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When casually walking in Laurion, a place well-known for its mining in the past, one cannot imagine that underneath their feet exist kilometres of underground galleries and shafts.
The following conceptual sketches depict the construction on the surface of the earth of a typical to the place mining system. This paradox serves as a tool to show to the visitors of the site the special qualities and the experience of this system that otherwise they wouldn't notice. An appropriate natural hole in the ground is chosen as the site, since its dimensions (a hole of 60m deep) give flexibility for vertical movement.
The following conceptual sketches depict the construction on the surface of the earth of a typical to the place mining system. This paradox serves as a tool to show to the visitors of the site the special qualities and the experience of this system that otherwise they wouldn't notice. An appropriate natural hole in the ground is chosen as the site, since its dimensions (a hole of 60m deep) give flexibility for vertical movement.
Perspective Section - Natural Cavity in Laurion and Mining Infrastructure - Pencil on Paper - Brushes on Photoshop
Plan drawing
Presentation panel with narrative of the experience
"A mass of trees is in front of us...
...this dense green that incites us to pursuit the trail.
We start descending, entering the earth; the Sun has already left us.
The path is long, certainly intensified by a darkness that surrounds us and that has become claustrophobic.
We finally reach a door; another path,but a vertical one this time. As we go down a series of doors follow this one, each one opening for a new adventure, if we get out we might get perfectly lost.
...this dense green that incites us to pursuit the trail.
We start descending, entering the earth; the Sun has already left us.
The path is long, certainly intensified by a darkness that surrounds us and that has become claustrophobic.
We finally reach a door; another path,but a vertical one this time. As we go down a series of doors follow this one, each one opening for a new adventure, if we get out we might get perfectly lost.
We reach the last stop.
The elevator door opens and light overflows the small space,
it flows with the burning desire of a whole life of waiting.
We’re blind and it feels good; to feel the air again.
As the vision returns we believe to be delirious.
There’s no earth, there’s air.
We can see the guts of this land, the complex labyrinth from which we’ve just got out.
We’re no longer imprisoned; we’re in the void, the contrary from where we were.
The idea of going back up, to pass this darkness again almost suffocates us.
The air is so welcome.
However going up doesn’t have any of this darkness, of this solidity, it is an ethereal move, an ascension to the sky, the return to reality. "
The elevator door opens and light overflows the small space,
it flows with the burning desire of a whole life of waiting.
We’re blind and it feels good; to feel the air again.
As the vision returns we believe to be delirious.
There’s no earth, there’s air.
We can see the guts of this land, the complex labyrinth from which we’ve just got out.
We’re no longer imprisoned; we’re in the void, the contrary from where we were.
The idea of going back up, to pass this darkness again almost suffocates us.
The air is so welcome.
However going up doesn’t have any of this darkness, of this solidity, it is an ethereal move, an ascension to the sky, the return to reality. "
Typical structure of a Laurion mining system dating back to the 1800s - Section Sketch
