Secrets of Ges

The Ges Valley has several ruined structures hidden among the mountains that relied on water power to function. These are a group of hydraulic flour mills. In the past, these mills provided the surrounding villages with flour. Over the years, they have been forgotten, and today they are slowly deteriorating, on the verge of disappearing. The project consists of recovering and reusing the architectural heritage of the valley. For this reason, these hydraulic flour mills are reactivated, reconnected to each other and to the nearest villages, and given a new use.

In order to reactivate the watermills and restore their historical and cultural value, the project is divided into two parts. The first part consists of cataloging, connecting, and preserving the mills. The current state of the flour mills is studied. Subsequently, we analyze the surroundings of these mills, including the paths and routes that millers used to take to transport flour to the villages. Afterwards, we classify the mills according to their characteristics and, consequently, develop an intervention plan. We establish a new way to interact with and use them. Finally, we map out mountain routes to connect the mills with one another and with the nearest villages. In the second part of the project, one mill is taken as an example to apply our intervention plan. This demonstrates that the action plan can be extrapolated to any of the mills. We chose a mill called Mir to apply the intervention plan. The site of the Mir mill consists of a series of rubble elements scattered across very sloping terrain. In order to distribute the new program, a shelter, among all the constructions, link them together, and ensure that everything functions correctly, we introduced a few simple horizontal geometric elements that intertwine with one another. The site of Mir has a magical atmosphere. By introducing small stone shortcuts that connect to the existing paths, hikers are given the freedom to explore the Mir mill complex in various ways. The main objective is to stop time and preserve the existing natural and architectural heritage. By defining the site’s boundaries, establishing limits, and halting degradation, along with working on horizontal planes, introducing geometric figures, and using local materials such as stone or wood, the goal of reviving the mills is achieved.