stella nikolakaki portfolio

Portfolio

STELLA NIKOLAKAKI Dipl.Architect.engineer. March AA

2011 20102012 2009

02 gsapp-global networking

01 cassiopeia pavillion constellation

03 plug ‘n stay

04 marble skin

05 exhibit A

06 x-small 09 monoline

07 dancing hangers

08 L block

09 monoline

2007 20032006 20022008 2004 2005

10 house with a view

11 behind the glass

12 d.i.y. office

13 soft space

14 sliced walls

15 snap!

16 multiplex ps

Cassiopeia pavilions constellation

Cassiopeia pavilions constellation

Cassiopeia is a constellation of five programmed open-air pavilions posi-tioned at selected sites of Faliron Bay in Athens, Greece. It is a collaborative effort that is based on a masterplan for the reconstruction of the Faliron Bay in Athens designed by Renzo Piano. Our office collaborated with EcoRedux Network of Lydia Kallipoliti and Ezio Blasetti in New York for the design of “architectural instances” dis-persed throughout the vast space of the bay. In reference to self-illuminating stars which compose a constellation, each pavilion has a unique program and spatial structure with the aim to create an active energy point in the map and to introduce activities that will radiate “en-ergy and light” to the surrounding space of the park. The five pavilions are self-similar, though each one has a different formal output and use.

01 Cassiopeia pavilions constellationproject architects:Lydia Kallipoliti, Ezio Blazetti+207x207 architects Stella NIkolakaki - Andreas TheodoridisClient: Niarchos Foundation & Greek Ministry of Environment and Climate Changedate: 2012preliminary design phase

01. FISHING DECK

02. GAZING TOWER

03. PLAYGROUND

04. ROLLER PARK

05. WATER PARK

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FALIRON BAY MASTERPLAN

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SECTION A-A

01. FISHING DECK

PLAN

01. FISHING DECK

BUILIDING LOGIC OF STRUCTURE

metal rings that give the curvilinear shape

metal support frame

The structure of all pavillions is identical. They consit of two elements: 1. The curvilinear support structure2. The walkable surfaces

The curvilinear support structure cosists of a metal frame and a concrete surface around it. The curvilinear shape is achieved through the creation of prefabricated metal rings that are directly attached to the metal frame. These rings hold a metal mesh on which concrete-gunite is poored.

The walkable surface cosists of a triangulated metal frame that is directly attached to the overall supporting metal frame. These triagles are “filled” with wooden strips of different orientations.

The triangulation is the basic geometry that has produced the curvilinear forms through a digital process of extrusions and smoothing.

exterior surface made of gunite

02. GAZING TOWER

03. PLAY GROUND

04. ROLLER PARK

05. WATER PARK

plug ‘n stay

plug ‘n stay

The wide use of portable computers combined with the need for free Wi-Fi access, as well as the widespread use of the bicycle as means of transport creates a new view of the needs within the urban public space.Plug ‘n Stay is a piece of “urban furniture” that tries to meet these changing needs. It is an articulated system that compris-es of two types of units made of reinforced concrete and a group of accessories that adapt on them in specially made docks.Each unit can be used either as a sitting surface (when a wooden cover is adapted to the concrete), as a flower-pot (when the concrete unit is filled with soil) or as an info-point through the map that is attached on the seat. The seats can be lifted offering temporary stor-age. The units also have sockets that allow a range of accessories to be attached, such as back-seats that are also bicyle-docks, ashtrays … Every seating area can be differentiated according to the number, the type, the sequence and the arrangement of the units, thus offer-ing a series of possibilities and meeting the different spatial needs in a very economical and eco-friendly way.

03 plug ‘n stayproject architects:207x207 architects Stella NIkolakaki-Andreas Theodoridis+Konstantinos Mouzakisdate: 2011

marble skin

marble skin

This project was the result of a competion in 2009. We were asked by the embassy of Kuwait to remodel the facades of their building. There was an extra level added to it and the facades were in bad condition.The requirements that the embassy posed had to do with the use of marble, two specific types of marble that they had already chosen, and the creation of “clean” sur-faces.The project is scheduled to finish before the summer of 2012.

04 marble skinproject architects:207x207 architects Stella NIkolakaki-Andreas Theodoridisdate: 2010under construcion

After assessing the building we focused of the following problematic areas:

1. A second level has been added which needs to be incorpo-rated with the pre-existing building

2. There is no correalation among the different openings of the building.

3. The entrance way is not well defined.

4. The building is not well lit in the night time.

pre-existing condition of the embassy building

current condition of the em-bassy building

Proposal Concept:The concept for this building if based of the qualities of the marble and the fact that it requires staight vertical alignments be-tween the different levels.Since there was no such correlation, we decided to design it through the use of the marble in different layers. The second part of the idea was the light design. The building needed to be obvious at night. This was achieved through the indentations that were created from the layering of the marble fa-cades.The third element was the use of the ara-besque motif that was the basis for designing the “fence” of the embassy.

