Re.B.U.S. a Responsive Behavioral mUseum Space
DEMOCRITUS UNIVERSITY OF THRACE DEPARTMENT OF ARCHITECTURAL ENGINEERING
Re.B.U.S. [REsponsive Behavioral mUseum Space] PROJECT THESIS
ηKOUSOULA κεντρική ιδέα STEFANIA-MARIA TEAM MEMBERS:
PANAGIOTOPOULOU MARIA
SUPERVISOR: POLYXENI MANTZOU ACADEMIC YEAR: 2018-2019
[abstract] [the concept] [the space] [the plans] [the context] [*some of the techologies] [the experience] [the movie] [the game] [index: the history of the city] [photos-references] [aknowledgements]
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[abstract] This project thesis aims to redefine the notion of the museum through responsive and behavioral design. The aim is to reconnect the space, the exhibits and the atmosphere of the museum with the visitors so that they become a part of this environment. The space and the exhibits narrate their story to the visitors through their interaction with them; which leads to immersion into the museum experience. Our project is about an existing museum of folklore cultural heritage that is enriched with responsive and behavioral traits, so that the visitors perceive the space and the exhibits as an entity. Visitors’ choices play a decisive role in the experience they will have, as they are called upon to discover the stories that the space has to tell. Overall, the thesis seeks for a framework on which we can rely to design experience and atmosphere and to create responsive and behavioral spaces, and how current designers are called upon to promote cultural heritage with the help of new digital technologies.
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the concept
[the beginning or the sequel*] As early as 1968, Henri Lefebvre in his book “Right to the City” wrote that space is a representation or conception produced experientially by the user [Lefebvre, 1968]. The purpose of Situational Strategies was to create life moments, situations and experiences. The result of architectural composition would be more effective, if the synthetic process took into account the feelings and the senses leading to a multidimensional experience [Giannoudis, 2012]. Situational Strategies could not be more accurate in today’s post-alphabetic era. Architecture has always served as our mediator with the world. It organizes, connects and creates relationships so that things, objects and spaces are inextricably linked, as their existence in space, their layout and function are determined by the experience of the viewer.
the concept
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This project thesis is a continuation of our research thesis entitled “Nothing / Something”, in which through the analysis of the concepts of thing, object and subject as well as the way the human brain perceives them, we conclude that the way we are planning today is changing radically.
Thing, object, subject. Our world is organized by the relations and the dipoles that these three notions produce. Thing or “pragma” («πράγμα») in Greek comes from the word “prachthen” (“πραχθέν”) meaning to produce. Object signifies “I am against”, “I am standing opposite”. Things are distinguished from their handmade quality [Heidegger,1962]; they coexist in harmony with us and their environment. Objects, on the contrary, appear after the Industrial Revolution as the products of mass production. Objects need a subject to exist, while things do not; they are either above or under our perception¹ [Bill Brown,2001].
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According to McLuhan² we live in the post alphabetic era. The subject is no longer serving as a reference point and we experience the world in a state of immersion. Authenticities have been brought down, the dipoles have been abolished and control is no longer in our hands. The new digital condition transforms objects and things into a new hybrid entity that repositions the subject into the world³.
the concept
The changes in our world take place in silence and we often do not even realize them. Our world today is characterized by hybridization, fluidity, and diffusion. Until today, the evolution of technology which changes the prism under which we perceive the world [Heidegger, 1927], as well as our constant existence in the social media world, are transferring constantly the interest of design to the experience, the atmosphere and the interaction. All these lead to changes in the way we think, perceive and design the world around us.
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Design no longer focuses on the shape or the form but on intangible aspects like interaction, experience, atmosphere, situations and events. Thus, new types of design are emerging like responsive and behavioral design that emphasize aspects such as perception, movement and behavior. [Levillain and Zinetti, 2017]
[the e-motive house4] In 2002, Kas Oosterhuis proposed the E-motive house, a theoretical proposition of programmable construction that could change forms. The author described the behavior of the home as a living organism with emotions and moods. Due to many external and internal factors affecting the building’s alterability, its behavior could not be specified and ultimately perceived as unpredictable based on emotions and expressing moods. The house has an individual mind and a developing character with learning ability and will be a challenge for the resident to adapt to such an environment. In describing how the house would be perceived by residents, Kas Oosterhuis writes: “Residents talk like a human or pet. How is your home today? Doesn’t feel good? Why is your home behaving so weird lately? The doctor may need to see it. Have you taken care of your home enough?”. The E-motive house is more than a static lifeless shell. It is a social being that has emotions, moods, a need for care and communication. [Giannoudis, 2012].
