Ready Mades, Archpoints
AWARDED First HONORABLE MENTION European Design Competition
The new Souda ferry terminal is an airy, lightweight, white-steel building. It is a welcoming shelter, that occupies the entire length of the plot, as it follows the massive scale of the port and blends within the surrounding, man-made and natural landscape. It is a ‘smooth’ structure that subtly expands into the landscape.
We wanted to incorporate the main idea of the Cretan landscape: infinite view of the sea under a protective shelter. We decided to work with the linear and crossing flow of arriving, as passengers enter or exit Crete. The open-air ramps, and staircases follow the sloped roof and evolve through an open-air observation deck, around the building. A double-height canopy and a reflecting pool, both surrounded by sea-pebble landscape, form the south-east entrance. By cross-entering the terminal one can view the main lobby with check-in areas and a mezzanine, that accommodates the waiting areas and the cafe. The main waiting room allows for a 360-view of the natural port and enhances the feeling of belonging.