697 Olympiads have past after the initiation of the Olympic Games back in 776 B.C. in ancient Olympia. The city of Ialysos, being the birthplace of the infamous athlete Diagoras and his descendants, is a reference point to the Games’ long tradition.

In the current Thesis project, certain city points of athletic and cultural interest are being analyzed as well as the connections among them into the urban grid. Their current use (or non-use) is pointed out and new ones are suggested, in order for them to consist an athletic and cultural core for the city and the region in general.

Nevertheless, not all of the points are subjects of synthetic suggestions in this project, but the city’s aquatic center that remains semi-built since 2005.

It is suggested a new construction proposal based on the existing infrastructure as well as the designing of its surroundings in order to be a vital public place for the citizens.

The field’s location, the designing of the public space, the natatorium as a landmark as well as a minor urban reconfiguration, create the ambition for this space to consist the new city entrance and a reference point for the whole island of Rodos.

Supervisor: Trova Vasso

Reference Number: 600

Our project concerns the design of a bathing building at the location called “Baths of Aphrodite” in the city of Paphos in Cyprus. The aim of the project is the intervention to the landscape in a way that renders the natural - mythical bath a practice possible to be experienced in a more practical and literal way by the visitors of the area. As an inspiration source for the design have been the myths concerning the area and the Aphrodite, from her birth to her relationship with Adonis. Thus, the route formed by the individual rooms constitutes a kind of narration of those myths, in chronological order. The initial design approach was the determination of a main axis on which all the individual bathing and experience rooms would be attached. The building is being placed in the natural ravine of the landscape, as a funnel or a pipe that receives the water coming from the natural baths and lets it flow into the sea. A primary concern was for the building to touch the ground, to penetrate into it and to be lifted of it at different points. Also, a main characteristic of the design is the use of the water both in the building and the surrounding landscape in many ways so that it accompanies the visitor throughout his stay and movement in the building. Utility rooms and public spaces that concern not only the bathers but also the broader public complement the building program. Nevertheless one of the main aims is the creation of a place that satisfies the user’s senses and brings rest and psychosomatic wellness. Thus, the arrangement of the building spaces, the lighting conditions and the particular atmosphere of each bath complex aim to enable the user’s senses.

Supervisors: Gavrilou Evelyn, Trova Vasso

Reference Number: 590

This thesis concers the design of thermal baths in the region Therma of the island Ikaria.In recent years, Ikaria has become a major tourist destination for therapeutic and thermalistic purposes. Many people visit its famous hot springs, combining healing and rejuvenation, as its hot springs are considered among the most radioactive in the world. The aim of the study is the development and promotion of the local hot springs, the springs Apollo and Spilaio.

Our propsosal concerns the joining of the two springs in one common facility. The location evolves around our key finding, the cave in Therma in which superheated thermal water is spurted. The selection of Therma is due to two reasons. First, the proximity of the building  to the springs facilitates the channeling of water inside the building. Furthermore, the small coastal village relies its prosperity largely to the hot springs, so building the baths there aims at its further growth.

With the purpose of allowing the visitor to experience our baths to the fullest, we propose a route divided into four stages: cleansing / baths / relaxation / dining, which highlights our program. Therefore, the premises contain a natural hammam,a scrub room, showers, a central pool, a hot tub with water from the Spilaio spring, a cold plunge pool, bathtubs containing water from the Apollo sping and massage and relaxation rooms.

The baths are connected via a bridge with a building on the other side of the cave, the first floor of which allows internal access to the visitors of the baths and offers healty cuisine, while the second floor works as a cafeteria open to everyone and is joined with the roof of the baths, where a shallow pool is located 'dug' into the rock, allowing also free access.

Supervisor: Gavrilou Evelyn

Reference Number: 597

This thesis has as subject of the synthetic study and re-use of a tobacco warehouse building and transformation into educational much space in Xanthi region. Located in the downtown area of tobacco warehouses, is the largest area of Xanthi Tobacco Warehouse and the special feature, is the plan view shape "Π". It occupies an entire city block, bordering the east of the bus Xanthi West with Kapnergaton Street (georgioy kondili), on which there are residential buildings tall with local shops on the ground floor, North with the extension of the Balkan route, which also there are residential buildings with high altitude and south with Anaxagoras street separating the tobacco warehouse complex "Regie" from adjacent band tobacco warehouse. Note that roads Kapnergaton and Democritus, even the erection of tobacco warehouses today are classified as main road of Xanthi axes with a special move.

Beginning, the goal was to reintegrate the building in the city and town in the building, which for years absent from the region and the complex. Taking into account the number and position of doors and windows, the building is divided internally on independent sites, Library- Student residence- Xanthi University- Showroom, Auditorium communicating with the library- area restaurants and coffee, creating a ramp in the middle of the intangible that goes down to the basement and is the main entrance to the premises: the student halls, restaurant, foyer, auditorium and exhibition areas. Without intervening in the outward appearance of the building, there is an effort to provide internally Service varieties in the complex. On the roof top view, in section joined by two large rectangular floor plans added a metal open-air amphitheater.