A marble “skin” is placed on the out-side of the existing building hiding all the extruding elements including the balco-nies. The new building is a “clean” volume that imposes with its “weight” on its surround-ings.

the “skin” is comprised of marble tiles of the same size . These tiles have the minimum possible gaps between them - they have chamfered edges so that the “back is never visible. In this way they cre-ate a homogeneous surface. In order to avoid an entirely regular config-uration, the new facade has an “irregu-lar” organization, grouping the tiles together.

These groups are created through the organization of larger gaps between the tiles.

an arabesque motif was designed with a strict geometrical repetition.It became the “enclosure” for the em-bassy’s grounds.

the organization of the tiles was a process having many alternatives.The building method was always a major priority.

sectional detail of marble facade fitting

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A metal frame was designed to hold up the new facade.

drawing of the main facadestructural

The indentations around the openings create the vertical alignments and the large gaps add the desired irregularity.

drawing of the main facadearchitectural

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the arabesque motif that was designed for the “fence”

The ligting design enhances the geometry of the facade. It is not yet finished, the big gaps between the tiles will be lit by LED tape.

exhibit A

exhibit A

During a yearly exhibition for architectural materials we designed a space that would promote the work of young greek architects within the exhibition space of a particular company.Both the products of the company and the work of the architects was to be showcased in a continuous flowing space.

05 exhibit Aproject architects:207x207 architects Stella NIkolakaki-Andreas Theodoridis+Konstantinos Chrysos-Marianthy Tataridate: 2010

x-small

x-small

The client wanted to create a cafe and bar in a very small corner shop. The surface area of the space at hand was about 13 m2 with an ad-ditional basement that would house a small kitchen and bathroom. In those 13 m2 we had to create a comfortable, con-ceptual and highly practical space with a very low budget.

The primary element of this project was the design of a new facade that would be able to accomodate the use of the extremely small exte-rior space that was available to the owner. This exterior space would be the main sitting area as the interior was very small.

06 x-small project architects:207x207 architects Stella NIkolakaki-Andreas Theodoridisdate: 2010

The new facade would be multifunctional, opening up the interior and at the same time serv-ing as usable surface for sitting and serving.A metal frame was designed incorporating fixed windows, vertically sliding window, as well as unfolding wooden surfaces.An old fashioned mechanism of weights and pul-lies was devised that made possible this “work-ing facade”.

open closing closed

The cafe is only seen from the road “diagonally”. This lead to the position-ing of the name also in a “diagonal” way.

The budget was kept low through the use of OSB wood as the basic material.

dancing hangers

Castor Group is a company that imports fashion clothing and acces-sories. Their company is located on the fourth floor of a shoping mall.They have constant nees for rearranging their showromms and offices so as to meet their ever changing needs.We were asked to convert office space into showroom space. The concept was the incorporation of the mall’s atrium into the de-sign and the creation of slanting forms that would be visible through the atrium’s glass paneling.The main idea was the combination of glass, light and the surface of the ceiling using a system of slanting “col-umns” as a catalyst.

07 dancing hangersproject architects:207x207 architects Stella NIkolakaki-Andreas Theodoridisdate: 2009

the columns seem like they are spinning around their central axis.They work in pairs creating a balance and supporting the hanging-rail.

The pairs of columns have an ef-fect when they reach the ceiling, pushing it in and creating part of the lighting system.

L block

L block

In a famous suburb of Chania, we were asked by a contractor to design an appartment building that would have a varietion of appart-ment sizes.The site had a view of the sea and that was our primary objective, to maximize the view from all appartments.The other issue was to try to move away from the sterotype of repeated floor plans for the different levels of the building.The idea was to combine split-level appartments with single level ap-partments, thus creating L shaped spaces both in section and in plan.

08 L blockproject architects:207x207 architects Stella NIkolakaki-Andreas Theodoridis+Georgia Nikolakopouloudate: 2009

second floor plan layout

plans of the L shaped appartemnets

third floor plan layout

monoline

monoline

Castor Group is a company that imports fashion clothing and acces-sories. Their company is located on the fourth floor of a shoping mall.They have constant nees for rearranging their showromms and offices so as to meet their ever changing needs.We were asked to remodel one of their showrooms that would house a new collection.The concept was the use of a single line to accomodate the needs for maximum hanging area and the ligting system.

09 monolineproject architects:207x207 architects Stella NIkolakaki-Andreas Theodoridisdate: 2009

house with a view

house with a view

In a suburb of Chania, right next to the sea, with a view of the entire harbor, we were asked to design a house for a family with one child. The brief included a 40 m2 office space, a guest room and potentially a swimming pool.The basic concept for this house was the maximization of the site’s unique asset, the view. The goal was to design exterior and interior spaces in such a way that this quality would be enhanced. So the existing inclination of the site was utilized so as to “raise” the exterior open spaces and the main living areas. This had a dual effect. On the one hand it indeed maximized the view from the entire property and on the other it devided the house into two distinct parts, thus increasing privacy.

