Residential microCHIP_Social Housing

 

Site location: Axios, Thessaloniki, Greece

Gross floor area: 3256,29 sqm

Design date: 06/2010-09/2010

Project status: National Arch. Competition Entry       

Design: Dionysis Gonatas, Vangelis Lantavos

Collaborators: Katerina Tsakrikadaki, Maria Lantavos, Pantelis Bakirztis

 

The project is subject to a competition co-organized by

the Greek Social Housing Organization and the Hellenic Institute of Architecture. The site is located on the edge of a suburban area in Axios municipality some 27 Km from the centre of Thessalonica, in northern Greece, which is the second largest city of the country. 

The residential complex is composed by smaller dwellings that form a bigger group, in order to adapt into the existing landscape and context as the neighbouring village, consists of single floor houses and small buildings, as well as to be closer to human scale.

The buildings are placed on the perimeter of the lot, creating a ‘wall’ of protection, releasing an internal communal space where the evolved public life of the complex takes place. This area is formed in outdoor ‘rooms’ with the help of planting (tree-lined), creating meeting places for the residents and playground for the children, while preventing the houses from the internal disturbance. 

The buildings are separated by areas of green which also act as communication 'channels' between the perimeter roads and the inner parts. The circulation through a system of internal paths, the green areas and the position of buildings refers to the design of an electronic microcircuit. 

In general, the morphology of the buildings comprises two rectangular parallelepipeds separated by parallel walls of exposed concrete that limits the movement and from the common stairwell of each building. This allows for a direct movement between the building's frontage and the internal communal space. 

Eco-design principles were applied, such as, the use of photovoltaic panels, green roofs on buildings, natural ventilation system, and rain water collection in underground tanks. Additionally all dwellings have been adequately protected from the powerful sunlight by using semi-outdoors spaces and wooden blinds on which creepers can be grown. txt/gr

 

The project participated Domes Awards and Exhibition 2012.