• 1st primary school "Ag. Pavlos" (Greece 2014)

Title of the project:1st primary school "Ag. Pavlos" with closed gym at the municipality of Neapolis-Sikes, Thessaloniki, 2014. (www.dimosneapolis-sikeon.gr) Participation in architectural competition of ideas in collaboration with architects Athanasia Makri and Kostas Petrakis.

The present study participated in an architectural competition of ideas for the design of a new primary school with closed gym at Neapolis-Sikes, Thessaloniki. Main purpose was to design a friendly and accessible building complex which would contribute on the adjustment of the children to the scholar environmental and schedule.

The concept is to is harmonically adjusted the school building to the natural entourage, as it follows the terrain and takes full advantage of the slopes to create different levels and ensure the best view to the city. The handball court yard is partially put under the surface to avoid the deterioration of school aesthetic. Special attention was paid for the orientation of the classrooms and by designing through the basics principles of bioclimatic design. The architectural synthesis is formed in a “Γ” (reversed L) shape around the central school yard, across the two sides of which the classrooms are situated and are oriented towards the school yard through a colourful glass corridor. The setting of building volumes ensures the best view to the school complex. Especially the colours of the glass panels on the corridors were chosen as a reference to the colour changes of the tree leaves during the year.
At the centre of the building, at the meeting point of the two main axes that the classrooms create, the multipurpose hall and the library are situated. This building that hosts these two functions is distinguished by its volume, shape and colour in a way that it becomes a reference point of the architectural synthesis. The access into school is possible through two points: the first is from the existing outdoor stairway on Makedonomahon Avenue which leads straight to the yard or from the existing entrance on Ohi Avenue that leads to the underground parking through a ramp. The second access is through a new ramp, designed for people of special needs, starts at the lower level of the site and lead at the main entrance of school. This ramp across through the school fence outside the plot and gives the best view to the city and also to schoolyard as someone is approaching the entrance.

The school complex is developed in three levels:
On the +69.50 level the main yard is situated including outdoor sport facilities and landscaping. There is a direct access from this level to the gym offices and - through an interior escalator - to the handball court. A little bit higher, on the +70.00 level three classrooms are situated and most of the wc installations as well.The main entrance of the school complex is placed on the +73.50 level. There are also five classrooms, the school canteen, the dining room and the multipurpose hall with the necessary auxiliary rooms. The different rooms are connected with glass-protected corridors that facilitate the proper shading, cooling and ventilation of the classrooms.On the +77.00 level there are four classrooms that will probably be used by 5th and 6th grade, four laboratories, wc for the students and the teachers, the library and the school administration offices. Moreover, the corridor in front of the laboratories is specially formed to be used for the presentation of student projects and activities. The library is included to the volume of the multipurpose hall and can be used as a loge over the theatre scene when the windows that isolate it from the rest of the volume are open.On the +64.90 level the auxiliary rooms of the school are placed, such as the boiler room, the area of the overall archives and an underground parking that can be easily reached through the stairway or the elevator. On the same level there is the handball court with the necessary locker rooms, the visitors wc and storage area of sports equipment.

Architect team: Athina Gouma, Athanasia Makri, Kostas Petrakis - advisor: Antonis Meletsis