This project takes place in the village of "Panagia" on the island of Serifos, which is part of the western region of the Cyclades. We consider the societal effects of tourism, evident both in the transformation of the neighbourhood due to numerous short-term rental accommodations like Airbnb and the steady accumulation of unused objects on the island, and present a design proposal that utilises the empty shells within the ‘deserted’ Panagia square thus reappropriating this communal space. Our priorities are to understand the methods with which people traditionally gather together and incorporate them into the design, to introduce sustainable design by repurposing found objects and, ultimately, to encourage the harmonious coexistence of residents and visitors.

 To this end, we propose a complex consisting of three elements: a “kafeneio” (traditional café), a wood and metal workshop, and two guest houses within the square. The operation of the “kafeneio” attracts visitors and provides hospitality services year-round. The workshop addresses the issue of the increasing volume of unused objects and offers a solution to the lack of craftsmen on the island. Finally, the two individual guest houses are supportive and can accommodate either seasonal workers from the “kafeneio” and workshop or guests who have come to organise events. In the design of all the above, furniture and objects found in the village and on the island are reused and an attempt is made to design furniture specifically adapted to the needs of the project.

 With this proposal, the expected results include an increase in traffic in the square and the development of the collective identity of the space. The square is transformed from an empty passage into a permanently active space. Empty shells and neglected facades are turned into by buildings offering an open program that invites locals and foreigners to gather for various events, without altering the balances of the existing social life.