Supervisor: Kanarelis Theoklis

Reference Number: 586

The objective of this diploma project is the design process of unconventional play spaces, using as our case study the city of Larissa while we focus on the participatory design methods. Firstly, we analyzed the existing network of playgrounds and investigated the circumstances and the way they are constituted. Furthermore, a questionnaire was created, addressed to both children and adults, in order to make clear how various users perceive places for playing in urban and sub-urban environments.

Practically speaking, we designed, organized and conducted a four-day workshop for children entitled “Living/ Playing Ground” in collaboration with the Department of Cultures and Sciences of the Municipality of Larissa  for the annual Festival Pinios 2016, located at the riverbed of river Pinios. The materials that were used were tires, wood and ropes taking advantage of the morphology of the site and the proximity to nature. The workshops were inspired by affairs associated with the notion of playing (rotating- swinging, balancing- sliding, listening, climbing); each one of them corresponded to a box containing different materials. At this event, nineteen non-deterministic ephemeral constructions were created.

After completing the workshop, a file was assembled containing the analysis of both the questionnaires and creations of the workshop as long as our recorded observations. Finally, we seek to create a strategy to reform this network of spaces; a toolbox including spatial elements expressed in scale 1:50 with a range of experimentation in form and materiality. To make it clearer, the final proposal is not referring to a unique composition, but targets to a model-based framework of creating variations through dialogues and actions.

Supervisors: Mitroulias Giorgos, Trova Vasso

Reference Number: 610

Residence is considered one of the most basic human rights. People require protection from the elements of nature, they need a place to grow up their families, a place to work and a home to provide them security. The suitable dwelling is considered to ensure protection from the climate conditions, such as wind, rain, sun and cold and furthermore, it should represent a place of safety and privacy.

Natural disasters (earthquakes, floods, hurricanes, volcanic eruptions), human interventions (armed conflicts, fires, economic difficulties), very often, force population of such areas to abandon their homes. So, a large number of people requires immediate relocation to new areas in a very short time. The viability of such relocation depends, in a large scale, on readiness, thus reducing the risk of human rights abuses.

The goal is, the maximum design of residential units at a minimal cost in viable areas, by repositioning the victims affected by natural or human disasters, in a very short time. The idea of repositioning a quite large number of people in emergency settlements, based on typologies in form of “neighborhood”, allows the project to combine concepts which are found in organized and structured social networks, using key infrastructure such as streets, squares, public utility networks, public buildings, marketplaces, leisure and interaction places. This approach,maintains the social background of these individuals, without removing them from society and social life. Briefly, sets as a goal the continuation ofthe social and cultural sustainability within the system without displacing them.

Supervisor: Trova Vasso

Reference Number: 601

 The story starts with Argentine tango and stops at the "House of Contact". It is worth mentioning that tango’s basic principles, like close embrace, the accomplishment of direct contact and connection with strangers, have psychotherapeutic nature, which will be the purpose of this study. In particular, having the experience of these principles would bring about states of happiness, physical, mental and spiritual well- being. The development of these emotional states promotes a trend towards inwardness and mental investigation, which is cultivated through interaction and communication with others. This special communication can be found in many forms: a hug, a dance, a massage, a bar, a bed, a steam room. Every action has its ritual and as a consequence, and communication and behavior codes are developed. Every move, every acquaintance, every discussion is an action of great importance.

 The place which accommodates "House of Contact" is the building of the Volos’ Club, known as “Exoraistiki”. It is a building of historical significance for in Volos, which preserves the well-known open-air cinema in the city. Studying and investigating the history of this building, as well as its operation until today and its relationship with the city, it is revealed that there is great desire to open its gates to the community, to redefine its use and role in relation to the local society. Finally, the main concern would be to form a place that focuses on emotional and sincere contact with oneself and with others by sustaining the existing qualities or uses of the building and by adding new ones.

Supervisor: Psychoulis Alexandros

Reference Number: 579

This thesis is about the modifications and additions to the core of the ski center at an altitude of 1350 meters, and more specifically to the mountaineering lodge Agriolefkes. The modifications include a new building program that is installed on the footprint of the current shelter and east of it.

This specific location was chosen partly due to the significance of the spot regarding the ski center as a whole, as well as in this particular spot the additions do not constitute as a barrier neither are an altering element towards the ski tracks or the general natural environment. In this resort composition process was made an effort not to infringe on the basic principles of the Pelion ordinance but for them to be combined with way modern elements and materials. An important prerequisite, for part of the use of the slope, was to restore its inclination so that the geomorphology of the ground would not be altered dramatically. Another requirement concerning the design was to create facilities which will help prolong the four-month tourist season and increase the visitor attendance at Agriolefkes from winter through summer. This program includes accommodation infrastructure, personal care and physical rehabilitation, café- restaurant, communal living room, doctor’s office, kiosk as well as the housing of three sports teams (outdoor archery, downhill and EOS association). Furthermore the study of the composition is accompanied by a study that describes some alternative energy sources which could be installed in the resort. With these, carbon dioxide emissions will be reduced during the operation of the resort while there will also be achieved substantial savings on the use of electricity and the heating-cooling systems throughout the year.

This proposal is a comment towards the abandonment of the shelter and the inadequate use of the potential and uniqueness of this particular region.

Supervisors: Manolidis Kostas, Philippitzis Dimitris

Reference Number: 606