Innovative Bioclimatic European School Complex in Heraclion, Crete

The project design concerns to an International Architectural Competition.The proposal seeks to respond simultaneously on three interrelated issues (multiculturalism, innovation in education, sustainable design). The specific and particular characteristic of the terrain, as a modulating receptor and a protected 'container' forms a natural cavity. The conceptual idea exploits this natural cavity, and converts it into an operating contemporary building of education facilities that will serve multi-national and multi-cultural students, along with integrating bioclimatic architectural principles.

The conceptual idea highlights the context and the embossed area, and achieves to transcript this receptor to a natural "vessel of life", that performs educational, social, cultural and bioclimatic features.

Thus the spiral swirling trace folds and unfolds around an imaginary center that forms an internal educational and “protected” social space and also, a natural cistern. The cistern collects rainwater from the terrain and the roofs of the buildings, and so the element of water is utilized as an essential factor of sustainable, bioclimatic design.

This is emphasized also by the movement of the roof, which confirms the spiral development of the composition, leading the water in the center, while allowing air and light to pass freely, exploiting natural cross ventilation, cooling and lighting. Meanwhile, the ripple of the roof and the detachment from spatial elements form open, fluid spaces interacts in new ways of education, thought and action.

Moreover, the movement of the spiral forms the composition into three linear wings. The three schools (kindergarten, Primary and Secondary School) and the other compositional components can be operated separately, while co-existing in a dialectical relationship of communication and collaborative interaction. Thus, the centrally planned provision reflects the multicultural nature of the training set and educational life can evolve with the peculiarities of each building separately-wing, while referring to their common center.

The spiral formulation not only refers to the elevation, but it is also developed in space: it starts low from the earth, from the earliest forms of socialization and education (kindergarten) and rises gradually until the wing of Secondary school. The elevated wing is perceived as a landmark. It symbolizes an educational end, but also a new beginning.

Accordingly, the gradual spiral swirling line terminates at the higher end of the composition, overlooking the entire building. This symbolic movement exploits the view of the surrounding environment, but also refers to the future.