Just below the village of Drakia in Pelion, on the banks of the river Karamanis, sits an old mill built in 1909 for ΙωάννηςΜίχοs. The mill is a historical building of architectural, historical and cultural importance, but has been abandon for over 40 years and has been badly damaged. Experience has shown us that by simply restoring this building and using it as a sort of museum we will not save this building. If we were to do such a thing the building would fail to sustain itself and thus would eventually fall back into disrepair. Thus if such a project is to be undertaken, it must be approached from an adaptive point of view. In other words the building must be able to adapt to a new use in which it can once again be productive as it once was in the past. Thus the main challenge the project faces is creating new and productive uses for the old building.
This project aims to restore this historical building through an adaptive reuse program providing new uses, while at the same time respecting the buildings past. Thus, I propose to retrofit the old water mill with a new Pelton turbine that will function as a hydroelectric power station. All of the old structures will be kept basically as they are today and new structures will be placed into the old structures leaving a glass zone between the old and new. This glass zone will clearly define where the old structure ends and where the new structure begins and also give the impression that the new structures are floating on top the old walls.
The new additions and reuse of old spaces have been designed as multi-purposes or multiuse spaces with a flexible frame work. Thus, the complex can be used as a conference center, a space for workshops and seminars, for weddings and baptisms, a place for cultural events (including but not limited to concerts, theater, exhibitions ect..), and finally as a hostel for hosting groups who might be interested in the beauty and history of the surrounding area (environmental groups, hiking groups, summer camps ect…), as well curious travelers. The hope is that by creating a diverse and multifunctional building, the building will be able to sustain itself for generations to come and continue on in its legacy.