10 house with a viewproject architects:207x207 architects Stella NIkolakaki-Andreas Theodoridisdate: 2008-2009

The office became a separate element whose roof is a part of the overall exterior space of the property, a terrace-like extension of the interior living spaces.On the same level we place the daughter’s master bedroom that has a separate connection to the exte-rior, as well as a guest bedroom and several utilities. The level of the terrace/exterior open space is the level of the main living areas. This is where the main entrance of the house is located and it is one continuous space from the inside to the outside.The top level is were the main master bedroom is located and it is completely private from the rest of the house. The house is also devided vertically with an atrium that houses the staircase. This atrium devides the living area in terms of privacy and creates a tran-sition to the double-heighted living room.

plan-level 0 plan-level 01

officemaster bed. 2

guest bed. living area

plan-level 02 section B-B

section A-A

master bed. 1

behind the glass

behind the glass

Mariangela is a company that imports fashion clothing and acces-sories. They are the main dealers for labels such as Sonia Fortuna, Illaria Nistri, Iodice and more. Their headquarters are in Thessaloniki, but they recently purchased a 700 m2 building in Athens in order to house their Athens-branch.We were asked by the company to complete the building, which was only finished up to a point, and convert it into showroom and office space.

The key issues that had to be addressed were:1.Creating an environment that would match and promote the clothes.2.Creating as much hanging area as possible, given the huge amount of clothes to be displayed.3.Creating distinct spaces for the different companies, without reducing the natural light4. allowing for flexibility among the different showroom areas.5.Reorganizing the façade so that it is visible and noticeable from the high way that in right in front and creating a proper entrance for the company.

11 behind the glassproject architects:207x207 architects Stella NIkolakaki-Andreas Theodoridisdate: 2008

plan of previous condition

facade of previous condition

plan of proposal

The concept for this project was fundamentally to bring the light the deepest possible without compromising the privacy of each showroom.The fact the the building was almost finished and the utilities were already in place posed restrictions in the organization of the plan. The result of a diagonal division between the front showrooms and the back showrooms and the use of semi transparent glass to divide the spaces.The resulting effect was enhansement of the “shad-ows” of the arrayed clothes.The facade was not something we were allowed to alter in a major way. Our choice was again the use of light - artificial light this time - in order to make the building visible at night.

new facade

The facade was not something we were al-lowed to alter in a major way. Our choice was again the use of light - artificial light this time - in order to make the building visible at night.

d.i.y. office

d.i.y. office

12 d.i.y. officeproject architects:207x207 architects Stella NIkolakaki-Andreas Theodoridisdate: 2008

Designing our own office became a project that would be designed and manufactured entirely by us...and friends.From the cleaning of the pre-existing warehouse to the construction of the furniture it was a d.i.y. endeavour.

The office was previously storage space/garage. There was everything from a car to a telephone pole.All this was removed and the entire space remod-eled. We used this as an experiment in con-struction techniques and materials. We tried to use everything ourselves and learn in the process.

The car was replace by an old VESPA . The cement floor became industrial flooring, the entrance ramp became a set of steps and a huge metal-frame destk was set hanging from the concrete ceil-ing. The rest of the furniture was recycled and remodeled pieces that we found in various locations.

soft space

soft space

Castor Group is a company that imports fashion clothing and acces-sories. They are the main dealers for labels such as Marella, Laltra-Moda, Compagnia Italiana, A-Style, Full Circle, Scunk Funk Buffalo, Wonderbra and more. Their headquarters are on the fourth floor of a shopping mall called Ionia Centre in Nea Ionia, Athens. We were asked by the company to convert two of the shops in the basement of the shopping mall into showroom–space for potentially up to five different labels. The space had to be flexible enough to accommodate the different needs of each label and at the same time be able to acquire different spatial arrangements. The companies that would be on display there were A-Style, Buffalo, Minus-Ung, Full Circle and Scunk Funk. These companies promote a more street and urban fashion. This prompted us to create a more industrial environment using industrial flooring and raw metal.The concept for this project was based on the notion of the “limit” and the way one “interfaces” with space in a more “flexible” manner in three aspects.

13 soft spaceproject architects:207x207 architects Stella NIkolakaki-Andreas Theodoridisdate: 2008

public space

space for renovation 01space for renovation 02interior of space for renovation 02

central elevator

public space

space for renovation

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space for renovation

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atriumescalators

01. The first aspect of the “limit” had to do with the creation of a literarily flexible space with malleable limits that would be able to meet the changing needs of each collection. This was attempted through the use of an in-novative wall-system called soft wall – a kind of bendable, foldable and movable fabric “wall”.

