The platform 

ΑRCHSTUDIES.GR is an educational platform for promoting architecture and design based principally on three concepts. At first, the website aims to publish and archive projects of students and young professionals in order to broaden and promote diversity as well as highlight the emerging trends reflected through the different academic institutions. In parallel, through the organization of a variety of events, from lectures to competitions and workshops, it is attempted to engage a wider community beyond the narrow academic circle. Finally, the group carries out research studies focusing on a range of notions and subjects related to design and urban issues, while at the same time promotes interdisciplinarity through synergies with invited researchers from different fields.

Specifically, the platform operates in the following directions:

• The online magazine, which publishes and archives architecture and design projects from undergraduate or postgraduate students of the creative fields (architecture, design etc) in Greece and abroad (e-magazine)

• The coordination of events such as competitions either independently or in collaboration with other platforms

• Research in the wider field of design including both architecture and other disciplines or urban issues attempting to highlight current trends through the organisation of workshops, participation in conferences with papers or even through the publication of documentaries (research lab)

The people 

Grozopoulos Dimitris (Architect, Founder / Εditor-in-chief of the Archstudies.gr)

Dimitris Grozopoulos was born in Athens. He graduated from the School of Architecture of Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (2014) and continued his studies at Kingston University London in the master programme MA Landscape & Urbanism (2016). Within the last few years, he has participated in numerous workshops, exhibitions and conferences while his projects have been awarded in various competitions. Phenomena such as urban decay and urban regenertions constitute the heart of his ongoing research, which has been published and exhibited in numerous occasions (Greek Pavilion of Venice Architecture Biennale 2016, Think-Space Unconference-Zagreb 2013, etc.). He is currently based in London.

Polymenides Michael (Architect, Co-Founder/editor)

Born and raised in Volos, Greece. In 2014 he graduated from the Department of architecture, Faculty of Engineering AUTH and alongside practicing architecture he is experimenting with painting, illustration, installations and music. Excited about the ways of interaction between man and interactive architectural environments and installations, he seeks the means of turning architecture into an experience for the non-architect. In his spare time he is probably drawing time-consuming patterns or trying to produce sounds from artifacts that were not built for this particular purpose.

Charidis Alexandros (Co-Founder)

He graduated from the School of Architecture at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (2014). He continued his studies in the `Design & Computation Group` of the Department of Architecture at MIT. His Master`s thesis is based on a critique of the technological and theoretical foundations of design computation that give principal emphasis to symbolic knowledge representation and are based on borrowed knowledge from the Sciences of the Artificial (Computer Science, Economics, Engineering etc.). His research work includes among others custom software development for formal architectural composition, computer graphics and imaging, shape representation and transformation, and artificial intelligence in design. Parallel to his academic pursuits, he is an electronic music producer since his high school years with releases and performances in the local electronic music scene of Greece.

Kasimati Effie (Architect, Editor)

Born and raised in Athens, Greece. She graduated from the Department of Architecture, Faculty of Engineering, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (2013). She also holds an MSc in Architectural Theory and Design, National Technical University of Athens (2015). Moreover she got an MArch Urban Design from the Bartlett, University College London (2016). At the moment she lives and works in London. Her current research focuses on the intersection of digital tools and fabrication methods with architecture and urbanism. Her theoretical and design work has been featured in several architectural journals as well as conference papers (DOMES, IEEE, DRHA Conference etc).

Sissi Kasimati (Architect, Editor)

She was born and raised in Athens. She graduated from Faculty of Engineering of NTUA, Department of Architecture. Her research is focused in Architectural History and Restoration/Conservation of buildings and historical complexes. During her studies she has collaborated with creative companies in the fields of photography and graphic design. She is traveling a lot in order to experience space, city and architecture through a more experiential approach while at the same time she attempts to combine her interest in traveling with gastronomy.

Contributors 

Penelope Papadimitraki (Architect, social media)

Born and raised in Athens, Greece. Penelope Papadimitraki graduated from the School of Architecture, AUTh, Greece (2015). She is currently pursuing graduate studies at the Bauhaus-Universität Weimar and the University at Buffalo (State University of New York) on the expanded field of architecture and media.