The re-creation of Lake Karla, a process that has been unfolding over the last 10 years and is expected to come to completion in the year 2013, is a significant environmental intervention in the area of SE Thessaly. The new lake shall bring back an ecosystem of aquatic birds and fish, some of which are rare and threatened with extinction. It will thus present motives for activities relevant to the concept of ecotourism, and in its initial phase this scheme is expected to draw some 5,000 visitors annually. These individuals will have the opportunity to follow 7 paths and bike paths of a total length of 85 km, on the perimeter of the lake, and visit the Natural History Museum in Kanalia and the Environmental Information Center in Stefanovikeion.
The suggested Network of Structures for the use of the visitors of Lake Karla offers a third location open to visitors, this time inside the lake itself, that combines the presentation of the history of the lake and of its bird and aquatic species with opportunities to walk around and observe the landscape, take refreshments and light meals, and continue the process of acquaintance and exploration by bringing the visitors close to the lake’s surface. The building becomes a platform that extends the paths of the embankment and affords the prospect of concentrating in one place a variety of activities the visitors may want to follow. Finally, it allows for the visitors to come into contact with the local inhabitants through sightseeing boat tours –the building functioning as a quay-, hosting a fishmongers’ market on specific days and times of the week, and the creation of employment slots that will benefit the residents of the surrounding areas.