The two spaces that we were given were previously retail shops, but were at the time used as storage space for the company. The central elevator was the only direct connection to the fourth floor where the rest of the company was based.

existing plan

basement public space “dark” corridor -

showroom entrances

concealed linting -“windows”

proposal plans

configuration 01maximum separation

configuration 02 reducing separation

configuration 03reducing separation

configuration 04rminimumseparation

projection of 30cm height base

section of 180cm height wall

permanent hanging rack

mobile hanging rack

plan of the ceiling with the addition of the grid for the modular suspension system for the racks

interchangeable docking positions

rack module

rack -module suspension-rod

This system was coupled with a system of changeable hanging racks. This was a modular suspen-sion system that allowed the rack modules to change loca-tions relatively easy. It comprised of a grid that was attached to the ceiling bearing docking positions for the rack-module suspension-rods. When needed, the module could be detached and docked to a new position. The furniture also had to be flexible. We thus designed desks that could be divided when needed and wheeled to new posi-tions.

02. The second element was the need to unify the company offices and other showrooms that were on the fourth floor with this new showroom space in the base-ment and the need to differenti-ate the entrance to this space from the retail shops next to it. The response to this need was to expand the space that was initially given to us in order to in-corporate part of the public space of the basement, including the central elevator. We thus created a distinct entrance and a direct connection to the fourth floor via the elevator.

03. The third aspect of the “limit” had to do with the distinc-tion between the inside and the outside. The space we had to design was in the basement without any direct access to the outside and to natural lighting. Our response was the creation of the illusion of exteriority and natural lighting through a series of glass panels that act as lighting fixtures and turn the solid walls into a “softer” spatial limit.

sliced walls

sliced walls

Castor Group is a company that imports fashion clothing and acces-sories. They are the main dealers for labels such as Marella, Laltra-Moda, Compagnia Italiana, A-Style, Full Circle, Scunk Fumk, Buffalo, Wonderbra and more. Their headquarters are on the fourth floor of a shopping mall called Ionia Centre in Nea Ionia, Athens. We were asked by the company to redesign the entrance to their offices and showrooms and two of their showrooms: one for and the other for LaltraModa.

The project had to be viewed as a whole as all the spaces at hand were adjacent to each other. The existing spatial configuration consisted of a large toilet space outside the company’s entrance, the entrance with the reception desk and one big showroom of about 230 m², which was previously used for Marella. This entire space had to be reconfig-ured without blocking the use of the company so that there would be two distinct showrooms. The bigger one was to be used for Marella and it had to fit the same amount of clothes that the previous one did.

14 sliced wallsproject architects:207x207 architects Stella NIkolakaki-Andreas Theodoridisdate: 2007

The key issues that had to be addressed in the design of the showroom for Marella were: 1. Redesigning the general organization of the spaces at hand so that we are able to maximize the capacity for clothes.2. Bringing natural light into the show-rooms which was completely blocked in the previous arrangement.

initial given space that would be divided into two separete showrooms

proposal for the Marella showroom

overall plan of the 4th floor headquarters of Castor gorup

The need for maximazing capacity and practicality led to a curvilin-iar organization of the space with “islands” that follow the flow of movement allowing for an easier manipulation of the clothes.

The same need led to the concept of a “layered” system of organization of all the vertical elements, including the actual sur-rounding walls.This system provided a single gesture that would address all the practical issues, i.e. surface space for accessories, the hang-ing rack and a background for the accentuation of the clothes

This project was the testing ground for two things. On the one hand we took the use of plaster board to an extreme curvilinear condi-tion and on the other we used a new material called extenzo – a kind of expandable plastic ceiling – in a way that it was never used before in Greece.

hanging rack

surface for accessories



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segment at 173.4 cm

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segment at 260 cm 260 cm

segment at 86.7 cm

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Pierres Vives

Pierres Vives

The building is a unique combination of three civic institutions - the archives, the library and the sports department - within a single enve-lope. Given the contained programs, the design is inspired by the idea of a ‘tree of knowledge’ as an organizational diagram. The archive is located at the solid base of the trunk, followed by the slightly more po-rous library, with the sports department and its offices on top where the trunk bifurcates and becomes much lighter.

I joined the design team for this project in the final phase of the project. During this phase we prodece all the permit and construction documentation and de-tailing.

08 Pierres Vivesarchitect:zaha hadid architects date: 2006

Eleftheria Square

Eleftheria Square

The project of Eleftheria Square is situated in Nicosia and in the historical context of the adjacent Venetian Wall which is buffered by a recessed moat that presently consists of a mainly inaccessible garden and landscape areas. This massive fortification defines the ex-tents of the ancient city and separates it from the modern city outside the walls. The architectural intervention at Eleftheria Square, which is only a part of a much larger urban planning vision that could become a cata-lyst for the urban unification of the capital, aspires to organize and synthesize the whole of the Venetian Wall, the Moat and the fringes of inner and the outer parts of the city into a unified whole. As a result of the architecturally coherent and continuous solution, the Venetian Monument can be reinstated the as a main part of the identity of the city. The moat can become Nicosia’s main park that will provide recreational and cultural facilities while Eleftheria Square will offer a gathering space for public events.

I was part of the team that proposed alternative design solutions in the post-competition preliminary design phase. I was responsible for the communication between the struc-tural engineers in Cyprus and the design team. I was also responsible for option 1 of the four options proposed in this phase.

