At the dawn of the 20th century, right after the devastating Asia Minor military campaign, Greece was being reconstructed based on reinforced concrete, a total novelty back then, which was easy to manufacture due to the abundancy of limestone in the country. “AYET Heracles” has been engaged in cement production in the area of Volos since 1924, extracting ore from the adjacent mount Pelion and has developed rapidly after a leap in demand that arose from social situations in the ’50s. Nevertheless, this growth was recenlty put a limit to not so long ago, because of the reactions of the residents in the vicinity against the intense pollution of the industry, thus leading to AYET’s cease of excavation. The factory switched to getting its ore via sea ways and planted trees in its quarry in order to appease turbulent spirits. Nowadays, the popular demand for a permanent relocation of the industry away from residential areas is increasingly discussed; such a move, however, does not include the quarry which is now promoted to an importand landmark as a result of the construction of the new Volos Ring Road which crosses through the dig’s outskirts.

  Our study explores ways of rehabilitation of the quarry as a place of recreation – both through creative activity and artistic functions (AYET has always been interested in art and its prominent contemporary disciples, owning a numerous collection of works of art by comission), as well as a locus for learning and enlightment, literally and in metaphore. Our suggestion is based upon four fundamental intentions: (a) total employment of the quarry, (b) preservation of the landscape, (c) lineal order of the new structures as a point of reference to the factory’s production line and (d) interactive enagagement of the users to the function of spaces. All is built with metal and glass, the cube being the main constructive unit, on an axis of three routes on three different levels of the quarry that define three zones of different use: museum (a), recreation – transportation (b) and learning (c). On three nodal points across this axis occur three buildings: reception and briefing (1), learning, hospitality, creation and recreation (2) and restaurant/bar (3). The layout of the buildings in several niveaus brings a rupture of the compact metal front while endowing the project with a dynamic visual focus in the surrounding area. The lighing of both the factory plant and the new construction with various colours visually illustrates the industry’s evolution phases as well as the relation between parts of the two.

   Our whole study aims at reconciling the city with the industrial site and at re-incorporating it in urban activity.