[giottoni]

Forts.

3. The philosophy and strategy of the design
The volcanic eruption that caused the destruction of this unique prehistoric settlement in the seventeenth century BC covered the entire island with volcanic material and sealed the city, preserving it for 3500 years. Its discovery and excavation yield invaluable information on the society, culture, trade, art and work of the people of that period, mainly through scientific research and study of the finds, among them the remarkable wall-paintings that decorated the buildings.
The material that at once destroyed and protected the settlement, volcanic earth pumice and pozzuolana, was the central tool for defining the philosophy of the design of the intervention. Together with earth, sun, air and water complete the quartet of natural elements composing the central strategy of the design, which could be epigrammatically considered as a NON- INTERVENTION. From the four natural elements emerge the four basic qualities cool, warm, wet, dry that are also the basic aims of the environmental conditions in the archaeological site the new shelter is called on to serve.
- Earth is part of the external topography and the insulation of the shelter. The shelter is designed in such a way that it does not violate the overall harmony of the surrounding area with a large, massive structure, but is arranged as an extension of the surrounding ground, reconstructing the actual contours with dry-stone walls and planted with resistant vegetation of the local flora.
- Sun illuminates the archaeological site evenly (equal height lighting) through the special north openings. Penetration of ultraviolet and infrared radiation is prevented by a combination of the special glass and the arched wooden frames with graduated openings between the louvres, that also constitute elements of the shelter's nature as a continuation of the ground.
- Air ventilates and cools the sheltered archaeological site through the northward openings and the southward louvres. Renewal of the air and cooling of the site takes place in the evening, while during the day the visitors' exhalations (CO2) are abducted from the gap of the shelter frame through graduated openings between the wooden louvres of the roof. This natural ventilation cooling system maintains a constant temperature inside the shelter some 60C lower than that outside, achieving a natural, comfortable warmth without any technical air-conditioning support.
- Water, from the rain which permeates the ground of the shelter, is collected filtered in the south gutters of the arched surfaces of the roof and is channeled in the conduits along its length (east and west) to cisterns. So there is maximum exploitation of rain water for the needs of the site personnel and the visitors, as well as for the conservation of the archaeological finds.
DEVELOPMENT, MODIFICATION AND REPLACEMENT OF THE SHELTER OF THE ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITE AT AKROTIRI THERA
SUPPORT - FINANCE:
MINISTRY OF CULTURE
Programme "TOURISM - CULTURE", Subprogramme "CULTURE" Co-financed by 2nd & 3rd EU FRAMEWORK PROGRAMME
EMPLOYER :
THE ATHENS ARCHAEOLOGICAL SOCIETY
ARCHAEOLOGICAL SOCIETY REPRESENTATIVE:
CHRISTOS. DOUMAS, PROFESSOR EMERITUS OF PREHISTORIC ARCHAEOLOGY AT ATHENS UNIVERSITY
ADMINISTRATIVE AND TECHNICAL CONSULTANT OF THE ARCHAEOLOGICAL SOCIETY:
SYNTHESIS & RESEARCH LTD - HELLINOTECHNIKI S.A.- TALOS MELETITIKI S.A.
CONSTRUCTION - DESIGN - SUPERVISION:
PROJECT CONSORTIUM OF AKROTIRI - SANTORINI CONSORTIUM
«J&P-AVAX S.A. – CONSORTIUM IMPREGILO S.p.A. - J&P-AVAX S.A. – EMPEDOS S.A.»
-----------------------------------------------------------------------PROJECT RECORD
The project has received EU financial support because it consists the awarded European Research Program “ASPIRE” - Archaeological Sites Protection Implementing Renewable Energies – which is designed by the Architect N. Fintikakis in the framework of the European Program “SOLAR HOUSE” of the DG XII and has been selected as innovative application of Bioclimatic Architecture in Archaeological Sites. The applicable technologies as well as a great number of new archaeological findings are visited and studied by a numerous of International Scientific Institutions and Universities.