updating the city block - architectural design & urban planning

LOCATION: athens, GREECE YEAR: 2010-2011, 9TH SEMESTER - DEPARTMENT OF ARCHITECTURE ENGINEERING, DEMOCRITUS UNIVERSITY OF THRACE
TEAM: MANOLIS VENIERAKIS, THEOFILOS ZACHOS, NERINI MAvROUDI, ZOE VIAROPOULOU
PROFESSORS: PANAGIOTIS KOKKORIS, GIORGOS PATRIKIOS, DIMITRIS LOUKOPOULOS, DIMITRIS THOMOPOULOS, KONSTANTINOS KOSTOPOULOS

The project regards a block reform in Keratsini, a deprived urban area of Athens, near a central square and a small park. Our intention was to unite the public spaces of the area through the site, forming a single passage. By creating two major plateaus at different levels, which define passages around and through them, access is permitted to the site from all around the block.
The three levels of the ground floor incorporate all public functions so that the housing is developed in the upper levels. The public part includes commercial uses such as shops and offices, but also cultural functions such as a multipurpose hall, a library, a museum, youth clubs and community workshops.
For the upper levels the aim was to achieve high standards for sun and ventilation for all houses, therefore a slender building is designed. The main objective was to combine the various types and sizes of houses in an airy building, where residents can use the open spaces between houses for gatherings. Access to housing is made via open corridors and a secondary system of staircases, serving also fire-escape regualtions for all levels.