LIVING RUINS - THE BLUE THREAD OF DEREIÇI - Hydrology as a Catalyst for Cultural and Ecological Renewal

Dereiçi is an abandoned mountain village shaped historically by water, agriculture, and pilgrimage. Today its ruins sit quietly within the landscape, suspended between absence and return.

The Blue Thread of Dereiçi reintroduces water as the catalyst for renewal. Two hydrological systems support the landscape: mountain runoff is captured and guided through contour-led channels, shallow streams, wadi corridors, and seasonal lagoons, while groundwater is drawn through a photovoltaic-powered borehole. Together, these systems restore ecological conditions and shape movement through the ruins.

The journey begins at a visitor centre at the edge of the site, where groundwater is lifted through the solar-powered borehole and released into open channels. From here, visitors follow water through historic streets, shaded terraces, and gathering spaces as streams appear, narrow, disappear, and return across the village.

As water re-enters the landscape, wadi corridors, lagoons, and small oasis habitats begin to form, shifting with seasonal flows. Vegetation gradually establishes along these water corridors, while stone structures shift from enclosure to frame.

Rather than restoring the village as a fixed monument, the project allows Dereiçi to evolve as a living landscape shaped by water, season, and time