Design of a small island with a tavern on it, in the lake of kastoria

THE ARTIFICIAL ISLAND, THE TAVERN AND THE BRIDGE LINKING THE ISLAND WITH THE VILLAGE OF MAVROHORI, ON THE SHORES OF LAKE KASTORIA

*Click on images to enlarge

CHRONICLE

In 2003, I was in Mavrohori, Kastoria (municipality of Makednon) for the redesign of the village primary school. While I was there, the mayor, Aristotelis Charalambidis, and the village delegates told me about their great idea: that the municipality should build a taverna by the lake, in order to boost tourism in their region.

During our discussion, I told them that, in my opinion, this way they would be adding yet another lakeside tavern; instead, their own tavern should have something that sets it apart from the others. What if it wasn't a tavern by the lake, but a tavern on the lake?  So the idea was born of a small artificial island with a tavern on it, a short distance from the lakeshore.

So I designed the project of a small artificial island of about 300 m2 with a tavern on it. The design of the tavern followed the local architectural tradition, paying particular attention to the view towards the lake and the mainland, both from the interior and from the tavern terraces. Makednon Borough Council, which managed an aggregate quarry, undertook the filling of alluvium for the 'construction' of the island and, after planning permission was granted, the tavern was also built.

The studies were carried out in 1996 and the project was completed after two years.