School of multimedia and Graphic Arts, Technological University of Cyprus

Architecture: Micromega

Design Team: Alexandros Zomas, Mara Papavasileiou,

Dimitris Papageorgiou , NATALIA TSAKALAKI – KARKA, ANNA TSOKA, MARINA NESTORA, VAGGELIS STAMBELOS, DIMITRIS KARANASIOS

Structural Engineering: SPIROS PENTHEROUDAKIS

E/M Engineering: ENERTEK MEP CONSULTANTS

CLIENT: Technological University of Cyprus

The design of the new building facilities of the Department of Multimedia and Graphic Artsof the Cyprus University of Technology in Limassol, started with the exploration and creative analysis of the educational/research field for which they will be the new matrix. The organization of the building is articulated in 3 basic levels, which respond to the dual nature of the building (gallery vs factory).

MGA./ GALLERY + FACTORY + COMMUNITY OF IDEAS

The organization of the building is articulated in 3 basic levels, which respond to the dual nature of the building (gallery vs factory). On the ground floor of the building, in direct relation to the public space, is located the function of the Exhibition. One level lower is the level of the Factory, with all the special and technologically equipped production spaces (makerspaces/studios). While the upper floors are occupied by the main teaching and organization spaces for students, creating a new Community of Ideas.

A rapidly developing field, with multiple implications across the spectrum of everyday life, communication, digital interaction and aesthetics, creates a unique opportunity to create a new paradigm for the design of educational facilities in the creative/aesthetic field. By analyzing the needs, specific characteristics, past and evolution of the field of Multimedia and Graphic Arts, we came up with 3 basic design principles, which construct the framework around which the new building will be structured.

Α. FINE ART + PRODUCTION = APPLIED ARTS

 The new building is placed at the intersection of the two main directions of the broader research field of applied arts to which the subject of the school belongs. We imagine the building as the result of the creative dialogue between the fine arts and organized factory production. A space where aesthetic exploration meets functionality, where the realm of ideas is integrated into that of matter, where the archetype of the solitary creator opposes the assembly line. We propose the design of a container for production and presentation, a hybrid building model that adopts features from exhibition spaces and factory buildings. A creative interaction of seemingly contradictory systems that at their intersection is located the field of Graphic Arts and Multimedia.

B. EVOLUTION OF THE FIELD

 The rapid diversification of the field of graphic arts from its origins in 1450 to the present day leads us to adopt a design logic that incorporates flexibility and adaptability at its core. From analog design tools and traditional techniques to the rapid prevalence of digital technologies in a few decades, we are witnessing dramatic acceleration that can only increase with the rise of new artificial intelligence technologies. How can the design of an educational space respond to the fluidity of the field it is called upon to accommodate? How can we anticipate the impending changes in the needs, modes and outcomes of the educational and professional process?

C. STRUCTURED CURRICULUM VS IMPROMPTU EVENTS

 The School of Multimedia and Graphic Arts is a significant pole of extroversion of the university towards the city of Limassol. The design of the building should provide the possibility for the building to meet the needs of the organized curriculum, as well as to host spontaneous gatherings of students and their associations,as well as open events that transcend the school's outreach to the local community. Large, flexible exhibition and event spaces, adapted to the flexible and adaptable to the changing needs of multiple users, while an open-air park, open to them, ensures that the building is active throughout the day.