09 Eleftheria Squarearchitect:zaha hadid architects date: 2006

overall plan the moatfrom option 1 of the four proposals .The square-bridge is shown as a dashed projection

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sections of the square from option 1 of the four proposals for the the design of the structure of the square-bridge

0 421 m

Snap!

This project was the result of 16-months of research on the concept of material intelligence. By studing the material behavior of Bistable Structures, in particular curved spring metal found in com-mon slap bracelets, we proposed a flexible and adaptive design and structural building system.The testing ground for this system was a proposal for a workspace for the software company SAP AG that can be reconfigured using this bistable material behavior. The site was a tight space between office buildings in Farringdon, London.The bistable metal coils has the potential for rapid internal collapse. This characteristic was deployed so as to explore new architectural boundaries. As a result, the conceptual proposal is an adaptive workplace, capable of self spatial reconfiguration based on changes in business structure, for SAP AG.Alone, the spring metal is only stable in two states: when it is extended straight and when it is contracted into a coil. After a series of experiments we were able to control the way the strips would collaps. We created a layered system of two strips. The connections provided resisting force and divided the strips into segments, therefore limiting and confining the collapse within the segments and domesticating what would otherwise be a ferocious collapse to the user-preferred way. Further research based on material experimentation lead to creating more complex systems through the planar conection of more double-layered modules. This added the factor of the sequence of collaps-ing. The same system would procuce multiple results based on the sequece of activation of the collapsing process.

Intelligent Bi-Stable Structure System is in the Patent pending process, with application number 0700710.7.

15 Snap!Thesis for the Design Research Lab of the Architectural Association

project team:Stella Nikolakaki,Sevil Yazice, Jesse Chima, Eugene Leungdate: 2004-2006

physical experiments-material intelligence

The objects being displayed here are the end result of a series of experiments performed on devices that collapse from a flat or straight position into a spatial configuration. In other words, the devices transform from an initial state or 2D surface into a second state or 3D space.The devices are comprised of several metal strips at-tached in various ways to create simple shapes. The metal strips are embedded with a performable opera-tion capable of curling up into a cylinder or withholding potential energy when straight. The sectional convex curve allows the metal to remain straight and only when the sectional curve is deformed the object strip becomes unstable and curls up into the second stable state. This type of performable behavior is known as bistable.The combination of strips allows one to dictate a sequential transformation and hence control its final stable form.To summarize, these bi-stable devices transform from one stable state (initial planar condition) to a second stable position (spatial condition) through a series of sequential activation points.

sequence a

sequence b

connections of layers collapsed double layered stirp collapsed triple layered stirp

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The Responsive Office

The design team has previously speculated the concept of Workflow Index as an operational procedure to translate the conditions of human organization into a single number set. This number, once entered into the SAP information system infrastructure, is immediately pitched against a database that contains possible iterations of architectural response to suit the spatial needs of the new workflow condition.

Sectional diagrams from the previous page reflects that a part of the building is built as a responsive office, one that changes the strip boundaries via the motion physics of dual-layered buckling and radial peeling.

When arrayed, the strips buck differnent from each other, thereby forming a horizontally striated space with pockets of va-cant dimension overlapping each other. The possibilites of such infinite spatial configuration is partially displayed on the right.

Boundaries, as a result, are deployed by the mechanical move-ment of dual-layered buckling. This is the primary strategy employed Team 01. Whereas in elsewhere of the building, the form is dictated and derived from the curvature of dual layered buckling, the Responsive Office is an active and reconfigurable system using buckling and curvature to create boundaries, small or large, between working teams.

Thumbnail images on the right depicts all the possible con-figuration of the responsive office; bear in the mind this is the isolated illustration and the system is situated in the building, as illustrated in previous pages.

Open Floor Main Workplace

Multimedia Auditoriuim Lower Floorspace

Lower Floor Access Ramp

Task Force Workplace

Group 1 / Iteration 1 / Subtype A Hi Capacity & High Degree Openness

Database Final Selection

Range of Similar Choices Final Selection

Point of Transformation

Perspectival Floor View Database Information

Open Floor Main Workplace

Multimedia Auditoriuim Lower Floorspace

Lower Floor Access Ramp

Task Force Workplace

Group 1 / Iteration 1 / Subtype A Hi Capacity & High Degree Openness





_Group 4 / Iteration 1 / Subtype C / Medium Degree Openness

_Perspective Floor View

Circulation Junction Circulation AccessTeam C Workplace

Team A Workplace Team B Workplace Group 5 / Iteration 5 / Subtype B Low Capacity & Low Degree Openness





SAP Accenture Office TowerThe design project is an office tower for the client SAP Accenture, located in Fleet Place, Holborn EC1.

In an era where network culture prevails, the primary mode of economy is based on outsourcing, where corporations and its agents sprawl over distance yet work in synchronized real-time link. This mode ensures that corporations gain financial savings, and because competition is fierce across the states and even across the oceans, every single percent of saving means a victory in corporate efficiency.

