At a presentation in the Pasha Mosque in old Famagusta, five teams of students laid out their vision for a new Varosha built on technological innovation, green solutions, sustainable land use and modern design. Ecocity specialist Jan Wampler said opportunities for the re-birth of the resort town were immense. One proposal was to build a visionary new shallow canal within the town, whilst other plans included generating energy from seaweed, a central tram system, a national network transport hub and an offshore memorial pier. Most ideas revolved around the idea that smarter equals greener, coupled with the vision that Varosha could be re-born oozing creativity and spirit.

A high standard of living for all citizens was a key theme, with one pitch outlining a clean energy train system and rapid bus transit system linking Famagusta to the entire island. For locals, electric public trams – including a special carriage with a bar – would whisk you around the town, while a greenway corridor would connect the entire resort for those who prefer to walk or cycle. The recycling of rubble from demolished buildings was a reoccurring theme, whilst special attention was given to concerns that “existing infrastructure in Varosha would be reused to preserve its memory”. Rubble from lost or damaged structures would also be used to build a barrier to help defend against coastal erosion. Another idea envisaged a centrally located mosque and church “embracing each other through close proximity”, with a theatre, library and civic centre being located in the same area.

The initiative was recently launched in Derynia, where a temporary studio drafting architectural design proposals by Jan Wampler, along with sixteen of his architecture graduate students from the University of South Florida was set up. The project, established by a group of private citizens and academics has been discussing large-scale modern planning, functional building and site development for the once thriving port town. Project leaders have been keen to consult with community groups as well as stakeholders from both sides of the Green Line. Over the past week, participants have focused on nine objectives which aim to provide the foundation for addressing issues ranging fromcoastal and environmental engineering; urban planning for sustainable cities and architecture.

“My main hope is that we have sown the seeds of an idea about how to do things differently,” says economist Fiona Mullen, a member of the ecocity project. “If we wake up one day and find that Varosha is open, the first question developers will ask themselves is “how can we do this in a smarter way?” rather than “where did I stash that cement?” The project has been stimulating a flurry of discussion in social media platforms, such as Facebook and Twitter, with the team hoping to fine-tune and develop their ideas in the coming months.

Source: Cyprus Mail