In the hamlet of Tsifliki, on raised ground, just before the beginning of the village of Plaka, is a small complex of buildings dating back to the late Venetian period (around 1616). The buildings have been used throughout the years as homes, particularly during the Ottoman era, when the Sheik Aya Papoutsoglou, used the complex as his summer residence.
In 1943, the buildings were shared out into smaller ownership “lots”, and were given to refugees, in need of a place to set up their new base. To this day, the buildings are still owned by many different families.
The historical significance of this small hamlet of buildings in great, as it is made up of 120 feudal houses of the Cretan countryside, created in the Venetian period and being amongst the last remaining to have survived, in Eastern Crete. Despite having been given “listed” status, the site remains to this day, in a state of abandonment and dereliction.
The need to exploit this complex of buildings and utilise it productively, created the inspiration for Emmanouella Fouski, from Neapolis. The architectural student, chose to use the Tsifliki buildings as a project for her thesis, to completion her degree at University and which she entitled, “A Space of Expression and Memory, with a backdrop of The Island”.
The Mayor of Agios Nikolaos met with the young architect, this week and said how good the timing was for their meeting, as it coincides with the time that the Council are looking for ways to restore and re-utilize the site.
We hope, the Mayor said the the highly interesting, realistic and perfectly viable proposal, will move forward quickly in terms of the planning process, approval by the archeological services, with it being a listed building, but also in finding the necessary funding required for construction.
In her presentation to the Mayor, Ms. Fouski explained that the idea is in two parts, firstly for the restoration of existing structures with the addition of a new building that will blend in harmoniously with the restored sections and will house additional facilities.
The idea to restore the buildings, she clarified, occured whilst taking into account, the efforts being made for the listing of Spinalonga as a monument in the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Sites in combination with the important detail of the era of the building from Venetian years, which always did and will now continue, to directly overlook the Venetian fortress, on the island of Spinalonga itself.
Consequently, she added, it would be the ideal place to house the Digital Museum of Spinalonga, and as the headquarters of the official Management Organisation of Spinalonga, within the Tsifliki site, where in the new building there is a large lecture theatre planned, which can be used in a supporting role with the museum and where special events, exhibitions, educational sessions and activities can be held.
Special attention in the design process, Ms. Fouski pointed out, went into the outdoor areas, which include a small amphitheatre that is created to link the two parts of the design.
The concerns of the local community must be a priority in the design and construction, as they will have to co-exist with the intensive activity that will be created, as a result of the site as a tourist attraction.
At the conclusion of their meeting, Emmanouella thanked Mr. Zervos for his interest and also thanked two of her lecturers, Kostas Karadimas and Elena Konstantinidou.