How is the typology of the university faculty changing today?
For decades, university faculties were simple buildings with a standardised layout of classrooms and offices, usually arranged vertically. They were designed at a time when knowledge was concentrated in a few physical locations and access to it was a privilege reserved for a select few. Today, however, we live in a world where information flows incessantly across screens, languages and continents, and the ways of learning are more diverse and open than ever before. In this context, the question arises:
How can architecture envision an academic space that not only stores knowledge, but also shares it, offering academics and students a deeper and more meaningful life experience?
An experience tied to the place, its climate and culture; one that breathes to the rhythm of the city and listens to the whispers of nature; one that creates spaces for knowledge, creativity and dialogue that emerge from the relationship between humans and their natural and built environments.
The school as an open and flexible structure
The study began with an examination of the existing listed building and its unique position within the university complex and the surrounding urban fabric. Our interest lay not only in its form and materiality, but also in the way it connects with the other buildings, outdoor spaces and daily life at the university. The main goal was to create an addition that would function not as an autonomous object, but as a point of reference and connection for the entire complex. The proposal aims to provide a shared space that visually and functionally “converses” with neighbouring buildings, emphasising existing relationships and
creating new ones.
Our aim was to find an architectural language that would neither imitate nor oppose the old, but draw inspiration from the Mediterranean way of life and sense of outdoor community, transferring these elements into a contemporary, open and flexible structure.
The tradition of Chios as a starting point
The proposal’s synthetic approach attempts to design an extension to the complex in its “backyard”, towards Mantika Street, drawing inspiration from local tradition. It takes its lead from the layout of the gardens of the mansions in the Chios Plain, where the outdoor cistern was always connected to a covered area, typically a pergola. The shade of the pergola kept the water in the cistern cool, reducing evaporation and creating an ideal place to relax and connect with nature — especially during the hot summer months. This concept of semi-outdoor living as an integral part of Mediterranean architecture inspired the idea of a model school under an extended shade structure. Rather than treating the backyard as an enclosed garden, as seen in the mansions of Kambos, the proposal envisages it as an open gateway to the city: a modern, innovative atrium of knowledge and culture.
The synthetic proposal can be broken down into five synthetic gestures.
1. The Podium
A podium rises to the level of the ground floor of the listed building, achieving a seamless functional connection. Its elevation creates a peaceful environment for the development of university uses and enhances the visual relief towards the southern boundary, where the open spaces of the municipal stadium of Chios are located. At the same time, it allows for the protection, preservation, and integration of the existing external cistern into the architectural proposal.
2. The Atrium
Centrally located on the elevated pedestal is a proposed atrium measuring 13.5 x 13.5 meters, which forms the core of the school. Around it, a circular movement is formed, which in its western part coincides with the extension of the centric movement of the preserved building, seeking a functional connection with it. A generous water surface in the part of the cistern located within the atrium brings the liquid element to the central core of school life, contributing to coolness and improving the microclimate.
3. Vertical Circulation Prisms
Two concrete vertical prisms are placed in the southwest corner and centrally on the north side of the atrium, between the preserved and new buildings. They extend across all three levels, housing all vertical circulation as semi-open-air spaces connected to the atrium core. They also include the wet areas on all levels, serving both buildings. A light wooden structure of corridors continues the circular semi-open path on the first floor, while a light staircase on the eastern side connects the atrium space with the club.
4. Functional Units Prisms
Two prisms of rough white concrete with local aggregates are located opposite each other in the western and eastern parts of the atrium and house the required functional units. The choice of material creates a connection with the modern plaster of the listed building, while the prisms allow for flexibility and future adaptation. The west wing houses two levels of administrative and faculty offices, while the east wing, on three levels, includes a 185-seat amphitheater that extends to the ground and semi-basement levels, ending in a degraded garden. Its foyer, on the ground floor, is expressed with brisesoleil towards Mantika Street. On the first floor, the student club is connected to the semi-open space of the prism, discreetly separating its auxiliary functions from the central core.
5. The Wooden Canopy
Finally, a wooden canopy measuring 33.5 x 33.5 meters extends over the composition. With dense wooden beams and an opening above the atrium, it covers the movements and forms a shaded space towards Mantika Street, functioning as an extended threshold and semi-open extension of the foyer. The construction resists morphologically the preserved building, while collecting rainwater and channeling it into cisterns, connecting the new with tradition.
The architectural proposal is articulated through five synthetic gestures that together define its spatial and conceptual character:
The Podium
A podium rises to meet the ground floor of the listed building, ensuring seamless connection. It creates a calm environment for university uses, frames views toward the municipal stadium, and safeguards the existing cistern, weaving heritage into the design.
The Atrium
At the heart lies a 13.5 x 13.5 meter atrium. Circulation unfolds around it, linking old and new structures. The cistern reappears as a water surface, cooling the air and improving the microclimate. The atrium becomes both a spatial anchor and a symbolic core of university life.
Vertical Circulation Prisms
Two exposed-concrete prisms house circulation and wet areas at the southwest and north sides. Extending across all levels, they function as semi-open spaces tied to the atrium. Corridors and light staircases weave together movement, openness, and connectivity.
Functional Units Prisms
Two rough white concrete prisms face each other on the east and west sides. The west houses administrative and faculty offices, while the east contains a three-level amphitheater of 185 seats. This wing also includes a foyer to Mantika Street, a student club, and a sunken garden, offering flexibility for future needs.
The Wooden Canopy
Finally, a 33.5 x 33.5 meter wooden canopy crowns the whole. With dense beams and a central opening, it shades circulation while filtering light. Extending toward the street, it echoes Chios pergolas and incorporates rainwater collection.
Architects: P4architecture
Design Team: Alkiviadis Pyliotis, Evangelos Fokialis, Konstantinos Pyliotis, Margarita Togia
Architectural Consultant: Tassis Papaioannou
Contributors: Manolis Savvas, Nikiforos Karangelis, Panayiota Kyriakou
3D Visualization & Interior Design Consultant: Michail Meggios
Marble Model: Doussis Marble (Konstantinos Dousis, Nikolaos Doulos)
Project Type: Research – Competition
Year: 2025
