Apollonio 132 is a refurbishment of an existing house within the Apollonio residential community in Porto Rafti that was originally designed by the office of Constantinos Doxiadis from 1969 to 1981.
LOCATION Porto Rafti, Attica
TIMELINE Concept:
June 2015 (please check)
Construction Documents:
July 2015 and November-December 2015
Construction:
February 2015-May 2015 and September 2015-April 2016
STATUS Under Construction
PROGRAM Housing
DECA TEAM Concept:
Chrysanthi Aproulopoulou
Alison Katri
Yannis Kitanis
Carlos Loperena
Alexandros Vaitsos
Construction Documents:
Chrysanthi Aproulopoulou
Alison Katri
Carlos Loperena
Alexandros Vaitsos
COLLABORATORS Contractor:
Synapsis Engineering
Stephanos Michalis
THE APOLLONIO RESIDENTIAL COMMUNITY AS CONCEIVED BY C0NSTANTINOS DOXIADES
The Apollonion residential community in the small gulf of Porto RaftI epitomises what Doxiadis calls 'Entopia'. In 1969 Doxiadis envisioned a place that would be timeless in terms of not following any particular architectural style. After a long research, he chose the specific area to spend the last part of his life in a community of artists and scientists that would share the same idea of what ideal living is. His conception of how the authentic Greek idiom was converged throughout the history would be the only architectural guide for the design of a small neighborhood overlooking the sea and definitely not crisscrossed freely by cars. The name Apollonio refers to the ancient Greek god Apollo, balancing the humane with the natural. The center of the neighborhood would be the house of the architect-planner in the size and form of a conference center suitable for lectures and symposia. The Greek artist and friend of Doxiadis, Yannis Tsarouchis would install sculptures throughout the area.
THE APOLLONIO FIFTY YEARS AFTER ITS INCEPTION
The Apollonio has gradually morphed into something different than what was first envisioned by Doxiadis. The paths and the communal spaces remain the same, favoring the pedestrian over the car. They are very well complemented by the flora that has matured into a beautifully preserved landscape. However, the centerpiece of the Appollonio, his home (and conference center) was paradoxically demolished in 2011, two years before the complex was characterized as a modern architectural landmark. In the private realm, owners of the homes have done various small alterations, thus breaking the homogenuity of buildings and matereials. The most frequently encountered alteration is the addition of random shading structures, provoked by Doxiadis' neglect to incorporate shading elements onto the front of the predominantly Southern facing buildings.
DIONYSIAN ACTIONS
Apollonio 132 is one of the smaller units of the complex, built on a narrow plot with frontage of eight meters towards the view of the sea. The design concept refers to the dichotomy between the Apollonian and Dionysian attitudes towards life. This dichotomy has been invoked by Western philosophers starting from Nietzsche (in 'The Birth of Tragedy') and continuing with Husserl and Foucault. The refurbishment investigates strategies that appeal to the senses and the emotions. The design is an instinctive, Dionysian response: one that focuses on the experiential potential that is dormant in the existing building.
The intervention in Apollonio 132 occurs through three distinct actions: 1. Stripping – 2. Expanding – 3. Adding.
1. The existing structure is 'stripped' to its core. Everything that impedes the senses is taken away. The facades are opened up in order to offer unimpeded views and the mortar on the walls is removed in order to reveal the textures and the colors of the original materials used by Doxiades.
2. The house has two levels. The bottom level is expanded by digging into the bedrock in the back and creating a sunken court. This court allows the natural light and the Northern breeze to enter into the bedrooms of the lower floor, while expanding the spatial connections between the two levels.
3. Simple devices are added onto the structure of the building and placed within its spaces. These devices are very carefully designed and crafted. They are visceral additions, beautiful to see and to touch in their own right, while serving to enhance the appreciation of the senses.
EXPLODED AXONOMETRIC DRAWING OF MASTER BEDROOM ISLAND