Cosmogonia of Crete: Critical zones as a continuous altered nature and the transition to the future

Major and minor Stories of places from the past to the future

Master thesis (2024)

Authors

G. Kokolaki Architecture and the Built Environment

Contributors

L.M. Calabrese Urban Design - Architecture and the Built Environment (mentor)
E.L. Longhin Urban Design - Architecture and the Built Environment (graduation committee member)
Faculty
Architecture and the Built Environment, Architecture and the Built Environment
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Published Date

25-06-2024

Language

English

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Faculty

Architecture and the Built Environment

Abstract

This thesis investigates the urgent concerns of water scarcity and excess on the island of Crete, identifying their implications for the island's future in the face of climate change. It recognizes the interconnectedness of geological, ecological, and human systems, using water scarcity and excess as a lens to understand these relationships and improve planning and design methods.

The thesis critically examines current planning instruments used by the government and planners and argues that they often fail to capture the dynamic nature of elements like water and soil. It advocates for a more sensitive, climate-resilient approach, encouraging local communities to actively manage their environment with care. The research embraces diverse methodologies, including critical cartography, to analyze the island's complex systems, particularly water and soil processes. Fieldwork, involving observation, photography, and research, supports an understanding of Crete's physical, cultural, and environmental systems.

The research analyzes Crete's past and present through a multi-scalar approach, investigating its geological formation, topography, materiality, and cultural heritage. The project focuses on the eastern part of the island as a case study, highlighting its vulnerabilities, such as flooding, drought, and desertification due to human activities and climate change. Later, it proposes strategic interventions like water retention landscapes, natural water flow restoration, riparian buffer zones, and temporarily flooded agriculture. It also promotes soil restoration through reforestation, agroforestry, and regenerative agricultural practices.

By repositioning the relationship between landscape, water, and humans, the aim is to foster a climate-resilient future for Crete, offering insights that could serve as a paradigm for other islands facing similar challenges globally. Finally, it emphasizes the need for a shift in planning and design approaches, encouraging decision-makers to recognize the interconnectedness of human and natural systems.