NAMISTO

Sea necklace of Odessa

The project investigates the development of coastal Odessa, the only city with a million population on the Black Sea. Odessa is the largest port of Ukraine, an industrial, university, and resource centre. At the same time, Odessa's tourism potential is not yet fully unlocked because of impeded connections between the city and the sea and inefficient use of its coastal slopes. Its coastal zone is too narrow to create an economically feasible tourism infrastructure and its archaic and confusing land property system presents a particular problem.

In respons to these challenges, the NAMISTO, project proposes to create a necklace of seven man-made isles strung on a new sea drive and embankment. The isles of the Sea Necklace will feature commercial, cultural, recreational, and dwelling complexes for Odessa residents and guests. Their total area will make 165 hectars with appr. 30 kilometres of new coast ready for intensive development. The existing coast will be enlarged to incorporate new roads, parkings, embankments, landscape parks, and zones of resort and business development. The project will radically change the current land use pattern and attract large investment.
The NAMISTO project materialises the myth of Odessa, the sea-gate of Ukraine, and creates a good opportunity for future legends.