the trainstation in the long space is an advantage since is bringing and departing a big mass of people and connecting this area with different cities on the north and south of Israel.

On the other hand, the local net of streets is divided by the two major arterials (route 4 and trainlane), having only one connecting street from the middle level to the seafront.

Haifa,

1.4 Enclosed spaces

ENCLOSED SPACE 2: LONG SPACE

In conclusion, after the urban analysis it is possible to afirm that there is a lack of continuity in between the lowest and the upper levels of Haifa because of some elements: the trainlane, the military base, the Rambam medical center, the port and the abandoned space in the west side of the long space.

All this barriers are trapping the residential neighborhood of Bat Galim, isolating it from the rest of Haifa.

Urban

Analysis

1

Haifa,

1.4 Enclosed spaces

58

Urban

Analysis

Haifa,

1.5 Masterplans already approved in Haifa

1

There are two Masterplans already approved in Haifa. Both plans are designed in order to reconnect the citizens with the Mediterranean Sea.

The Masterplan proposed in the area of Bat Galim has been developed by the landscape architect Alon Schwartz. and has as a main purpose to reconnect the citizens with the Sea through landscape design, taking as a begining the disappearance of the Military base. In that way, the project creates a new axis from the Sea until the Bat Galim abandoned bus station, and proposes a metropolitan park in this area.

As a critic, the new axis is a potential connector. However, to propose a metropolitan park in this area is economically unsuccessful since there is an imperative demand of built coverage of the 400% of the area.

Another problematic fact of this Masterplan is that the trainrails are depressed to the under-ground, something that is totally expensive since the place is at the level of the Sea.

The second masterplan is The Waterfront Plan, proposed by Amir Mann-Ami Shinar Archi-tects and Planners works inside the area of the actual port, providing new buildings and public space along the water. In this way, the project connects the existing streets of the city with the Mediterranean Sea.

This masterplan provides public space from Downtown Haifa until the area before the study place. Having only 20% of built coverage, the main reason of the project is to make the water-front a public space when people can gather.

Urban

Analysis

1

Haifa,

1.5 Masterplans already approved in Haifa

60

Urban

Analysis

Haifa,

1.5 Masterplans already approved in Haifa

1

Curiously, the study place is located in between this two masterplans and seems to have more importance since the area could not only connect upper Haifa with the Sea, but also it can connect two parts of the city.

The void,

2.1 Spatial analysis

2

HISTORY

The Bat Galim bus station was opened on 1975 as the central bus station for the Egged intercity buses starting and ending in Haifa, as well as local buses. Having the bus station, restaurants, stores, and offices, the building worked for almost 30 years until 2003.

The reason why the bus station closes was because of the opening of two new bus stations in the city. First, on January 1, 2002, the HaMifratz bus station opened on the Southeast of Haifa, and the buses coming from the North started to arrive to the new station. After that, on 2003, the Hof HaCarmel bus station opened on the southeast of Haifa and become the new central bus station of the city.

These new bus stations changed the transportation system: before 2002 the buses coming from the north and south arrived on Bat Galim bus station and after 2002 the buses coming from the south arrive to Hof HaCarmel bus station, meanwhile the buses coming from the north arrive to HaMifratz bus station.

Since Bat Galim bus station lost its importance and became just a intermediate station in be-tween the two new bus stations, from 2003 the building is abandoned and the buses platforms are located next to the trainstation.

After 2003, the commercial area of the abandoned building has been used eventually to host strip clubs. Hof HaCarmel Bus station (2003) Bat Galim Bus station (1975) HaMifratz Bus station (2002) Urban Diagnosis 62

Urban Diagnosis

The void,

2.1 Spatial analysis

2

ACTUAL SITUATION

The abandoned area is 64000m², which is approximately around 3 roman Coliseums or 4 Duomo of Milan’s squares. Inside the area there are two existing buildings. The biggest buil-ding is around 7780m² and it is the Bat Galim unused bus station that runned from 1975 to 2002. Sourrounded by walls, this big space is acting as a division of the city.

Next to the abandoned space there is the Bat Galim train station, that is connected by the other part of the city through a tunnel, not so used because of the number of crimes occuring there.

