Program Subject

The purpose of the program is to organize structured theoretical and practical research in the field of:

• a the adaptive reuse of existing shells, complexes, and areas,
• b their constructional, structural, and energy upgrading, and
• c the use of digital technologies across the full spectrum of adaptive reuse.

The exploitation and reuse of past architecture dates back centuries and has consistently contributed to saving important monuments of world culture. Today, it is internationally regarded as the most environmentally appropriate method for sustainable urban development, while wholesale demolition is now rejected as an unacceptable solution.

The main causes of the degradation and abandonment of individual buildings or residential ensembles (industrial areas, camps, stations, etc.) are globalization, changes in land use, and aging of the building stock.

In Greece, interest in functional restorations re-emerged primarily during the recent economic crisis, when many buildings in the central urban fabric fell into disuse, creating dark zones and large urban voids.