Maria Philokyprou

Adaptation of New University Uses in Old Buildings: The Case of Rehabilitation of Listed Buildings in Limassol Cyprus for University Purposes

The practice of reusing an existing building is almost as old as building itself. Throughout centuries many different attitudes were followed for the revitalization of old buildings depending on the society and the values respected. According to the Venice Charter the conservation of historic buildings is always facilitated by socially useful purposes. Such purposes are desirable but should not change the character of the building. The revitalization of a number of listed buildings in Limassol, Cyprus, and their reuse for housing the Technological University of Cyprus is the object of this paper. The decision of introducing university uses in an historic center is unique for the island and leads to the revival of the old town, giving it new life and opportunities for redevelopment. The analysis of the various effects of implementation of new uses different from the original ones leads to broader discussions on the conversion of historic buildings within the philosophical framework of international principles for rehabilitation. It also raises questions relative to intervention, sustainable development, and reinforcement of existing structures in order to meet contemporary requirements.

The Beginnings of Pyrotechnology in Cyprus

In Cyprus, lime and gypsum mortars have been used since the earliest periods of antiquity, alongside mud mortars, constituting primarily plaster coatings. Although the production of lime and gypsum seems to have been known since the Neolithic period, coinciding with the first permanent habitation on the island, this production was widely disseminated in the Middle Chalcolithic period. The use of gypsum plaster over time remains somewhat limited and can be found only in some particular parts of the structures. The availability of plaster technology during the first periods of antiquity in Cyprus is not surprising, since during previous periods similar plasters appear in neighboring civilizations. The first use of crushed brick-lime plasters in the Late Bronze Age coincides with a general evolution of architecture. These data have been concluded by the detailed study of 120 samples collected from various archaeological sites of prehistoric Cyprus, followed by the chemical and mineral analyses of 70 selected samples and finally by thermal analyses and observations on the microstructure of the most representative examples with the help of a scanning electron microscope. The particular use of each plaster was investigated through examination of the geomorphological, technological, functional as well as economic factors.

Lighting performance of urban vernacular architecture in the East-Mediterranean area: Field study and simulation analysis

This study aims to investigate the natural lighting performance in indoor and semi-open spaces of urban vernacular architecture in the Mediterranean region. In vernacular architecture, natural lighting was the main source of light available and was largely achieved through the central courtyard. In this framework, an in-depth lighting performance analysis was carried out in a typical and representative traditional urban complex in the walled city of Nicosia, Cyprus. In-situ lighting measurements, as well as software simulations, were employed in order to assess the lighting performance of the building complex. The study has shown that lighting levels of semi-open and indoor spaces on the first floor are sufficient; whereas, the dense urban fabric, and the introverted character of vernacular architecture, create certain limitations to the lighting levels in indoor spaces of the ground floor. On the other hand, the positive impact of the inner courtyard to the lighting levels of semi-open and indoor spaces has been verified.

Teaching Conservation and Vernacular Architecture

Abstract Much of todays building activity takes place in sensitive historic environments and architects are often engaged in redesigning existing buildings. It is therefore essential for students of architecture to be aware of the philosophy of conservation of historic and vernacular buildings. To achieve sustainability, the efficient use and reuse of built resources is crucial. In addition, traditional settlements constitute a very important part of the cultural heritage of every country and incorporate many bioclimatic elements. The detailed investigation of vernacular settlements, and the principles for their conservation and reuse, constitute some of the essential elements of a compulsory course in the architecture programme at the University of Cyprus. A combination of theoretical teaching and practical projects constitutes a pedagogical approach and implements an educational strategy which leads to students acquiring the skills for an interdisciplinary, holistic approach towards the rehabilitation of traditional settlements, and helps them recognize and assess their different values.

The Earliest Use of Lime and Gypsum Mortars in Cyprus

The microstructural investigation of prehistoric mortars selected from various archaeological sites of Cyprus demonstrated that the discovery of lime and gypsum technology had occurred on the island during the Neolithic period. This technology was already known in the Near East since earlier periods (Epi-Paleolithic period). Lime mortars were widely disseminated during the Chalcolithic period, whereas the use of gypsum mortars was rather limited on the island during all of the prehistoric periods. The discovery of crushed-brick lime mortars during the Late Bronze Age constitutes an innovation and can be associated with the overall prosperity of the era. The use of these mortars seems to have occurred simultaneously with the Mycenaean world. The selection of the raw materials for the preparation of mortars was based on the geology of each area. The absence of volcanic rocks in Cyprus led to the use of bricks as additives in the preparation of hydraulic mortars.