The office tower, therefore, is designed for this kind of economic model, where SAP Accenture accomodates temporary task force sent from their headquarters. The tenants entirely stay for a limited duration of time. The Responsive Office, located in the heart of the building, is able to actively deploy and retract physical boundaries to accomodate works that come and go.

As previously discussed, the building form is derived from a series of studies into the radius / curvature of dual-layered Bistable Structure buckling. The cur-vatures, deemed programmatically viable to contain users and activities, are assembled together into a building that parallels with the major axis of the site.

Public spaces are integrated into the building as well, manifesting as open air terraces throughout the various altitude of the structure. The following diagrams dissects the building into its performantive functions as well as spatial distribution.

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Designing from a flat position

The initial strips are organized in a way that is derived from the site. After a sequence of activations we reach the basic organization-al diagram of the building

sequancial trasformation

Bank of Greece

Bank of Greece

The building is the main vault of the Bank of Greece in the north of the country. It is a very demanding building in terms of security detailing, program-matic needs and spacial needs.

I was part of the team that conducted the final design phase. This phase included all the construction and tender documentation and drawings.

11 Bank of Greecearchitect:nikifor idis-cuomo architects date: 2003

mm50 100 2000

facade, section and axonometric details of the ballustrade of the main stair-case

10cm

0.50

sectional detail of the earthquake joint between the different parts of the building, on the roof.

sectional detail of the connection of the window sills to the wall and the stone facade

16 multiplex public spacediploma project by:Stella NIkolakaki-Andreas Theodoridis

supervised by:Prof. Lois Papadopoulos-Prof. Sassa LadaAristotle University of Thessalonikidate: 2002

ARGET

Discovering the potential of public space within the present ur-ban fabric (in Greek cities).

DEFINITION

Space is that space within the city where people form their social identity and realize their role as members of an urban community. It is the main space of actual (as opposed to virtual) communication through interaction and information and , therefore, the main ground for contradiction and conflict – fundamental elements of a democratic urban condition.

Public space is the connecting fabric of the city, linking all of its components through a continuous, freely accessible network.

It provides alterations between movement and speed that serve as the filter through which an individual realizes and understands the city.

REALITY

The above definition of public space does not entirely apply to the reality of the Greek city and more specifically Thessaloniki.

Everything has become a channel of movement. The qualities of the public square have been adopted by privately owned spaces, distorting them through a consumer forming policy.

Public space is not the link among the city’s components, but has been reduced to one of its fragments. It’s part of the group of fragments that αre juxtaposed without any interconnecting relations.

POSITION

Discovering and defining the underlying qualities of urban spaces and activating them as public space, may be the way to respond adequately to the current needs of the modern city. The interrelation between moving-stopping and fast-slow, the creation of situations that promote communication through interaction and information (limiting the new kind of socially excluded individuals) and, on another level, the interweaving of the

plans of proposal section 2

section 1

different kinds of functions that produce public space are the main areas of research.

These functions are commerce, leisure and public services.

This research starts from the analysis of the existing public spaces in Thessaloniki and the definition of their structure and goes on to redefine them with new criteria.

Apart from the road system, the basic public spaces in the city are three pedestrian axis that encompass broader areas-squares (”Αristotelous” and “Gounari”). Their structure is similar. The key word is axis. Their linearity is their fundamental characteristic. They consist of parallel and symmetrical strips of movement and vegeta-tion and they are all monumental-they start or end at one of the city’s monuments. These monuments do not actually take part in the func-tion of these spaces as public. They merely provide the background and remain inert. Another characteristic is that these spaces are exclusively on ground level. This is actually a general feature of any Greek city. Anything that is considered public remains on ground level (0 – +5). Finally, there is an apparent lack of stopping- areas. The oc-casional bench does not count as a means of altering the character of these areas. It’s superficial because it’s an addition, not a structural element.

ASSESSMENT

The malfunction of the above public spaces is obvious when view-ing their characteristics as described above after the analysis of the meaning of public space.

People move through these “squares” in the same way they move in the street, fast. There is no variation of speed, which is es-section 4

section 3

sential in order to understand and link the fragments of the modern city. Moving becomes the goal. There is no room for interaction and, as a result, communica-tion.

Another problem is the restriction of all public activities on ground level. This fact obstructs the interlocking of the different functions which is necessary for the production of a public space that provides variations of spatial conditions. Furthermore, the fact that these public spaces form an urban central-ity does not suit the way that cities have started to function.

PROPOSAL

The target is to discover the hidden layers of the actual city and find a way to activate their potential through a dynamic form of public space, focusing on making it a place of communication, a place o coherence, a place folded together with the city - the city together.

The key word is folding. One way to achieve this is to disperse public areas/spaces throughout the entire city, replacing the present centrality with a net-work. Νetworks and hubs are concepts that have come to dominate our vocabu-lary, our way of thinking, the way we organize our lives and our cities. Centers are not needed anymore.

This means that it’s not enough to re-design the existing public spaces. Re-designing does not revoke their centrality. What is needed is the creation of new public spaces in terms of where and how.

