House of Culture – Rethymnon

 

Student: Aristea Katsogridaki
Supervisors: Gerard Bareham, Carl Meddings
University of Huddersfield- Huddersfield, United Kingdom|
Presentation Date: 27/05/2014

The site is situated in Rethymnon in the Isle of Crete. It is 7 minutes walking from the city center, it is next to the sea and has great views to the fortress. The location of the site offers easy access to adjacent regional units of Heraklion and Chania. All of these make an ideal place.

The aim of a cultural center in Rethymnon aims at promoting Cretan culture by means of exhibition and other cultural events. Exhibitions of archaeology, contemporary art and sculpture, architecture, lectures, concerts and dramatic readings  are going to be offered for free to the citizens of Rethymno.

The main idea of the city is influenced by the palm of the city.

General about the city:
The early 16th century, starts a boom period in the city of Rethymno. The Cretan Renaissance (6th-7th century AD) Is a flourishing period of literature and the arts. During this period is written the Cretan War by Jane Marino bouniali, Erwtokritos by Vitzetzo Kornaro, Erofili by George Chortatzis etc.

Rethymno honoring title rights has been attributed as the ''City of Arts and Letters" supports every expression of culture and due to this gives the greatest respect to traditions. Renaissance festival, Carnival, Wine festival, musical performances are just   some of the most representative cultural events completed on a daily basis from the active participation of several Cultural Associations operating in the city showcasing all forms of art and expression.

Since the summertime 1987 and each summertime until today it is organized in Rethymno the Renaissance festival.

The reason of having cultural events in Rethymno on the subject Renaissance was because the city blossoming in the arts and letters in the years of the Venetian domination.

All these elements led to the decision to follow the palm of the city and propose a  house of culture, which, among other things will contain an auditorium in order to be able to accommodate theatrical performances operating in the city.

The analyses of the city guided me that the auditorium should be the "celebrated space" in the building.

Concept:
The building has one internal stage and one external yard and both of them are located diagonally to the fortress. The concept is determined by the view of the fortress. At the moment fortress is the symbol of Rethymno. The aim of the proposed House of Culture is to be the new symbol of Rethymno, so i decided to locate the new symbol opposite the existing symbol of the city.

The scheme incorporates a mix of uses. It has cultural, educational, recreational and historic character. It includes a café, an auditorium, exhibition space and classrooms. Well supervise and defensible outdoor spaces and routes create areas for social interaction and aid integration within the existing community and the fabric of the city.

 

 

Site plan:
External yard. The visitors need to follow a particular route in order to descend the stairs.

Basement:
Loading bay, stage manager, properties room, scenery, quick stage, workshop for scenery, scene dick, piano store, dressing rooms, kitchen, wc

Ground Floor:
Workshop, space for children, wc, reception, auditorium, dressing rooms, lighting/sound equipment, cafe, shop, tourist information, exhibition space, office, kitchen.

First floor:
Multimedia classroom, classroom history/art/music, observation room, tv radio and recording control room, sound control room, dimmer rooms, lighting control room, bar, storage, auditorium, offices, wc.

 

 

The windows of the building are inspired by Mondrian's paintings.