Behcinar: incompatible scenarios, blurred traces and a lost garden

From the late 19th century until World War II, a walled garden known as Behcinar flourished along Thessaloniki’s coastline. Over time, warehouses, railway lines, and industrial expansion gradually erased it. By 1930, it was enclosed by the port, and after the war, it vanished. Today, this once-mythical garden has nearly faded from memory, while the western edge of the city—still called Behchinar—remains one of Thessaloniki’s most degraded areas, diminishing its image. Today, the "Behcinar" area stands out as an unresolved matter, a "backyard" of the city, right at its entrance.

The proposal focuses on the connection between the site and the dreamlike garden that once existed there, creating a dialogue between the past and the present urban reality. As the port expanded around Behcinar, it reinforced the garden's isolation, detaching it more from its surroundings. This isolation, along with local testimonies calling it "paradise," formed the basis for studying the typology of the enclosed garden, Hortus Conclusus. In the current context, the enclosed garden serves as a reference point for exploring how its relationship with the urban and industrial space can be redefined. The boundaries between nature and architecture determine how the user approaches and experiences the garden. Initially, the garden follows its traditional typology as a clear, enclosed space within the building. However, this introverted structure begins to change through its interaction with the building and the broader urban context. The garden is no longer an isolated space; its boundaries break apart and extend both inward and outward, "leaking" beyond its original confines. The boundaries become fluid, allowing the garden to coexist with the surrounding industrial environment. The project proposes the creation of a community center, where this fusion of architecture and garden aims to foster a vibrant, social space. By reimagining the enclosed garden's boundaries, the project redefines its role in urban life. It challenges the strict division between nature and architecture, proposing a more integrated relationship that revitalizes both the natural space and the surrounding community fabric. The proposal embraces a social space, inviting visitors to engage creatively, encouraging collaboration, and fostering new ways of interacting within the degraded urban landscape.