640 000 m

7780 m

2 2

64 000

The void,

2.1 Spatial analysis

2

Bat Galim, before and after

Urban Diagnosis

The void,

2.1 Spatial analysis

Groundfloor

2

Urban Diagnosis

The void,

2.1 Spatial analysis

2

The building is a brutalist concrete project with a foot path of 7780 m2, composed by 3 main elements: a long building - where the bus station and commerce were located; a 16 storey high tower on top of it - that was design as spaces for offices; and a ramp- that was used for the buses to move from the street side to the interior of the plot.

On the internal part of the plot, after the ramp, the drivers’ club was located.

Urban Diagnosis

The void,

2.1 Spatial analysis

Arrivals

Departures Driver’s club Trainstation

Housing Route 4

The void,

2.1 Spatial analysis

2

THE LOGIC OF THE BUILDING

The building is an icon in the urbanscape because of its scale, and it is sourrounded by different uses: on one hand, the route 4 and a dwelling complex; and on the other hand, the bus platforms, the driver’s club ,and the train lanes with two platforms. It is acting in a sensible way with its contexts situating the commercial zone close to the route 4 and the dwelling, and the bus station uses close to the trainstation.

The building is composed by a horizontal building, a tower and a ramp.The horizontal building is the place of stores and the bus station, On top of the horizontal building, the tower is situated for the

u o o r n onn roundfloor r floor nd o d

of the building. The bus station was a place of arrivals and

departures and of ephimerous encounters in between passengers,workers and citizens.

0 10 20 30 40 50 100 m

Urban Diagnosis

The void,

2.1 Spatial analysis

2

THE BUILDING NOWADAYS

The building is an icon in terms of scale and architecture around the zone and nowadays it is having two opposite impacts on the city. At the beginning of the observation, taken a look from the outside, the building is emiting an impression of just being a dead space that is cutting the area into two parts. However, taken a look from the inside, the building is not a dead space and it is being used for different groups.

In other words, the building has a dual condition in the context: on one hand is acting as a barrier, and at the same time it is a place being used by different groups of people.

The void,

2.1 Spatial analysis

2

CHANGE OF USES

The uses for which the building has been planned are not longer happening in the complex. The bus station that was the excuse for people to go to the place has been moved close to the trainstation. However, the building is still being used by people, but for a very different purpose: different kind of people are using the building in a spontaneous way.

Urban Diagnosis

2000-Now

1970-2000

The void,

2.1 Spatial analysis

2

CHANGE OF USES

The variety of activities detected in the study area are not happening all along the building, they are detected mainly in 3 areas: the external ramp, the horizontal building and the internal open space. In that sense, it can be visible that the external ramp is the element that organi-zes the space and that moves people from inside to outside and from the groundfloor to the first floor.

The tower, however, is a space that is not clear used by people but it external appearance reflects that on the past the place has been vandalized.

2

Urban Diagnosis

UrbanDiagnosis

2

CHANGE OF USES

Due to its exposed concrete structure and continuity between inside and outside of the buil-ding, it can be adapted to the public needs of different people. In other words, the building can be at the same time a space for sleeping, playing, dancing, walking, talking, and so on, and the limit between inside and outside is not clear.

The activities realised at the space are not fixed in terms of uses, users and schedule since the activities are done in a spontaneous way by different users because of the demand of a public place in the area.

One of the areas of the building that shows the diversity of activities is the one located al-most on the center of the horizontal building. The area is composed by part of the horizontal building, the external ramp and the internal open space. The part of the horizontal building is elevated 1 meter from the groundfloor on one side and 2 meters on the other side. This space is opened to both sides of the building and serves as a scenary. On one side it is looking to the street side (now close with walls) and on the other side it is connected with the external ramp and the internal open space through stairs. Another element on this area is the ramp, a 6 meters wide element that connects all the parts of the abandoned bus station on different levels. Nowadays, it serves as a promenade for people to walk, play and run.

The void,

2.1 Spatial analysis

2

NEW USERS

Because of the variety of activities during the day and night, the users and uses are diverse. On one hand, people are using the place during the day as a public space where they can hang up; on the other hand, the place is used also for another purposes as insecure places. The secure users and uses detected were children using the place as a playground; young people using the place as scenary for dancing, for doing grafitti and for gathering with friends. Despite all the secure uses, some people are taken the place and converting it in a insecure place sometimes for doing drugs and as a homeless informal shelter.

Both kind of activities are happening in the same place, sometimes at the same time and so-metimes at a different time, but what is visible is that the building is a new public space that is supporting different kinds of live inside it.

