ARCHIPELAGO: THE AQUATIC URBANITY OF THE AEGEAN SEA
DIPLOMA RESEARCH THESIS
STUDENT: ELPIDA TSIMPOUKA
SUPERVISOR: APOSTOLOS KALFOPOULOS
ABSTRACT
Is the Aegean a dispersed city? Based on the concept of the island, this research paper is about the archipelago and the city of the Aegean. Having as a starting point the texts of the Greek participation in the 10th International Architecture Exhibition at the Venice Biennale, questions arise concerning the structure of the city of the Archipelago. First, the definition of the archipelago and its conceptual meaning is presented, while the island as the constituent unit of the former is analysed. The archipelago describes multiple worlds that coexist and interact infinitely. Each island that sails in it has an equal voice with the others while maintaining its individuality. On the next chapter, the use of the term archipelago in architecture to describe the structure of the city is studied. At the same time, an attempt is made to introduce the concept of the archipelagic city and its constituent parts. The Aegean could be considered a scattered city, with its neighborhoods and the sea as its center thanks to the continuous connections between the islands and the rest of the country. The main product of this water-city is tourism, which preserves this city with the large volume of tourists and semi-permanent vacationers who visit it every year. Finally, the island of Amorgos and its course through time is chosen and presented as a "neighborhood" of the Aegean city.
