All images © Foster + Partners
Ron Bernthal
Foster + Partners is working closely with Petrolina Group, a leading Cypriot petroleum company, to design a masterplan that will transform Larnaca’s seafront into a thriving and sustainable community for the city’s residents, future generations and new visitors.
The Land of Tomorrow masterplan gives back to Larnaca by enhancing the land’s ecological value and doubling the length of the waterfront that is accessible to the public. The new development is carefully stitched into the existing urban fabric and acts as a catalyst for expansion towards the north of the city.
“The masterplan retains and enhances the city’s character while creating an exciting new vision for its future,” said Ben Scott, Senior Partner, Foster + Partners. “Our approach has been developed in close consultation with the city authorities, building on the municipality’s key initiatives which promote sustainable and holistic urban growth.”
A network of shaded, tree-lined streets and landscaped plazas connect the different elements of the masterplan. The city’s canals will be redeveloped to create new habitats for wildlife and bring greenery towards the coastline. The existing highway, the Larnaca-Dhekelia Road, will be transformed into a verdant and pedestrian-friendly street with new public amenities.
New developments will be sensitively located between the enhanced ecological zones that connect inland areas to the coastline. These new parts of the city are low-rise, human-scale and a natural extension of the urban grain. Larnaca’s industrial heritage is celebrated through the architectural design and integration of industrial artifacts, which will be repurposed to activate the urban realm.
The images released by Foster + Partners also show the creation of a beach on the waterfront along with a boardwalk, which would replace the current industrial landscape. The project also contains space for a series of restaurants and cafes housed in wooden structures, along the coastline.
The developments will create new opportunities for residents, attract people and businesses to the city, activate the coastline and enhance the blue economy. A sustainable mobility strategy, connecting the masterplan area with the rest of the city and the wider region, is being developed in collaboration with the authorities.
