Inhabiting the ruins of Mani

Student: Koumarianou Eleanna
Supervisor: Evelyn Gavriloy
University of Thessaly, Faculty of Engineering, School of Architecture
Presentation date: July 2015

This final thesis  "Inhabiting the ruins of Mani- experiments in survival maneuvers" searches for methods of intervening in the architectural remains of the countryside  and how they could be inhabited and reused. In my situ research in Mani, I discovered a large amount of  abandoned stone-built buildings, ruins of towers and houses. The ruins were calling me to explore them and also inhabit them. Many questions were arising. Why couldn't I just put up my tent and stay in the ruins? Why are new copies of stone-built buildings being created (to be used as houses or hotels), even though there is a huge number of already existing shells? What is the notion of the ruin? And how should I consider the idea of restoration? What is a summer house in 2015? Wanting to answer these questions, I started this quest experimenting on practices of inhabiting the ruins.

Through the extensive research on the ruins of Mani and especially tower residencies I am looking  for a way to save them. A wooden structure is created, the "MANITSA" which functions as a parasite in the existing tower residencies. It is wooden and environmentally friendly with low tech specifications and ability to be dismantled .

The notion of activating the ruins of tower residencies is decisive for their highlighting, it includes the personal experience of the user in the building and consequently with Mani, and it develops ties with the past.