Meeting of old and new techniques in the area of ELEONAS

Students: Saplaouras Michael, Chaldezou Sotiria
Supervisors: S. Giftopoulos, Klabatsea E.
Directors: G. Gavalas, Stavridou A.
National Technical University, School of Architecture | Sector I
Support date: November 2010

The historical memory of a valley with olive trees in the heart of Athens and the declining industrial character of ELEONAS are the stimuli of a thesis which proposes to create a space, which attempts to place together laboratories of old and new techniques, and also investigates the relationship between the natural and built environment.

The green valley of olive trees which occupied the greater part of Athens, from ancient times gave the name to the area of ELEONAS. A picture of an olive tree remains unchanged until the 18th century. Since the founding of the Greek state and the transfer of the capital Athens the landscape begins to be subjected to change. ELEONAS, thanks to its geographical location between two major centers of Athens and Piraeus and to its rich ground is the most appropriate place for the development of industry and transport infrastructure of the capital.
The crisis of the 70 complements a complex historical picture of ELEONAS, leaving many dead industrial buildings.

The historic character of the area, as reflected in the different phases, completed today in an uncertain institutional arrangements and administrative fragmentation.

In ELEONAS operates a wide range of craft disciplines, each of which incorporates a number of qualifications which meet the needs of Athens for production and processing.
However, the institutional framework that is formed during the last fifteen years (from the Master Plan of Athens in '84 and onwards) as concerns in the region of ELEONAS,is leading to the industrialization of the region and create a new shopping- business center in the area, which will gather super local uses.

The central idea of the functional proposal is the number of small craft workshops which are remained in the area with a school of industrial design.
The meeting of the laboratories in a public space reinforces the important role of production and reduces the risk of disappearing from the area. The school of industrial design gives to this coexistence, new methods of design and production, where, starting with the traditional techniques we have the creative design of the original object.

Approaching design of the proposed study area, emphasis is given on restoring the natural relationship with the building environment.
The central idea of the solution is to release the ground level of the buildings blocks in order to create a surface that is planted and allows sightings in the city of Athens.
The needs of laboratories in northern, indirect lighting and natural ventilation  lead to the linear growth oriented north-south axis. The dynamic movements of the avenue of Constantinople to the northern part of the plot, in which is the faculty of industrial design, distorts the original uniform system of laboratories - deformation that extends throughout the solution by creating an artificially planted terrain.

Development policy and planning that respects the landscape is a dipole which can regenerate the fragile character of ELEONAS.