PREFACE/MOTIVATION
Unique aesthetics. Plasticity. Simplicity. Moderation. Urban planning “by instinct” (without a plan). The traditional white Cycladic house has been an unsurpassed model for the modernistic standards since the beginning of the 20th century.
Le Corbusier, when he first visited the Greek isles in 1933, spoke of the “eternal house”
and said, “These hunble island houses are the archetype of modern architecture”. Two years later, he designed his own version in the form of Villa Radieuse.
Folk architecture that serves the human needs, while at the same time producing masterpieces. The settlements of the Cyclades, built with the strong winds, the cold and heat, the extreme natural phenomena and the best way to make the most out of the limited space in mind, do not fight against nature or seek admiration and reward –even though they have been winning them for centuries. The high aesthetic creations of the simple man, the craftsman with limited knowledge but strong instinct and love for his hometown fit perfectly into the surroundings taking advantage of the slopes and the peculiarities of the terrain, "conversing" with the landscape in a timeless language.
Greek tourism is the country’s main economic activity. The tourism of Aegean archipelago region’s contribution varies between 50% and 90% of the Gross Regional Product. The Aegean has been an established destination since the 1960s, offering a great number of facilities. The traditional built islands and the beautiful landscapes on the one hand, and the unspoiled sea on the other, make it a desirable destination. The major attractions are “sun, sand, sea, sex” types of products, often augmented to take advantage of the cultural, heritage, natural, and historical resources, as well as the events and festivals taking place on the islands.
Both tourism enterprises and the destination as a whole experience an overdependence upon conventional distribution channels, as the majority of tour operators aim to reduce their prices in order to increase their competitiveness and market share, they constantly aim to minimise the profit margins of local principals. Consequently, despite the unparalleled environmental and heritage resources, the Aegean islands fail to attract the desired
“high-quality, high-expenditure” tourists. Socio-cultural and environmental impacts also decay local resources and harm the sustainability of the region in long term.
Therefore, we proposed that scientific research, political debate and community action should be utilised in order to rationalise the strategy for tourism of Santorini.
We have a great interest in Cycladic architecture and believe it has a close relation to the term “tectonics”. In this project we will strive to achieve a design solution that is simple, humble, harmonious and thoughtful.