Determining where is based on two parameters. The first parameter has to do with the the concept of the network and the constitution of the urban fabric. The kind of place needed is one that can be found everywhere in the city, so that it can function as part of a connecting network. The second parameter has to do with the transformation of the urban fabric and the lifestyle, which have led to

the malfunction of the existing public spaces. The kind of place needed will have to be able to absorb these transformations and satisfy the needs that derive from them.

“Post urban space is determined by pockets of emptiness and shallowness. In between the developed sites of the urbanized landscape, we find undefined re-sidual spaces, non-sites, urban voids”. These residual spaces are the result of the urbanization process and the expansion of the city that characterized the built as positive and the void as negative. They are the in between of the frag-ments of the city. These cracks and margins seem to be the perfect receptors for today’s real public space. they are the result of the urban evolution and can serve as the starting point for the post urban evolution. “The void points to the absence of intentions. The void is the absence of architecture. The void is the domain of unfulfilled promises and unlimited op-portunity”.

These non-places are the gaps between buildings, the non-buildable sites, the blind sides of buildings, roof-tops and ter-races that changed characteristics through the changes in the adjacent buildings.

PLACE

A group of places like the ones described above is found at the old city center, at the block where the central food market has been for the past 70 years. The old city center was burned in 1917 and was redesigned by the French urban planner, E. Hebrard. The first construction period ends in 1937. the central food market and some other buildings are from that period. The second construction period reaches 1957. during this time there was an expansion of the food market and a creation of an almost identical in structure building next to it, which became a meat market. After 1957 the rest of the block was completed and reached its

present form.

The fact that the block was not the result of a single original plan and program and the fact that it was constructed throughout the 20th century resulted in a gathering of different architectural styles and a creation of a group of completely promiscuous elements. The rela-tions among these elements were not planned, they are accidental. Yet, the entire block seems as a homogeneous environment. The lack of planned relations among the different elements resulted in the creation voids , of places that were not intended to exist.

The markets are basically two shells that house smaller constructions used as separate shops. They run through the entire block, having entrances on the north and the south side, as well as on the west. Around them there are tall buildings. The result is the impression of an enclosed area on top of the markets in the form of a atrium.

Proposing the creation of a public space in this particular block on the one hand is due to the existence of such places without intention and on the other it’s due to the functions that presently exist there.

In Thessaloniki the public squares were traditionally associated with the “Bazaars”, the market-places. some of these market-places still exist, but they are on the verge of extinction. They are gradually being replaced by the big multiplex shopping centers that are being created outside the city. These complexes are replac-ing not only the markets, but the public space that goes with them. They create the new, controlled and strictly private public space.

So, choosing to create a new form of public space at a traditional city market comes as a response to this situation. This new space is activated through the market and in

configurations of the folding loop formation

return, it will keep the market active.

The variety of stimuli inside the market, the leisure activities (bars, restaurants, coffee shops), the commerce and the public services that coexist in the same block create an environment with the right dynamics for the formation of a new kind of public space. The inter-action of all these elements with a public space adjusted to the new demands on information, technology, communication and time will create the counter for the multiplex shopping centers and their pri-vate “public space”. it will be a truly complex/multplex place where the concept of folding/weaving and the variations of the movement of people will be fundamental characteristics.

The purpose is to create a coherent space where old and new will exist as distinguishable elements of a new structure. This structure derives from the structure of the block and the surrounding area, but uses a new vocabulary. It subverts the existing rule and sets a new one.

ANALYSIS OF THE BLOCK-RULE

The structure of the entire block is characterized by a normality, which is common for the center of the surrounding area. It is orthogonal in plan and it is formed of orthogonal volumes of different sizes on the east and west side, which are all covered with oblique surfaces (roofs). These volumes are adjacent to one another enfolding the central space. this space is occupied by the two markets that connect the south and the north side of the block. A very important character-istics is a “slit” which separates the two markets.

The markets have an almost identical structure. They are shells having the same structural system (concrete columns and beams).they are both covered with oblique surfaces in different heights, symmetrical to a central axis. Their difference is that the newer meat market has a

original mar-ket structure

strip structure

strip structure + interior units

concrete roof and two taller orthogonal buildings at its two sides.

These two shells have galleries that run through them, giving access to the smaller and structurally separate shops inside, and connecting the two parallel streets on the north and the south side of the block. These galleries are in-between spaces.

The concept of in-between is a fundamental characteristic of the area. The transition from in to out is not always clear. But, all this goes for the ground level. Up and down is always clearly distinguished.

Furthermore, the galleries and the separate shops inside, as well as the roofs and the “slit” between the buildings are all parallel and sym-metrical accentuating the direction that they define. This direction dominates throughout the block.

NEW RULE- SUBVERSION- PROPOSAL

The different elements within the new system are more intensely interwoven . There are more in-between spaces. There is not just the transition between in and out but also the transition between up and down. This new system is multi-dimentional, multi-plex, com-plex. The structure that will create-and be created by- this reference system and at the same time help fold together all the elements of the block is the fold.

