City Hall in Loutraki

Student: Antonios Thodis
Supervisors: Claudio Conenna, Κiriaki Tsoukala
Title of Diploma Design Thesis: City Hall in Loutraki
School of Architecture Aristotle University of Thessaloniki
Presentation Date: July 2012

Having recognized the low quality of public space in Greece the new City Hall in the heart of the new urban plan aims to become a center of movement and activities, a point of reference for the citizen and a symbol of change towards the public interest. A place of socialization, debate, contact for the people.

The subject of this diploma thesis is the design of the new City Hall of the Loutraki- Agioi Theodoroi municipality. The most significant factors in making this choice were the very low quality, due to the lack of vision, of the public environment in Greece and the question of how a contemporary public building can meet the needs of today's people, who search for new knowledge and information, are familiarized with the new digital media and live in a dynamic environment in which they constantly seek new experiences-ideas-images. The individual as a social being satisfies his need for contact with the other people, either in fake public spaces like the privately controlled shopping centers (mall), either by using the social networks of the internet, far away from the natural environment and the physical contact of other people.

In which way a modern public building can compete this situation and bring the people close to the procedures of decisions that affect their life and also become a place of contact with other person? To become another institution that makes the individual an active factor instead of passive observer?

The city hall is the most recognized public building, trademark of a city, which can be except from local parliament and management center of the municipality also a place of meeting, information and education. Specifically, in the city of Loutraki the lack of the necessary public buildings, in combination with the new urban plan and it's priorities (green spaces, pedestrian and cyclists networks, reduction of the traffic) makes the city ideal for the design of the new city hall, which can satisfy the increasing needs of the municipality and project a new attitude towards the public space.

 

 

The choice of site of the intervention in a crucial point, between the city and its future expansion where all significant roads and programmed pedestrian and cyclist networks pass by, makes the city hall the main junction of movement. Also a main passage with the restoration of the continuity of the landscape-building, building-landscape through the passable surface of the project's shell.

 

 

In the shell are concentrated the daily activities of the people in four sectors, three autonomous (administrative-consultation-cultural) and one unifying level (technical services). In this way the typical program is expanded and completed with the two-story raised volume of the political parties offices and management sector of the municipality.

 

 

The terrace of the raised volume is constantly available to the citizen by autonomous vertical access. In this way, it becomes a place of rest and concentration and also gives the opportunity to observe the surrounding environment. The large open surface of the shell at the urban level together with the main square remain free,

 

 

for every kind of unpredicted outdoors activities, thus making the city hall a center of constant activity, leisure and socialization.

 

 

The main characteristics of the project are, firstly the position of the main activities under the urban level to maintain the free public space. Public space that 'penetrates' the shell, making unclear the distinction of the 'outside' from the 'inside' and also minimize the visual boundaries and obstacles of movement on the urban level. The entrance to the main body of the building becomes through ramps and the vertical pillars. The spaces inside the shell are unified and in combination with the choice of organic geometry and the vertical and bilateral lighting through the holes, the sense of large inner space and the feeling of freedom is intensified.

 

 

Secondly, from the raised volume of offices which follows a crooked line and is visible from every direction and demonstrate a clear geometry, symbol of stability and authority. The continuity of the facet is interrupted only by rectangular volumes 'eyes' which are the places of leisure of the inside space of movement that 'surrounds' the pillars. Through the digital pixels of the facade the raised volume transforms into a transmitter of messages and mean of communication with the citizen. In this way, the facade constantly changes and gives the possibility of creating 'infinite' views.

 

 

Thirdly, the holes for ventilation, the 'nerves' of the lighting openings of the shells surface, the tree-like columns of the penetrated shelter, that originate from natures structures. The shelter gives climax to the outside space and also shades the raised volume and its terrace and the open surface of the shell making it a leisure place. The green that surrounds the project and the emphatic presence of the moving water, characteristic of the city that is famous for its waters and also symbol of movement, clarity, creation.

 

 

The proposal demonstrates the dual character of the city hall as an institution of democracy and authority and also the change and fluidity of the contemporary situation, the demand for a new relationship of the human and its natural environment.