NoMAworkshop-Mobile architecture

The 1st workshop for mobile architecture entitled, “Urban Generators Mobile Units of Culture”, was organized in Pafos 8-19 September, at the initiative of architects Chryso Onisiforou [xo] and Charis Petrou, under the main sponsorship of the Ministry of Education and Culture of Cyprus-Cultural Services and the Kind Sponsorship and Support of Pafos Municipality and the Cyprus Architects Association.

OUR MAIN INTEREST…
THE ALLURE AND THE UNIQUE FEATURES OF TRANSPORTABLE, MOBILE, AND EPHEMERAL ARCHITECTURE: FLEXIBILITY, TEMPORALITY AND PRACTICALITY.

OUR GOAL…
TO EXPLORE THE POSSIBILITIES OF PORTABLE, DEMOUNTABLE AND MOVABLE STRUCTURES IN RELATION TO THE PUBLIC SPACE, THROUGH ARCHITECTURAL WORKSHOPS.

UG-MUC was an intensive architectural workshop that took place in the period from 8 to 19 September 2014, in the city of Pafos CY and is aimed at young people under 35 from all over Cyprus and abroad. Young architects and engineers as well as different disciplines such as, landscape architects, artists, designers, students of architecture and in general people who are interested in architecture, cities and urban planning, are encouraged to apply.

The aim was to experiment with the concept of ephemeral, portable and mobile architecture in relation to the urban environment and public space activation, as well as how such a soft architecture, with its’ flexible structure, could coexist with the built environment utilizing available sources. The workshop focused on producing a series of design proposals for ‘mobile generators’ and finally aimed on the design finalization and construction of at least one mobile unit (prototype). The purpose of the mobile units is to be used in various cultural activities for both Pafos and beyond.

Activities
During the workshop a series of open lectures, discussions with distinguished guests such as Dr. Barbara Imhof /
Dr. Socratis Stratis / Charis Christodoulou / Marianna Constanti / Andreas Vardas / Dimitris Antoniou / Georgios Yiannikos / Michael Hadjistyllis, visits to the city, as well as spontaneous events with the aim to enrich and strengthen the overall attempt.

MARIANNA CONSTANTI Artist • Pafos CY

Dr. Socratis Stratis Architect, Urbanist & Professor at the University of Cyprus • Nicosia CY

Dr. Barbara Imhof Liquifer Systems Group • Architect • Austria

Dimitris Antoniou Architect & Professor at the University of Neapolis • Pafos CY

CHARIS CHRISTODOULOU NOA-Not Only Architecture • Nicosia CY

Let us embrace ‘Adaptive Re-use’
Workshop Venue Othellos/Attikon (old cinema):

The building was initially used as a warehouse and later on as a cinema, firstly asAttikon and afterwards as Othellos. For the past five years or so the building has remained closed and abandoned! Fortunately, within the last year several ‘ephemeral’ attempts/events occurred, such as exhibition set-ups and musical/theatre performances, giving “life” once again to the ‘forgotten’ building.

In the process of exploring the possibilities of the workshop’s theme, we wanted to stress the importance of re‐using valuable and unused buildings. As a result we chose to use the old cinema as our main venue, giving it, even temporally, “life” once again. As a result, we aim to uncover a piece of its memory and its important contribution through time, while allowing the ‘envisioning’ of a multitude of possibilities that could occur with its revitalization and re-construction!