The current thesis discusses the restoration of production in the city and its inclusion in an existing structure of the urban landscape, aiming at the empowerment of the local economy and the needs of the city, due to the high rates of unemployment and the financial crisis that afflicted Greece. Initially, a research is conducted about the Greek reality and the innovation levels, including the necessities of the contemporary businesses for state-of-the-art technology. Furthermore, the concept of fabrication laboratory (fab lab) and hub is presented, while analyzing their contribution to the primary sector and the fact that they compose an environment that stimulates interaction, experimentation and the materialization of ideas. In addition, we highlight their social work and state examples of such places found in the Greek region. The research is enriched with a series of terms and movements, which are related to the free distribution of knowledge, through hacking an already existing service to create new, more useful to the society, through the culture of DIY and maker culture that foster the use of any available means, in order to resolve a current difficulty.
As an outcome of this research, we located and chose an existing structure in Thessaloniki, which could engulf those functions that will amplify the local productivity and economy. Our building of interest is an empty urban cell that has been abandoned, due to the financial crisis. It stands as a live testimony of the depression and demands delicate approach that will operate as a solution to the current situation. For this reason, we insert the function of a fab lab and a hub. Our intention is to provide the essential tools one needs to materialize free his ideas. We design production, working and learning spaces that promote the democratization of information and production. Moreover, newly created enterprises (start-ups) are given the chance to obtain their own, low cost, working space, where they can interact with larger companies, thus creating an ambience of collaboration and solidarity.