Giannis Giannoutsos
Architect ∙ Visual Artist

ARCHITECTURAL ISSUES ''The Nikolaou, Moralis, and Kapralos Museums''

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ARCHITECTURAL ISSUES ''The Nikolaou, Moralis, and Kapralos Museums''

Architectural issues, issue 47

 

Three of the most celebrated artists of the so-called “1930’s generation”—an artistic and literary movement which sought to re-imagine the meaning of “Greekness” in the era of Modernity—the painters Nikos Nikolaou, Yannis Moralis, and the sculptor Christos Capralos lived and created their works in the area of Plakakia on the island of Aigina. This architectural study aims at reclaiming and re-utilising the residences/studios of the artists. The proposal is to reopen Nikolaou’s residence as a guest house and studio for Fine Arts and Architecture students, and turn it into a museum dedicated to the artist’s work. It is further proposed that the Moralis residence/studio be also converted to a museum housing the painter’s creations. In the former Kapralos residence, the already existing exhibition could be augmented with the construction of an additional museum to host the sum of the sculptor’s work.

The study concludes with a proposal to redevelop the seafront. The intention is to construct a “cultural walkway” tracing the ancient esplanade and connecting the museums. The Nikolaou Museum will act as the walkway’s starting point. The route will then successively pass by the Moralis and Kapralos Museums. The 1.400m walkway is projected to end at the house where Kazantzakis lived from 1936 to 1944. Detailed drawings and models delineating the study area, along with fully illustrated study proposals for the museum and the seafront redevelopment are also included. As already mentioned, the objective is tocreatea “cultural walkway”.

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