Loumaki Park

Begum Gumusel16 October 20193 Mins read351

Raissa Andreopoulou

Karditsa, Greece

2019

@raissa_raissandre

Table of Contents Show

In the western world, the war era left behind an amount of urban or suburban areas and zones as well as several industrial buildings and complexes that had been abandoned due to social, political or economic factors. A representative category of such structures are the camps and the military areas. In many cases, these areas were abandoned or relocated and, along with the urban sprawl, they were gradually became part of the urban fabric emerging the urgent need for their management.

These areas are usually created by the city itself and are strongly linked to minority features of the city leading to the degradation of the surrounding area. On the other hand, these areas present forthcoming opportunities and prospects for their exploitation and reuse. The Lumaki camp in the city of Karditsa, Greece belongs to the above category and its management constitutes the topic of the present post-graduate project. After the, in depth, theoretical analysis of these areas and the discussion of their current management in the USA, in Europe and in other regions of Greece, the case of Karditsa is being examined.

Under the urban scale analysis, the main principles as well as the intentions of the architectural design of the former camp Lumaki have been set. This approach aims to emerge the dynamic of this area as a ‘pending’ land that can be revived offering novel urban features, urban planning solutions, uses and social expressions. The central idea focuses on the design of recreational park, special attraction for the locals due to its terrain. The configuration of the hills and curves of the proposed Park of Loumaki contrasts not only with the flat city of Karditsa but also with the wider area of the Thessalian Plain, aiming to become a new city landmark.

Why Former Military Sites Become Parks

Decommissioned camps share several traits that make them strong candidates for conversion into public green space. They tend to occupy large, contiguous parcels of land that are rare inside built-up areas, and their previous restricted use often means the ground has been spared from dense commercial development. Because the military maintained clear perimeters and access roads, the basic circulation framework usually already exists. Converting such land to a park also avoids the cost and disruption of demolishing established neighborhoods, while turning a closed, inaccessible zone into something the whole community can use.

Reading the Existing Terrain as a Design Asset

The Loumaki proposal treats the site’s topography as the central design idea rather than a problem to flatten. Karditsa sits within the broad, flat Thessalian Plain, so introducing shaped hills and curving landforms creates contrast that immediately distinguishes the park from its surroundings. Sculpted terrain serves practical purposes too. Mounds can screen noise from adjacent roads, channel rainwater toward planted basins, and create sheltered microclimates for seating and play. Varied elevation also gives visitors changing views and a sense of discovery as they move through the space, which a flat lawn cannot offer.

Common Phases in a Camp-to-Park Conversion

Projects of this kind usually move through a recognizable sequence. First comes site assessment, including soil testing for any contamination left by past use. Next is the decision about which existing structures to keep, adapt, or remove, since retaining a few buildings can preserve memory and reduce waste. Landscape grading and planting follow, then the installation of paths, lighting, and amenities. A phased approach lets a community open parts of the park early while later sections are still being developed, building public support and spreading the budget over time.

Balancing Memory and New Use

One recurring question in these projects is how much of the original character to retain. Keeping a gate, a perimeter wall, or a single barracks building can acknowledge the site’s history and give the park a distinct identity, while wholesale erasure risks producing a generic green space. Designers often strike a balance by preserving a small number of legible elements and pairing them with interpretive signage. This approach lets a former camp like Loumaki become a genuine recreational landmark without pretending its past never existed.

Written by

Begum Gumusel

I create and manage digital content for architecture-focused platforms, specializing in blog writing, short-form video editing, visual content production, and social media coordination. With a strong background in project and team management, I bring structure and creativity to every stage of content production. My skills in marketing, visual design, and strategic planning enable me to deliver impactful, brand-aligned results.