The concept of the fold is multi-dimentional. It is both the process and the result of a transformation. The folded surfaces declare an action in process, introducing to the creative process the factor of time. Time is the fundamental factor of the urban transformations.

The other important characteristic οf the fold is that it folds to-gether different elements into a unified and continuous

mixture, which is constantly evolving, transforming itself, while letting them be discrete entities. In other words, the present situation and its unique qualities will not be lost, but will exist as an autonomous element within a new continuous, pliant reality.

Furthermore, the fold helps create new in-between spaces, as it is an in-between space itself. It is self- transforming during is course, creating new characteristics for itself and forming receptors for defferent quality spaces, it becomes from floor to roof and vice-versa, it is both floor and roof, or ot becomes a completely new shell, enfolding the present functions of the site and some new ones that are added. During this process we put in use the 3-dimetional space and subvert the relation of public space to ground level.

From another point of view the concept of the fold derives from the site itself. The roofs of the mar-kets and folded surfaces. So , it is the structure that already exists that serves as the starting point for the creation of a new structure. A structure that subverts the normality of the present condition using an orhtological method, interconnecting the existing elements with the ones that are added.

This method id directly related to the structure of the site ( the block). The dominant direction that exists in the structure of the two markets defines the basis for the new structure. The parallel strips of the galleries and the shops in the markets and the “slit” between them are interwoven with the parallel strips of the proposal with an angle of 90 degrees. The difference is that the new strips are folded surfaces that create paths of movement and enclosed apaces all in one gesture.

The 90 degree angle also has to do with the fact that it creates a direct realation with one of the ba-sic public axis of the city (”αristotelous”). This axis is also parallel to the dominant direction inside the markets. The new strips, vertical to theis direction, serve as a means of a multi-level connection between the “old” and traditional public space and the “new” one.

The choice of the strip derives directly from both the structure of the markets and the structure of the existing public space of the city: the axis/road.

The second element of the new structure that subverts the existing rule has to do with the separate constructions that exist inside the markets and serv

as food-shops. These “volumes” have and independent structural system and are merely enclosed within the shells of the markets, one next to the other (”parataxis”). The wish to create a flexible space that could also be used for other purposes ( besides the existing) leads to the replacement of these constructions with new movable ones that can be dismantled and stored. The size and structure of these new units is identical to the old ones. They are orthogonal, their frame is distinguishable form their walls and their front side folds, so that the inside is one with the outside. What is different is the materials and the fact that they can be moved and be dismantled.

The relation between the strips and these new units of space inside the markets has to do with the vertical movements of these units. The strips create loops that serve as pockets for the new units. In this way the market can function on another level besides ground level.

The structure of this new public space is formed out of three elements: the ex-isting shell of the markets, the units of space and the folded strips that “tie” them together.

These three elements are all formed from a visible frame and a “skin”. The skin takes its form almost always from the form of the frame. The three elements interact creating in-between, alternative spaces and are combined with the “slit”, enfolding it within the whole.

The characteristic of the slit that makes it essential to the whole project is the fact that it pen-etrates the whole, giving access to the two parallel streets from within the new space. it therefore provides a direct connection to the “street”. The transition from one side o the other though this passage can serve as a filter. The objective is for anyone that chooses to go through this passage to be able to obtain any wanted information. In other words it is going to be an information channel, while allowing a quick passage through the new public space.

Alternate velocities is one of the objectives. Alterations of stopping and moving within a uni-fied and continuous system and the accentuation of all senses. The markets are rich in sound, im-ages and smells, as all oriental markets are. The strips fold into this space creating conditions ideal

for the perception of all these stimuli. At the same time they create spaces that host functions that focus on the different sences and the different communication codes that derive from them. The transition from stopping and moving having as an objective to accentuate the senses and therefore the means of communication is what this new public space aims to achieve.

More specifically, we create spaces for video and cinema projec-tions, a book-exchange shop, a press-stand and a post office. At the same time there is a change of functions in one of the newer market buildings. The building that is on its south side becomes a dormi-tory for ERASMUS-students and the functions it holds presently are transfered to the building on the north side. This building changes dramatically internally. The new public space penetrates inside it. It becomes a continuous space with folded surfaces as walls.

The other change that occurs is the complete replacement of the western entrance to the old market. This entrance was a gallery between tall buildings. Now the entrance is formed out of the fold of one of the strips that encloses the shops that existed there before and creates space for new ones on a lower level.

This particular strip has a very important role, since it is the one that connects the old public axis with the new public space and at the same time provides a double entrance to this public space. Ιn essence it runs through the entire block doing exactly the same thing as the “slit”, vertically to the “slit”.

The connection with the old public space is done through a public-service-building that currently exists there. This public building is altered minutely at its ground floor (the floor that is mainly φορ public use), connecting itself to the whole system of strips – to the public space that surrounds it.

The result is a public space where all the func-tions are folded together and not juxtaposed. It is a new multi-plex public space.