Aspra Spitia, Viotia, Greece

Historical, political or economic context in which the plan/project is proposed

Aspra spitia is a settlement designed in the ‘60s to accommodate the needs of the populations arriving in the area as employees in the first aluminium production facility in Greece which started its operation in 1966. Doxiadi’s design approach for the settlement was based on Ekistics, an idea that human settlements are complex biological organisms, capable to form connections with each other and in constant evolution and harmony with the natural environment. These principles are present in the Aspra Spitia settlements and its intention to preserve the natural landscape between the hills and the seafront creating an organic urban environment. The new settlement called Aspra Spitia (White Houses) remains till today a model for small scale urban design combining Modernist principals with traditional greek elements.

Bibliography

Associates, Doxiadis. “Aspra Spitia: The first Neighbourhood.” Ekistics 17, no. 103 (1964): 385-390. www.jstor.org/stable/43613401. Accessed 28 Mar. 2021.

Doxiadis, C. Ekistic: An Introduction to the Science of Human Settlements. New York: Oxford University Press, 1968.

Zaib Khan, A. «Adjusting/Amending the modern: Doxiadis' use of Urban Design Vocabulary, Grammar, Syntax and the eclectic Local.» KU Leuven, Belgium, 2007.