Uploaded on 2015-06-15 by joannasotiriou

This is the port area of a small city located in the centre of Greece, Volos. For what is about to follow, it would be important to note that Volos is located at the foot of Mountain Pelion, one of the most beautiful, popular and therefore, touristic Greek mountains. Finally, the picture was taken at 11:10 am on a winter day (10oC). The visible information in this picture could be listed as following: 1. The tallest construction, standing on the left side of the picture, is the **grain silo**, a structure for bulk storing of grain. The tower is equipped with a digital clock which shows the time and the temperature changes through the day. Right now, almost half of it is not in use. 2. Right in front of the silo we can see a small harbor, occupied mainly by small fishing boats and private watercrafts. After observing carefully the way all the vessels are parked, one notes that the small fishing boats are in contact with the promenade. 3. The promenade with its bicycle lane (the red line on the pavement) along with the three driving lanes (one is not shown in the picture) mark the citizens' movement in the area. 4. The buildings on the coastline were all part of the customs. However, the first one from the right has been abandoned for almost 10 years now, as it is clear from the way its facades are worn out. Gathering all the visible information above, this picture is basically a depiction of **every possible transport method in the city of Volos**. The city can be approached via the sea (yacht, passenger ship, boat) or by car and the visitor can explore the city by foot or by bicycle. The city offers breathtaking views of the sea and the surrounding hills which makes it a rather beautiful and pleasant place to be. Let's move on to the invisible information of this picture: 1. The fact that the fishing boats are in contact with the promenade indicates a **connection between the fishing practice and the urban life**. Indeed, every morning, fishermen from the city go out in the sea and provide the citizens and the restaurants of the city with fresh fish. From 07:00 am to 10:00 am this specific part of the promenade turns into a quaint fish market, a local practice that is almost traditional due to its graphic character. 2. If we compare the height of the silo to the rest of the visible urban skyline but also noting that the tower itself projects information from its peak, we assume that the structure is visible from most parts of the city. Such a fact makes the silo **an urban reference point**, both spatially and conceptually speaking. Moving a step forward, this construction could not be located in a random spot of a city. True as this photograph shows **the entrance of Volos**. In other words, it is the first image a visitor has while approaching the city from Athens or Thessaloniki, the two largest cities of Greece. 3. However, during the winter, **it is empty**. No matter the attempts of turning Volos into an extroverted system, the community has ended up having a city which can be approached by numerous means of transport but in reality works as a passage to Mountain Pelion (as mentioned in the beginning of the analysis). **This is due to the fact that the community has not invested in the already established traditions and the history of the city but instead has promoted the industrial character which, in times of financial crisis, is slowly abandoned and worn out** - just like the building we mentioned before. An answer to this would be to gradually turn the port into a cultural center, taking advantage of the popularity of the location and sheltering museums, libraries and art galleries in the abandoned buildings that are no longer in use. [1]: https://edxuploads.s3.amazonaws.com/14343876468315402.jpg