Abstract:

Korfez / Agora Nova is a prototype breakwater and public waterfront framework that aims to reconnect Izmir with its inner gulf. It addresses two coupled issues: ecological degradation in the bay and the loss of everyday access to the shoreline. The material logic is circular rather than symbolic. Concrete demolition waste from urban renewal is crushed into recycled aggregate and used as the aggregate component of new modular breakwater blocks. These blocks attenuate waves while their calibrated pores and cavities support micro habitats; mussel lines contribute to low-tech filtration and waste-collecting elements capture floating debris. The outer edge provides protection and direct contact with the water; the inner basin becomes a calmer water room for sport and seasonal events; the upper promenade creates a shaded route and a lookout marker. If the prototype proves performance and use, it can be replicated across Izmir’s attraction points as a network of micro-agoras, linked by ferries and event boats. In underused zones without transport, where fishing would be restricted, artificial reefs support biodiversity recovery and give local universities a living site for marine research, monitoring, and documentation.