GR
On January 24, 2024, the awards ceremony for the innovative architectural competition “Open House – The Challenge” by Praktiker Hellas for the creation of the first inclusive short-term rental apartment in Greece was completed!
It is an initiative by Praktiker Hellas for the complete aesthetic and functional upgrade of an urban apartment in collaboration with My Greek Vacations, making it more friendly and accessible to all and serving as a strong start towards an inclusive society. The “Open House – The Challenge” competition was organized for the first time with the vision to inspire and sensitize the new generation to create a world that accommodates all citizens without discrimination at any stage of their lives.
Winners are Maria Dimitroudi and Theodoros Tselepidis, architects, who won 6,000 euros and a trip to Marazzi facilities in Italy. They will see their proposal implemented in the near future!
Mr. Dimitris Galanis, CEO of Praktiker Hellas, stated, among other things: “Today is a very important day for us as we celebrate three outstanding projects in the architectural competition ‘Open House – The Challenge.’ We are very proud that we received such worthy proposals from young professionals. Our vision at Praktiker Hellas is to inspire industry professionals to design and implement ‘open houses’ for all people, with or without impairement, at any age and stage of their lives. We have laid the right foundations to create a significant institution that we are committed to continue and develop further!”
Mr. Vaggelis Augoulas, a member of the judging committee, blind lawyer, founder of the social cooperative “Me Alla Matia,” and coordinator of the focus group for people with visual, mobility, and hearing impairments, stated: “A total of 34 entries were submitted for the competition for the first time, which means that we have already won, gaining 34 teams of new allies in the daily battle for more accessibility and inclusion! With our intensive collaboration with Praktiker, disabled individuals become co-creators of a new, more inclusive daily life, with a reference point being an ‘Open House’ that accommodates all of us, moving from ‘I’ to ‘We.'”
A few words about the program:
Praktiker Hellas, the No. 1 Greek network of Home Improvement & DIY stores, is implementing the Inclusion and Accessibility program “Open House.” As part of this program, Praktiker created the innovative Architectural Competition “Open House – The Challenge.” The competition, a first for a retail company in Greece, involves the complete aesthetic and functional upgrade of an urban apartment managed by My Greek Vacations in the area of Neos Kosmos, making it more friendly and accessible to disabled people, seniors, and meeting the needs of all potential tenants, regardless of age or abilities. The apartment is intended for short-term rental to serve not just a few but many, providing numerous choices and possibilities.
The competition targeted young architects, interior designers, and civil engineers up to 35 years old, as well as students of architecture and civil engineering schools. The candidates created and presented a comprehensive redesign plan for the specific apartment, with hybrid solutions and clever proposals to make it ready for an unrestricted, inclusive hospitality. In the coming period, the apartment will be implemented with the support of partners: Vitex, My Greek Vacations, “Me Alla Matia”, Ideal Standard & KAI Group.
