Riverside Archipelago

Riverside Archipelago is a utopian landscape strategy about managing the uncontrolled flow of Arachthos river in Epirus of Greece, caused by climate change. The project focuses on the mouth of the river and introduces alternative riverside infra- structures in order to turn the unfavorable condition of flooding into a sustainable process to the region. 

Arachthos is a fast-flowing river that springs from the mountain of Pindos and flows into the Amvrakikos bay. The river’s mouth faces severe flood emergencies almost every year for the last decade causing the destruction of private properties and agricultural fields located on the riverside. The two hydroelectric dams that were constructed in the 80’s cannot control the current water flow because of climate change and thus, the floods are inevitable. 

A landscape strategy is proposed to be implemented in three phases. The first phase of the strategy proposes the controlled change of the river flow through a different dam management. The two dams will allow more water to pass through before the high-risk period in order to lower the level of the artificial lake and prepare it for the increased winter flow. The second phase of the strategy includes the regeneration of the town’s riverfront in order to gradually strengthen the inhabitants’ relationship with the river bed by introducing river baths, a wetland park and a hydroponic garden. Finally, the third part of the strategy is about the phased flooding of the meadow in order to turn the existing agriculture into water cultivation and to transform the riverbanks into a hydroponic archipelago.