ECOWEEK 2016 Projects in Ag. Nikolaos, Greece Public Space & Tourism in One Planet
On July 3-10 ECOWEEK took place in the historic island of Crete. In partnership with the Municipality of Ag. Nikolaos, G&A Mamidakis Foundation, BlueGr Hotels and Resorts, Lasithi Prefecture, and LoveGreece.com, and with BioRegional (UK) as the sustainability partner, ECOWEEK organized a one-week festival to engage tourists, businesses and the local community. Keynote speakers and workshop leaders included designer Chris Doray (Canada), environmentalist Benjamin Gill (UK/Greece), Orizzontale (Italy), Jorge Martin (Marko&Placemakers, UK), Galia Hanoch Roe (Society for Protection of Nature, Israel), EUZEN Architects (Greece), architect Thanos Stasinopoulos (Turkey), lighting designer Eleftheria Deko (Greece), architect Panos Parthenios (Technical University of Crete, Greece), local eco-building experts Kristell VanHove (LIMNI, Crete) Yiorgos Sakellaris (Natural Building of Creta, Crete), and Yiorgos Ritsakis (Archanes, Crete), nanotechnology expert Prof. George Kyriakidis (Univeristy of Crete), and local composter inventor Manolis Papadimitropoulos. The week opened with a sketching session and walking tour of the city headed by ECOWEEK Chairman architect Elias Messinas. The workshops addressed specific locations in the city, carefully chosen in coordination with the municipality, to generate renewal and placemaking in the city and to engage tourists and the local community in a discourse on sustainability, recycling of materials, public space and sustainable tourism.
W1: Pag[adds] in City Hall Park WORKSHOP Leaders: Nasrin Mohiti Asli and Margherita Manfra (Orizzontale, Italy). WORKSHOP Team: Antonia Apostolakis, Eugenia Efthimiadou, Maria Kriou, Elli Ntaountaki, Eirini Syka, Sophia Tsiteli and Andreana Ephimia Tzeka. W1: Pag[adds] = Pagkatch (park seat in local accent) The City Hall park, in proximity to the City Hall, although adjacent to shops, cafes, houses, office buildings and a hotel, it remains unused most of the time. The team set the objective to give an 52
identity to the park, so that the local community – passers-by, neighbors and tourists - will use it.The group approached the local community to identify their needs, and to learn from them, how they like to use public space. Shortly after the team completed their work, passers-by – and especially children – explored the new seating in creative ways.
W4: Reviewing the Green School WORKSHOP Leaders: Elias Messinas (Architect, ECOAMA / ECOWEEK), Galia Hanoch Roe (Landscape Architect, Environmental Protection Society, Israel), with the cooperation of Thanos Stasinopoulos (Architect, Turkey). WORKSHOP Team: Anna Bampaitou, Zaklyn Maroukian, Calliope Dokolianidou, Eda Kale, Suna Irem Oker, Foteini-Ioanna Tsoumpou-Andriopoulou, Stavros Avramakis, Michail Gounalakis, Evangelos Papadakis and Georgia Tzanopoulou. WORKSHOP Materials: The interventions were made possible thanks to the generous offer of materials and tools by Bluegr Hotels and Resorts, Ch. Iosifelis SA, Tsagkarakis, and PLEKTAM SA. W4: Reviewing the Green School The site was the 3rd elementary public school. The group focused on four areas: (a) A waiting area next to the main entrance. (b) Seating in shaded areas in the front yard. (c) Upgrade of the abandoned internal court, and revive the abandoned herb garden in the backyard.The design process started two interactive workshops, one with schoolchildren at the Children’s Festival in June, and the second with parents, schoolchildren and teachers in July. Following the ‘Smaller, Quicker, and Cheaper’ approach the group created spaces (placemaking), and involved and empowered parents, teachers and schoolchildren in the making. Assisted by skilled workers and with materials donated by local hotels, the