The void,

2.1 Spatial analysis

3

Theoretical approach

CONCLUSIONS OF THE STUDY PLACE

It is clear that the building is not really abandoned; it is clear that the place has been taken by people with different interests and with different profiles; and it is clear that the place has change its appearance and logics from the past. The logics of the building are not longer existing, but the place is still alive by new activities. In fact, the place has been converted into a public space.

The place is dealing with two pressures: on one hand, the pressure to be an area with a new development as a extension of the central business district; on the other hand, the pressure that the place create itself in order to be preserved as a public space.

There are 3 theories that have been taken into consideration as a base for the proposal of this work. The first one is “The right to the city” by Lefbvre, that is explaining the right that we have to change spaces of the city according to our needs; the second one, the concept of “Loose space” by Franck, Karen, and Quentin Stevens that is defining this new space; and the theory of “Horror vacui” by Mario Bras, that is explaining a method that will be applied for the design of the proposal. This last concept will be complemented by the work of Libeskind in the serie of drawings called “Micromegas”.

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THE RIGHT TO THE CITY - Lefebvre, 1968

Henry Lefevbre, french philosopher and sociologist, has been the first academic that defined “The right to the city” in his book “Le Droit à la ville (“The Right to the City”, 1968) as a critique of the daily life and the domain of the city by the capitalism.

The book is an urban revolution manifest that analyzed and critizised the situation of the urban life. The first ideas brought into the book are the effects of the capitalism in the urban life, that has been transformed into a “commodity” and a “exclusive good”. After Lefebvre’s critique, he defined the right to the city and explained the necessity for its recognition and application for modelling a democratic urban space.

The concept of the “Right to the city” is essencial for this work since it is explaining the impor-tance of the space of study, a democratic space transformed by the new use of people. Lefebvre’s image of urban space is a social space of interaction, and so the inhabitants have the power to participate in the urban transformation and the appropiation of the urban space. This is why the first aspect of the right to the city is the right to participation, and it is focusing on the central role of the citadins (Lefebvre didn’t use the term “citizen”, more related with the nationality and geopolitic) for making decisions in the production or transformation of the urban space. This first right brings up the second aspect of the right to the city, the right to appropiation, which is related with the power of the citadins for physically access, occupation and use of the urban space.

Lefebvre’s concept of space includes three perceptions os space: perceived space - a con-crete, material space that people can recognize; conceived space, related with mental cons-tructions of the space that people create in their minds;and lived space, the combination of the first two spaces, that is the real experience of space in the daily life. Therefore, the urban space is composed with more that the material space of the city but also the production of the citadins.

From this first idea, it is clear that the space of study is what Lefebvre defined as urban space, a space of interaction that has been transformed by the citadins according to their urban lifes as a opossition of the exclusive goods the capitalism provide. It is also a conclusion that the place is not defined by its material limits but by the interaction logics of the people that use the place, who are the main actors of this urban transformation. This urban space has been remodeled by the actors throught their right to the city in their two principle aspects: the right of participation and appropiation.

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Lefebvre sostains that the citadins have the right to manifest and express their ideas materia-lizing them on the space, but it also highlights the right to use the center - that is a place full of services- instead of being apart at the edge of the city, or in ghettos.

From that idea, it is coherent to preserve this renewed urban space inside the city, but it is imperative to complement it with accessibility projects and with services around, so the place would avoid its actual condition of marginal and instead of being an obstacle inside the city, it will became a real urban space.

This manifesto from 1968 is not only an isolated dream from the past. The idea of “Right to the city” has been materialized on 1968 and from that time it has been followed by diverse academics from sociology and urban studies worldwide, and also it has been taken into con-sideration in conferences and urban politics.

For instance, Brazil’s City Statute declared on 2001 the Right to the City into federal law, transforming the concept of Lefebvre into a real regulation 33 years later. Another presence of the right of the city in nowaday’s problem was shown on Habitat III, the United Nations Conference on Housing and Sustainable Urban Development (Quito, Ecuador developed on October 2016) that incorpored the concept of the right to the city in its discourse of the “cities for all”.

These examples show that the idea of the right of the city and the demand of it is not only a past and theoretical text, it is a real necessity for the citadins to live in the urban space, that has been privatized because of the capitalist urban development.

