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Awards on the subject of “popular architecture” were won by the Calderimi X2 projects in Tzoumerka and Kabones 1615 in Naxos

Important recognition for Greece are the two Philippe Rotthier 2024 awards on the theme of “popular architecture”, which were won by the projects Calderimi X2 and Kabones 1615, which managed to stand out among 189 projects from 48 countries. The Philippe Rotthier European Architecture Prize, established in 1982, rewards projects of collective and cultural value, rooted in their locality, using natural materials in a sustainable way, drawing inspiration from the authenticity of the European city and being in “dialogue” with the past and the story.
According to a report by Eris Driva on economix.gr, in this year’s event 2 Greek nominations stood out, as the “Calderimi X2” project in Plaka, Tzoumerka won the “Prize for Integration into the Landscape” (Prize for Integration into the Landscape), while the “Prize for Rural Restoration” was awarded to the project “Kabones 1615” in Naxos.
Traditional building techniques in the foreground
“Calderimi X2” from Bouluki, which is a traveling workshop for traditional building techniques, included two parts: a two-month apprenticeship in stone building with the aim of forming a new generation of craftsmen from Greece and the neighboring Balkan countries, and a workshop twelve days aimed at a wider audience, such as architects and engineers, conservators and artists. The project concerned the restoration of an old path that leads to the bridge of Plaka, in northern Tzoumerka, Epirus, was held under the auspices of the Ministry of Culture and Sports, the Region of Epirus and was co-organized by the Municipalities of North and Central Tzoumerka as well as the Technical Chamber of Greece – Department of Western Macedonia. The main objective of the action was to reintroduce the largely forgotten traditional technique of cobblestone, the “loss” of which is already having significant negative effects on the cultural landscape of the Balkan region, as stated on the project’s website.
A total of nine apprentices from Greece, Serbia, Albania and Bosnia worked for two months under the guidance of three experienced craftsmen-instructors, George Anastasiadis, Kostas Tarnaras and Dimitris Fotis, for the reconstruction of the old path, approximately 400m long., which leads to the historical bridge of Plaka. The project team was strengthened by the presence of the twenty-two workshop participants from Greece and the Balkans. The venture was also supported by five volunteers and another six local artisans. Notable was the contribution of the internationally recognized sculptor Theodoros Papagiannis, professor emeritus at the Athens School of Fine Arts, who carved five stones with references to symbolic forms of the Epirotian building tradition, in order for them to be encased in selected points in the reconstructed cobblestone.
In parallel with the project, a series of lectures and presentations were held by distinguished academics and professionals from different scientific fields, as well as by NGOs from Greece and abroad, who shared with the rest their own perspective on a participatory understanding of heritage. The educational part of the action was enriched with additional “hands-on” seminars and demonstrations on topics such as traditional stone quarrying and lime-and-soil-based mortars. Finally, Bouluki organized a series of open events, in which the local communities of Tzoumerka actively participated as well as a celebration dedicated to the elderly craftsmen – gems of Tzoumerka and Epirus. The project was done with the support of the Metsov Center for Interdisciplinary Research (ME.K.DE.) and a grant from the Headley Trust, AEGEAS and local businesses. It is noted that the TEE as a whole has been supporting the work of the “Bouluki” laboratory in various ways, consistently and practically, for years.
A hundreds-year-old house comes back to life
In addition, the “Prize for Rural Restoration” was awarded to Sophia Emmanuel’s house Kabones 1615, located in Naxos. Cabones 1615 is a historic, traditional house which has been in the family for over 500 years and was completely renovated to its original form, adopting sustainable solutions. As stated on the house’s website, the renovation process combined with research into how the household functioned in earlier times provided insight into how environmentally friendly a historic building can be. It is indicative that although it was not possible to install central heating or air conditioning, ultimately neither is necessary for comfortable living and this is due to the design and orientation of the house. The thick stone walls, one meter wide in some parts of the structure, provide ideal insulation from the heat in summer and the cold in winter. There are no west-facing openings, so the house is protected from the intense afternoon heat. Small windows to the north allow ventilation and cool drafts from the meltemias, but in winter their small size ensures that heat loss is negligible. The large east-facing patio doors are the only large openings, which were fitted with solid wood shutters to keep out the heat in summer and the cold in winter.
Among other things, all domestic sewage ends up in a three-chamber septic tank to ensure that no electricity is used to purify the water, which will be clean enough for irrigation when it finally reaches the third and final stage. Hot water is provided by a highly efficient solar water heater, while exterior lights are solar powered, further reducing consumption. It is worth noting that the jury for the 2024 Philippe Rotthier European Awards reviewed a total of 189 entries from 48 countries, 20 from Europe and 28 from countries outside Europe, submitted with the common theme of ties to traditional architecture.
After evaluating them, the jury selected 28 works which were awarded a grand prize of €20,000, a craftsmanship prize of €8,000 and six prizes of €2,000 for their contribution to the flourishing of folk traditions and the crafts associated with them. The Grand Prize went to Școala de la Bunești (Workshop for Learning Traditional Architectural Practices) by Ana Maria Goilav and Petre Guran, from Romania, while the Craftsmanship Award went to De Wilde De Schepper (The Wild, the Creator) by Dirk Mortier from Belgium. The works of the laureates, mentionees and nominees will be exhibited at La Loge in Brussels and at the Béguinage in Bruges.