Aris Konstantinidis

Aris Konstantinidis
*Άρης Κωνσταντινίδης*
Aris Konstantinidis; Άρης Κωνσταντινίδης
Born	4 March 1913; Athens, Greece
Died	18 September 1993 (aged 80); Athens, Greece
Occupation	Architect
Known for	Introduced modern architecture to Greece
Children	Dimitri Konstantinidis, Alexandra Konstantinidi

Aris Konstantinidis (Greek: Άρης Κωνσταντινίδης; 4 March 1913 – 18 September 1993) was a Greek modernist architect.

Aris Konstantinidis was born in Athens and studied architecture at the Technical University of Munich from 1931 to 1936, where he came into contact with the Modern Movement in architecture. He returned to Greece in 1936 and worked for the Town Planning Department of the city of Athens and for the Ministry of Public Works. He was appointed head of the Workers Housing Organisation from 1955 to 1975 and from 1957 to 1967 of the Technical Service of the Greek National Tourism Organisation, where he planned and oversaw the construction of a series of workers' houses and Xenia hotels. At the same time, Konstantinidis planned and realised several private projects such as the emblematic Weekend House in Anavyssos (1962).^[1]

He devoted extensive study to the anonymous architecture of Greece and between 1947 and 1953 published three books in which he examined particular examples of this type of architecture. In 1975 he published a comprehensive book concerning the anonymous architecture of Greece, entitled Elements of Self-knowledge: Towards a true architecture, in which it is apparent how much he was influenced by the architectural tradition of his homeland and how he drew lessons from the past to develop an architecture for his time. In his last book, entitled Theoktista ("God-built"), the architect once again underlined his belief that anonymous architecture as well as the landscape of Greece itself constituted the foundations on which modern architectural practice could and should be grounded.

He taught at the Zurich Polytechnic as a visiting professor from 1967 to 1970. In 1978 he received an honorary doctorate from the University of Thessaloniki. He was appointed a corresponding member of the Academy of Fine Arts, Munich.

Through his work, Aris Konstantinidis created architectural solutions unique in Greece, which gave birth to a modern Greek architecture. In the 1980s, his work was associated with the theory of critical regionalism by renowned architectural historians and theorists Alexander Tzonis & Liane Lefaivre and Kenneth Frampton.^[2]

Personal life

In 1951 Konstantinidis married the famous Greek sculptor Natalia Mela. They had two children: Dimitris Konstantinidis is also an architect and Alexandra Tsoukala is a light designer.

Notable works

Komotini Archaeological Museum
Xenia Hotel in Olympia
Low-income housing in Athens
Low-income housing in Irakleio
Low-income housing in Serres
Low-income housing in Pyrgos

Written works

1947- Two "Villages" from Mykonos (Δυο "Χωριά" από τη Μύκονο)
1950 - Old Athenian Houses (Τα παλιά Αθηναϊκά σπίτια)
1953 - Country churches of Mykonos (Ξωκλήσια της Μυκόνου)
1972 - Vessels for Life or The problem of a genuine architecture (Δοχεία Ζωής ή το πρόβλημα για μια αληθινή αρχιτεκτονική)
1975- Elements for self-knowledge - towards a true architecture (Στοιχεία αυτογνωσίας - Για μιαν αληθινή αρχιτεκτονική)
1978 - True contemporary architecture (Σύγχρονη Αληθινή Αρχιτεκτονική)
1987 - On architecture (Για την Αρχιτεκτονική)
1987 - Sinners and thieves or The take-off of architecture (Αμαρτωλοί και κλέφτες ή Η απογείωση της αρχιτεκτονικής)
1989 - Forewords from forthcoming books (Τα προλεγόμενα / από τα βιβλία που βρίσκονται στα σκαριά)
1991 - Wretched timeliness - The golden Olympics - The Acropolis Museum (Η άθλια επικαιρότητα - Η χρυσή ολυμπιάδα - Το μουσείο της ακρόπολης)
1992 - Experiences and facts - an autobiographical narrative (Εμπειρίες και περιστατικά - μια αυτοβιογραφική διήγηση)
1992 - The architecture of architecture - Notes from a Journal (Η Αρχιτεκτονική της Αρχιτεκτονικής- Ημερολογιακά σημειώματα)
1992 - Aris Konstandinidis - Projects & Buildings (Αρης Κωνσταντινίδης: Μελέτες και κατασκευές')
1992 - "God-Built" ("Θεόκτιστα")

References

^ Giamarelos, S. (2014). The Art of Building Reception: Aris Konstantinidis behind the Global Published Life of his Weekend House in Anavyssos (1962–2014). Architectural Histories, 2(1), Art. 22. DOI: http://doi.org/10.5334/ah.bx
^ Giamarelos, S. (2022). Resisting Postmodern Architecture: Critical Regionalism before Globalisation. London: UCL Press. DOI: https://doi.org/10.14324/111.9781800081338

2. Kiourti, M. and Tsiambaos, K. "The architect, the resident, and a murder: the case of a house by Aris Konstantinidis". arq: Architectural Research Quarterly, Volume 24, Issue 1, March 2020, pp. 83-94. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/S1359135520000093

Aris Konstandinidis - Buildings & Projects, Athens, Agra, 1991
"Biography (in Greek) of the architect"

External links

[1] Giamarelos, S. (2014). The Art of Building Reception: Aris Konstantinidis behind the Global Published Life of his Weekend House in Anavyssos (1962–2014). Architectural Histories, 2(1), Art. 22. DOI: http://doi.org/10.5334/ah.bx

[2] Giamarelos, S. (2022). Resisting Postmodern Architecture: Critical Regionalism before Globalisation. London: UCL Press. DOI: https://doi.org/10.14324/111.9781800081338

[1]

[2]