As a diagnostic, the place of study is a place of resistance, an exception of the city, a place that belong to the citadins since they had the freedom to transform the logics according to their activities, which is the nature of the public space. In other words, the place is a space where people has developed their “right to the city”, and this is the reason why the place is valuable.

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LOOSE SPACE

The concept of “Loose space” is explained in the book “Loose Space: Possibility and Diversity in Urban Life”, written by Karen A. Franck and Quentin Stevens. Karen A Franck is a Professor in the School of Architecture and the Department of Humanities at the New Jersey Institute of Technology, and Quentin Stevens is a lecturer in urban design at the Barlett School of Planning in the University College London. The concept is relevant for this work because is describing - and so defining - a kind of space that can be associated with the space of study. In other words, it is going to be shown that the concept of loose space is the concept of the space of study. The book also afirms that the existence of loose spaces, where people appro-piate spaces to do their own needs and desires, are important since they give life and vitality to the cities and those spaces provide a break from the routine and give freedom to the users. The authors mentioned the different activities the people perform on public spaces that are not originally planned for those locations. There are two scenarios: the first one is when the spon-taneous activities happen parallel with the primary, like in squares or streets. However, there is a different scenario when the original activity not longer exist and it is in this case when the space becames loose through people’s new activities.

The authors also afirm that the most important condition that generates a loose space is that the people recognize the multiply possibilities of the place that can be used for the develop of their own different needs.

From these ideas, it is possible to afirm that the space of study it is a loose space since it is a place that has lost its original planned uses and that is being used for spontaneous activities that are not original planned. It is also possible to refer that people have make this space loose because they recognize the diversity of possibilities of uses in its architecture and dis-position of space: the fluidity between inside and outside, the ramp that is connecting different levels of the place and the spatiality of the building.

According to the concept of loose space, the activities that are related with looseness are re-ferring to self expression, social interaction or reflection. They can be planned or not, they can happen only once or regularly, but the main characteristic is that they are temporary (minutes or years) and without official plans of continuity.

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The situation of the space of study is not far at this definition. In fact, all the usersdetected on the place are perfoming in different ways and in an unofficial schedule.

Playing, painting, dacing, talking, walking, running, sleeping, smoking...all the activities are temporary and not necessary defined in a fixed schedule. The temporary activities shows the use of the 2 aspects of the right to the city: the right of participation and transformation.

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The idea of temporality is bringing up another key characterictic of loose spaces: they permit the chance of “encounters, espontaneous events, diversity and the discovery of the unexpec-ted” (Karen A. Franck and Quentin Stevens, 4). In other words, the espontaneity in the place provoques the espontaneity of encounters. This kind of space, in fact, is a “place of desire, permanent disequilibrium, seat of the dis- solution of normalities and constraints, the moment of play and of the unpredictable” (Lefebvre 1991b: 129). The space of study is not different as this description. Due to the diversity of activities, users and time, espontaneous activities arises in an irregular schedule.

Some spatial characteristics of the place may help it to become loose: difference of levels, fluidity of space and so on, and this spatial richness catches the attention of the user to come and perfom their own activities. It is important to recognize that the main actor of the loose spaces are people through their own initiative and actions.

It is possible to afirm that the space of study is recognizible because its spatial richness: double heights, fluidity between interior and exterior and the ramp that connects different levels are showing the great production of spaces and circulation the place have and these characteristics are providing the space for diversity of uses that the users can recognize and appropiate for their own needs.

According to the authors, loose spaces can emerge in different locations, normally in public spaces. They are not common perfomed on buildings, except when they have been abando-ned. In this cases, the old fixed activities had been detached from the space that is now free for new uses.

Another location of loose spaces are leftover spaces, normally located next to spaces with fixed functions, like spaces underbridges, next to highways and railroad tracks. In other words, the loose spaces in leftover places exist no matter the boundaries of fixed social spaces, wi-thout specific uses. They also occur to be located in an weird shaped land or a difficult-to-ac-cess land. According to the authors, without official uses, leftover spaces are “the void to the city of named and fixed types of open space” (Karen A. Franck and Quentin Stevens, 8).

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After providing relationships between the characteristics of loose spaces and the space of study, there is not doubt that the space is loose. The space of study is located in an abando-ned building and also being located in a leftover space. First, the space of study is located in an abandoned building where the defined activities of the bus station, commerce and offices not longer exist. However, this emptyness provoqued the opportunity for the space to become loose for the use of different people. Second, being located in a leftover space in between the transtation and the highway make the access difficult. Being unplanned and open for a diversity of actions, it is possible to afirm that the place has become a void of the city of fixed activities.

