Gkazi hostel

Students: Vitou Fotini, Iordanidou Chrysavgi
Supervisors: Exarhopoulos Panos, Angelis George, Loukopoulos Dimitris
Demokritus University of Thrace, School of Engineering, Department of Architectural Engineering
Date : July 2012

The dissertation studies the development of a youth hostel in the area of Keramikos. Which integrates cultural uses thought a network of enclosed and semi-hypaethral spaces.

The area of Gazi (Keramikos area), part of the wider centre of Athens, gathers a number of cultural interests with hyperlocal character. The smooth connection of the area with the rest of the urban network, is one of the main reasons we decided to place our project in this architectural environment. Keramikos area is considered suitable as it easily connects with a wide range of mass transportation media. (Underground, train, buses).

Our criteria for choosing this subject was formed around our intention to incorporate the composition in the urban network, combined with the study of a non-permanent residential space. That way, we researched the possibility of interaction between the private and the public space. The hostel we propose offers accommodation to travelers, students, artistic collectives, music and dancing ensembles. The possibility to reside in this space for a long period of time reinforces the sociability of the residents and makes them members of a neighborhood. The concept we developed is based on social interaction and it integrates spaces of residence, leisure and cultural activities. In addition to that, through the unification of the open backyard spaces we develop a communication platform between the permanent residents of the area and the hostel's guests. The peculiarity of this architectural subject lies in the integration of the urban void as architectural element aiming to harmonise it with the urban background.

Main objective of the project is the definition and the development of the composition inside the urban network. The easy access through the mass transportation media was provised for the service of the building complex. That way, the area of our composition is placed in direct relation with Keramikos square.

The compositional space of the project is developed inside the margins of an urban block. The peculiarity of the selected space lies in the need to organize its structure through the link of smaller plots of land, the maintenance of the existing buildings and the unification of all open spaces. That way, the solution acquires coherence as well as a special social meaning and it eventually creates a collective space, part of the area's everyday life.

The choice of the block's access point was made considering the ease of the visitor. The main entrance of the building is designed at the northwest of the plot of land, where it merges with the busiest street of the area that also links to the Underground station of Keramikos. Simultaneously, key element of the composition is the creation of two atriums with different space qualities that work as points of reference for the organization of the public functions of the complex.

Regarding the relation between the building complex and the city, the aim was to design a solution that will not disturb the city network but will consort with it, maintaining the smooth continuation of the neighborhood's façade.