Larnaca, Cyprus
Working closely with Petrolina Group, a leading Cypriot petroleum company, Foster + Partners is following a sustainable mobility strategy and redeveloping Larnaca’s seafront area replacing almost two kilometers of oil refineries that were previously located on the waterfront to the north of the city’s center.
“The masterplan retains and enhances the city’s character while creating an exciting new vision for its future,” says Foster + Partners senior partner Ben Scott.
“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.”
The purpose is to transform Larnaca’s seafront into a thriving and sustainable community for the city’s residents, future generations, and tourists.
Named “The Land of Tomorrow”, it 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.
A network of shaded, tree-lined streets and landscaped plazas connect the different elements of the master plan.
The city’s canals are rewilded to create new habitats for wildlife and bring greenery to the coastline.
The existing highway, Larnaca-Dhekelia Road, is transformed into a verdant and pedestrian-friendly street with new public amenities.
New developments are 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.
The renders 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.
Larnaca’s industrial heritage is celebrated through the architectural design and integration of industrial artifacts, which are repurposed to activate the urban realm.
The developments will create new opportunities for residents, attract people and businesses to the city, activate the coastline, and enhance the blue economy.
Project: The Land of Tomorrow Masterplan
Architects: Foster + Partners
Lead Architect: Ben Scott
Client: Petrolina Group
Renderings: Foster + Partners