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HORROR VACUI

“Horror vacui”, the fear of empty space, is a concept associated with Mario Praz, an italian art critic that created it for describing the atmophere of the interior design in the Victorian Age, that was overdecorated with multiple pieces of furniture with a lot of decoration placed together in the same space, generating a heavy atmosphere. This concept is important for the space of study because it explains the human tendency to fullfill all the empty spaces with elements. The tendency of fullfilling is going to be the strategy to be applied on the urban proposal of the space of study, but not with the purpose of delete the void, but to preserve it. This concept is applied in arts and design: barroques churches, islamic decoration and prehis-panic textiles on South America are few examples of the existence of horror vacui through the time and around the world. Some examples in art are related with the inmates of psychiatric hospitals, and with modern movements inside the area of “outsider art”

The space of study is a void of the city fixed program, and being located close to the central business district of Haifa generates a tendency of overconstruction and it encourages to erase the void. The concept of fullness, however, is a good alternative that is going to be taken into consideration not for the purpose of eliminating the void, but for the opposite.

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MICROMEGAS

Since the concept of “horror vacui” is just explaining the tendency of fullfilling, it is imperative to look for a theoretical interpretation of fullness in the architectural field.

Daniel Libeskind, is a Polish-American architect, professor, artist and set designer produced a serie of 10 line drawings called “Micromegas: The Architecture of end space” (1979). Those drawings are named: Little Universe, the Garden, Arctic Flowers, Time Sections, the Burrow Laws, Leakage, Maldoror’s Equation, Dance Sounds, Vertical Horizon, and Dream Calculus. Hannah Pavlovich, a north american architect related in her work called “Forms and For-malisms” that the drawings of “Micromegas” show the complexity of the fullness space in architecture, the multiplicity and relativity of the scale that “can provide two possibilities for the drawings: they can be either small or large.”(Hannah Pavlovich, 4), the micro and the mega. From this idea, the drawings are showing a diversity of possibilities the space of fullness could reflect.

According to Pavlovich, there is a diversity of directions on the drawings: parallels and diago-nals with not hierarchy nor layering, the pieces create confusion and they have to be unders-tood as fragments and not as a whole. The elements of the drawing are wellknown architectu-ral elements: frames, beams, door, stairs and so on, and the composition is done by the basic convention of parallel projections and by single lines. The author also postulate that, since there is not hierarchy on the drawing, deleting some elements is not changing the drawing, but deleting all elements on one direction may reduce the work into a not complete drawing. Libeskind relates the objects in the drawings as vectors since they are interpreted as process, not as an ending, generating movement and fluidity.

The interpretation of these drawings are showing the complexity that can exist in the fullness of the space: the lack of hierarchy, the multiplicity of directions and elements provoques a space that is full but also complex, generating a fluidity and diversity of spaces, mobility and scales. This particular characteristics of a space with fullness is going to be applied in this work as a strategy for fullfilling.

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This work started with an urban analysis of the city of Haifa (Israel) that identified a leftover space in between a trainslane and a highway, and its potential to develop a urban project has been demostrated. This space of study has been analyzed in its urban context and the internal logics of the space has also been showed, demonstrating that the place is important since it is a place of democracy.

Having analyzed the theories of “The right to the city”, “Loose spaces”, “Horror vacui” and “Spaces with Fullness”, it is clear that the void is a key element to preserve since its new irregular and temporary uses have been proposed by the people. Preserving the actual natu-rrality of the space of study is a manifest of reclaim of the right of the city by the users.Thus, the space of study is a loose space, a void of the city fixed uses and program; and it is dealing with the pressure to be next to the central business district of Haifa that aims with overcons-truct projects.

However, after exploring the fullness in the drawings of “Micromegas”, the fullness can also be complex and generate a diversity of experiences, and it will be used in the strategy of the urban proposal.

AMORE VACUI

“Amore Vacui”, the love for the void, is the final part of this work. Amore Vacui is a manifest for the preservation of an existing void of the fixed and planned city where spontaneous en-counters arises. Thus, the stategy is to fullfill the rest of the place, relating the void with this fullness and in this way giving dignity and safety to the void, and also connecting it with the rest of the city.

