Author(s)

J. Theodoraki-Patsi

Abstract

The settlements in the Aegean Sea islands contain a variety of architectural properties, which are differentiated depending on their historical origin and their last domination of Franks, of Othomans or Greek authorities. Before the constitution of the contemporary Greek state, these properties were built based on common sense rules, deriving from the progressive evolution of building codes since antiquity, and which combined the Eastern tacit with the western codified knowledge. Official design rules have existed since the 6th century A.D. These have been assembled mainly by K. Harmenopoulos (14th century A.D.) who composed the previous design rules in the \“Exavivlos” code. These rules were rooted into the customary practices, providing equability of benefits between inhabitants. Most islands of the Aegean Sea remained isolated up to the decade of the 1980s, practicing these norms as customs, when under the motive of tourism, they began to be developed. With minimal exceptions, all the settlements of the Aegean Sea islands originated before the 20th century and consequently they have been shaped by pre-existing the modern period construction attitudes. The principles of these attitudes are summarized in four initial purposes that the built environment would have to fulfil: the compact and bounded layout, the view provision to all houses, the value of privacy and the facilitation of access to neighbours following the irregularities of topography. Today, a complicated legislative framework, although it is not efficiently implemented, results in restrictions and questionable mutations. Keywords: design rule, Aegean Sea architecture, architectural evolution.

Keywords

design rule, Aegean Sea architecture, architectural evolution