The Architects Working to Solve the World’s Homelessness Problem

The morning sun breaks through the lowered blinds and lights up the green carpeting in riza3architects headquarters in the centre of Athens. In the waiting room, desks have been placed next to each other in a Tetris-like shape. For a moment, I think of the last time I visited an architectural office. That space was trying really hard to show it was "modern". Here on the other hand, on the fourth floor of a polygonal building, things are different: there are no soulless "modern touches", no decoration. Desks, papers, architectural tools and the people that work here; that's it.

Stratis Skopelitis, one of the founders of the firm, greets me with a warm welcome. "Sorry to keep you waiting, but we're kind of swamped today" he explains as he shows me to his office.

"Can architecture address the homeless?" I ask as soon as we are in. Stratis sits up in his chair. "Yes, without a doubt. After all, that was the question we had to answer when we undertook this project." Recently, the team, made up of Skopelitis and his colleagues Maria Christoula and Alexandros Valsamidis, took part a competition called 'Tiny Home Community' which was set up by the American Institute of Architecture and the Centre for Architecture and Design.

The competition was asking participants to design low cost homes with prefabricated elements, that could house the homeless folk of Raleigh, North Carolina. More than 100 architectural offices from around the world answered the call, including some rather well established companies, but first prize was eventually awarded to "riza3".

A media frenzy ensued, as soon as news of their victory spread throughout Greece. Everyone wanted to meet the three young people, who had found a groundbreaking, cost effective and above all functional solution to the housing problem. "We didn't expect all the publicity," Stratis says, still somewhat shocked. "We certainly didn't know how to deal with it. We'd won competitions in the past, but none of them garnered so much attention."

Maria Christoulia enters the office in a rush. "Sorry, but Alexandros (Valsamidis) just called to say he's going to be a bit late, as there is some work to be done at one of our building sites." Maria, Stratis and Alexandros have known each other for years, having worked together in some of the biggest Athenian architectural offices, before creating "Riza3architects". They've worked on a variety of projects, both state funded and independent, designing swimming pools, railway stations and a number of homes. "We're friends first," Maria points out. "At some point we decided to work together because we speak the same language, have common views on architecture and generally seem to complete each other."

I ask her how they ended up taking part in the competition. "We had been working on the specific project for a while. However, it was gathering dust in our drawers, since for many Greek architects at this particular moment in time, a project like that is a luxury. We need to primarily cover our everyday needs. Unfortunately in this country right now, most young architects just offer their services almost for free, and go through the motions losing touch with the social value of architecture. At least those who don't just move abroad."

I ask Stratis and Maria if they have also thought of looking at their options abroad. "I lived in England for six years, but I couldn't imagine building life there so I came back," Stratis says. "Now, together with Alexandros and Maria we're trying to keep our enthusiasm going, we're trying to battle our demons and look for ways to stay creative. This award provides us with a valuable sense of recognition for our work. It's a friendly pat on the back if you will, something that tells us to keep going, to not quit."

The office door swings open again and in walks a burly individual in a dusty blue t-shirt. The cement dust on his hands reveals that he had just been at a building site. "This is Alexandros", Maria chirps in. "Give me a few minutes to clean up and we'll go for a walk in the city centre", Alexandros offers.

A little while later we're heading towards the neighbourhoods of Metaxourgio and Kerameikos. We wander around Avdi square, an area that has been flooded with homeless people in the recent years of the financial crisis. "Our study came out of our own personal concerns, our experiences, our architectural influences and current social needs. In other words, the homeless issue was not something we had to imagine, it was something very real in our lives. We see those people every day – they live next to us, on the side of the street," Alexandros explains as we walk towards Leonidou street.

Maria jumps in: "I think we also need to point out that no architectural study can solve the homelessness issue, if it isn't followed up by political action and specific plans for social intervention. We're just here to offer a solution for low cost housing. The good thing about this competition, was that it allowed us to find the space needed to further develop our study. The deadline, the specific requirements and the transparency with which the whole competition operated, helped us focus solely on our work."

"I'm not saying that it wasn't an arduous process – far from it. The crippling sense of futility that hangs over Greece and the useless information we are bombarded with every day, make it difficult for a person to focus on anything. You get discouraged; you want to quit, to run away from your problems. But we didn't give up: We tried to keep our thoughts clear of distractions and focus on the task at hand."

"We all had our own way: Stratis for example, would leave the office when all the work was done for the day and ride endlessly around town on his bicycle, until his mind calmed down. Alexandros found his peace with horses, while I have an 11-year-old boy to take care of. I also use what little free time I have to learn how to play the violin. We were basically just trying to stay alive and creative and avoid being crushed by the every day pressures of making ends meet. To escape from the black cloud that hangs over Greece. Today, we're proud of what we have achieved".

I ask Alexandros what makes their study unique: "I think the main thing is that it's a truly groundbreaking idea and a highly affordable solution within the boundaries of a permanent home plan. Essentially the structure is made up of elements that could be produced in a factory or found within a range of 50 kilometres from where the structure is set up. Our design, is about 50 percent cheaper than the average cost of a house. Moreover, we have made use of things that would normally end up in the garbage, such as materials than can be salvaged at a demolition site. Just imagine ruble being transformed into a classy home – a home that is in harmony with the environment. Another thing that also appealed to the competition committee, was the fact that these designs can be expanded into bigger homes. They essentially function like Lego bricks, something that greatly assists any plans for standardisation and industrial production, further cutting back production costs".

At the moment, the initiative that set up the competition in North Carolina is busy trying to gather the necessary funds to activate the first series of production. At the same time, thousands of miles away, on the fourth floor of a polygonal building in Athens the minds that came up with it are planning their next step – seeking out new uses, sizes and formats for their design.

"There are countless applications for this design – from bicycle parks and homeless communities, all the way to holiday homes," Alexandros says passionately before leaving again for a building site.