Documentation and Evaluation of the Positive Contribution of Natural Ventilation in the Rural Vernacular Architecture of Cyprus

In traditional buildings thermal comfort has been accomplished through the exploitation of passive strategies, i.e. natural ventilation and shading. This paper focuses on the investigation of natural ventilation in the vernacular architecture of Cyprus and on the documentation of the positive contribution of this strategy to the thermal comfort of the interior spaces of traditional shells. A typical traditional dwelling in the core of the semi-mountainous settlement of Kapedes was selected as a case study. For this purpose, a procedure of documenting the environmental data of the dwelling under study in different types of ventilation has been carried out, i.e. without any ventilation, with cross ventilation and with single-sided ventilation. This procedure was repeated in two different periods of the year (summer and autumn). The research indicates cross ventilation as the most effective type of natural ventilation, compared to the single-sided ventilation. Cross ventilation gives positive results in the improvement of the interior conditions during the summer (cooling period) and also contributes to the extension of the period of thermal comfort in the interior spaces of traditional dwellings.

Thermal performance assessment of vernacular residential semi-open spaces in Mediterranean climate:

This paper investigates the overall thermal performance of vernacular buildings in Nicosia, Cyprus and highlights the role of semi-open spaces in improving the thermal comfort of the aforementioned structures. The novelty of the study lies in the fact that it presents, in a comparative way, field measurements carried out in five traditional buildings, discussing at the same time the impact of authentic architectural features, as well as of contemporary interventions, on the bioclimatic function of the original building envelope, taking into account the daily use of the premises under investigation. The research outcomes highlight the positive contribution of semi-open spaces to the thermal comfort of vernacular buildings, especially during the cooling period (summer). Contemporary architectural interventions, such as the conversion of semi-open spaces into closed indoor spaces, as well as the behaviour of occupants, are also found to affect the thermal performance of the traditional building envelope.

The impact of window control on thermal performance. Investigating adaptable interventions in vernacular Mediterranean heritage

ABSTRACT The present paper correlates aspects of built heritage conservation, occupant’s behaviour and thermal comfort. The research focuses on the contemporary architectural intervention of converting original semi-open spaces, that have been acting as such during all periods of the year, into indoor spaces by adding movable glass dividers. A representative building that reflects the typical arrangement of rural vernacular earth architecture in Cyprus is selected for detailed investigation. In situ measurements and simulation tools are used to investigate the adjustment of airflow through the operation of windows when the dividers are open (heating period) and closed (cooling period). Computational Fluid Dynamics are employed in order to illustrate the temperature distribution of various window operation patterns that are evaluated according to the adaptive thermal comfort. The results argue on the climatic adaptability of vernacular buildings and indicate that the examined window control patterns have a more prominent impact during the heating period. Conclusions confirm the cooling potential of night ventilation and highlight the benefit of having energy-aware and engaged occupants. Key directions regarding conservation practices and occupant’s behaviour are brought forth, bringing energy efficiency and comfort into the discussion about cultural heritage.

The VernArch Digital Database Project: Documentation and Protection of the Vernacular Architecture of Cyprus

Vernacular architecture constitutes an important part of the cultural heritage of each country. This paper deals with the creation of a digital database including all the traditional settlements and dwellings of Cyprus, which is a part of a research programme funded by the University of Cyprus. This database constitutes the first all encompassing effort for the inclusion of all the available data of the traditional settlements of the island in a digital form. The object of the research programme is the creation of a multiple database with the inclusion of architectural and town planning elements of traditional settlements, environmental comfort conditions and social and economic data. The research of vernacular architecture that can be carried out through this database can help towards its preservation and reuse leading to a more sustainable development of the built environment.

Dealing with abandoned monuments: the case of historic monasteries in Cyprus

This paper analyses current trends and approaches towards the conservation of abandoned monuments, demonstrating different strategies applied to historical buildings in Cyprus with an emphasis on medieval monasteries. Through the examination of two cases – the restoration of Panayia tou Sinti Monastery in Paphos and the revival of Ayios Nicolaos Monastery in Orounda – the positive and negative consequences of the different philosophy and strategy followed in each case is demonstrated. With the involvement of the authors, the monastery of Panayia tou Sinti was partly restored in the form of ruins and became an open-air museum, whereas the monastery of Ayios Nicolaos underwent a comprehensive maintenance and new extensions were designed by the authors using appropriate materials and forms. Through these examples, the different concepts of conserving historic complexes – such as ‘museum’ conservation, final form of ruins, matters of authenticity, dynamic maintenance, compatibility of materials, structural reinforcement – are discussed. This paper demonstrates that before making final decisions for the strategy to be followed for the conservation of a historic abandoned building, investigation and assessment of all its values within the philosophical framework of international principles for rehabilitation should be conducted.