We are the creators of new social processes and new rights in the public space, and this is the reason why we can reshape the space according to our needs. Hence, Amore Vacui is looking for exploding the potential of the void and related it with its contexts and with the fullness: the fullness exist because of the void.

In this way, the fullness will be composed by different element such ramps, hybrid buildings, stairs and so on; and these elements will be located with different directions, scales and uses, that are responding to the existing context of the place and that generate fluidity in the space.

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THE VOID

The void, the old bus station, will be left without any fix use since it is working as the place for spontaneous activities. Moreover, it is in coliving with the fullness sharing open spaces. In this way, the void is not longer isolated from the city and some violent activities like the use of drugs and drinking inside the place will be eliminated.

Some interventions in the building are proposed. On one hand, the top of the horizontal buil-ding is intervened in order to provide a inhabited surface for the people to intervene with spon-taneous uses. On the other hand, one transparent volume on top of the tower provides an open space in contrast with the brutalist building. Finally, the ramp, the main external element of the void, is being intercepted with elements in order to generate common spaces between the fullness and the void.

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URBAN ELEMENTS

The multiple urban elements give an excessive appearance to the project. However, they are essentials since they are located in strategic points. First, the platform is connecting different parts of the city, arriving from the elevated platform to open spaces at the groundfloor level. Some elements such roofs, stairs and cages are placed in order to relate the multiple program and in order to create shared spaces with the void.

USES

The fullness is the moment of the project where all the programs are arising and coliving. All the fullness is in relation with the platform, begining or arriving from it. In this way, the conden-sation of uses will make an attractive place for people to come, pass, stay and live, everything in relationship with the void, increasing the possibility for new spontaneous encounters. The project proposes multiple uses since the hybridization of buildings is fundamental for the fullness. Programs of different scales like the trainstation, public facilities (sport, cultural, edu-cational), offices, mall, stores, and housing are coliving in an intensive public space which is the platform, also coherent with its external context.

CONNECTIONS

The project aims to connect the seashore with the rest of the city generating transversal con-nections through ramps and a platform on top of the trainrails. In this way, the project solves the issue of the train, that used to act as a barrier.

Besides, the project achieves the connection with the different public spaces in the area, generating a continuity of the public network of Haifa. Beaches, boulevards, parks and public facilities are now related one to each other.

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Sport Housing Offices CommercialTrainstationU. Facilities

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BUILT COVERAGE

Finally, one important fact is the built coverage. The city of Haifa requires 400% built coverage inside the plot. That means that, if we build the whole area, all the buildings have to have 4 floors. In the way the project is designed, without taking into consideration the built coverage of the old bus station, the fullness achieves almost double the built coverage (640%). In that way the project supports economically the existence of the void. Again, the fullness exists because of the void.

256 000m2 (400%) Footprint: 64 000m2 New isting uilding

Fullness: 410 000m2 (640%)

4850 m2 _{405 150 m}2

Bybliography

HISTORY

Atlas of Haifa and Ha Carmel. [1] ישומיש יעדמ רקחמל הרבחה : הפיח .למרכהו הפיח סלטא. (1980) א.ב , סינפיק , .א ,רפוס

Haifa and its Places. [2] לאירא :םילשורי .הירתאו הפיח .(1985) י ,יצרא -ןב ,.א ,רליש Inquiry of the preservation of Haifa. [3] https://moodle.technion.ac.il/pluginfile.php/364350/mod_resource/content/0/%D7%97%D7%95%-D7%91%D7% A8%D7%AA%20%D7%A1%D7%A7%D7%A8%20%D7%94 %D7%99%D7%A1%D7%98%-D7%95%D7%A8%D7%99- %D7%A4%D7%99%D7%96%D7%99_%D7%97%D7%99% D7%A4%D7%94. pdf URBAN ANALYSIS [4]. STATISTICS: www.govmap.gov.il [5]. https://www.archdaily.com/398514/new-haifa-waterfront-plan-proposal-mann-shinar [6].http://alon-schwartz.com/projects/ THEORY

[7]. Frank, Karen & Stevens, Quentin. Routledge (2007). “Loose Space: Possibility and Diversity in

Urban Life.” [8]. HORROR VACUI

[9]. Wąs, Cezary. “Practicing Theory. Concepts of early works of Daniel Libeskind as references for real architecture.”. Museum of Architecture in Wroclaw.