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the concept
belief
Rebus [ree-buh s ]: illustrated puzzle Rebus means illustrated puzzle. It is a type of puzzle that uses pictures and individual letters to create words or phrases. In order to understand what we see, it is necessary to combine elements that -at first sight- seem irrelevant and unmatchable. It comes from the French word “rebus” and from the Latin “rebus” which is the plural of the word “res” which means “thing”. It seems to have come from the phrase “de rebus quae geruntur” (= about the things that take place) that was used in the 16th century by Picardie as a name for satire pieces containing illustrators, or from the phrase “nōn verbīs sed rēbus” which means “Not with words but with things”⁵. For us, REBUS is a Responsive and Behavioral mUseum Space. It is about a museum space in which many different elements create an ensemble of atmospheres that affect our senses and orchestrate a new experience for the viewer.
During the Middle Ages, rebus images were used as symbols on house flags, the well-known coats of arms. The composition of each coat of arms explained to the reader the name, the profession and the personal characteristics of the one who created it. Going even further back in time some linguists claim that the Chinese writing system as well as the ancient Egyptian hieroglyphics were developed according to the principles of Rebus. In the field of psychology, Freud argued that the principles of rebus are the basis for revealing the latent content of dreams. As he writes: “A dream is a puzzle of images of this kind (ss. Rebus) and our predecessors in the field of dream interpretation made the mistake of treating Rebus simply as a composition of images, in this way it seems pointless and useless.”⁶.
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[Responsive Behavioral] U. S.
the concept
Motivated to change behavior
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Responsive design is based on the response of the produced object or space to the user. One of the most characteristic examples of responsive design are “smart” or intelligent environments and objects. Responsive design principles focus more on user interaction and personalization of any object it uses, such as mobile phone or personal computer. There are now countless examples of responsive design, many of which we use every day. Behavioral design focuses on the way the user perceives a moving object and on the tendency to attribute psychological characteristics to that object due to its movement or behavior. A behavioral object will not be perceived simply as a functional or moving object, but as a moving being with some level of perceptual ability. To design a behavioral object or space effectively designers need to focus on more intangible elements such as behavior, movement and human perception rather than on elements such as the form or function of the object or space.
Re. Β. [mUseum Space] The design of a museum space has been always associated with user experience, its visual interaction with the exhibits and the creation of ambience and atmosphere. Museums are places that tell stories. However, the way in which some museums operate several times proves problematic. The visitor often receives sterile information from the exhibits, which, decontextualized and placed around the space, lose their connection to their original environment, becoming mere objects that gain life only through the subject’s glare. The walls of the museum end up serving as “hangers” for exhibits that are lost into the museum space. Thus, the viewer does not succeed to enter the atmosphere of their world, to become a part of it and to experience something new and different. Our aim is to design a responsive and behavioral museum space that will change the museum experience. We want to create a space that thinks, acts, feels and responds to the visitor and its environment, as well as enhance the visitor’s senses and create situations and experiences. That it will be harmoniously connected to all the elements surrounding it, the objects, the visitors and its surroundings. In short, to create a “living organism” that seeks immersion, interaction and interaction with its environment and consequently with us. 17
the space
the folklore museum In order to analyze our idea to a greater extent, we chose an existing museum space, and in particular the folklore museum of Xanthi. Folklore museums are a special category of museums; they constitute a particularly important exhibition site for cultural heritage. These museums tell stories of a more recent period of time, which many visitors have experienced themselves or heard stories about them from their families. They are “living” museums whose history is still being written to this day. They carry pieces of the culture of each place that have shaped and continue to shape the daily lives of their inhabitants. However, in many of the folklore museums that operate today the objects and the collections displayed place the exhibits out of context. Decontextualizing the exhibits from their environment leads to their transformation perceptually into objects, while it place the visitors in the position of the de-framed subject that simply observes without actually connecting to what they see. 20
The Folklore Museum of Xanthi was founded by the Progressive Union of Xanthi (FEX) in 1975. At the beginning of the 19th century, due to the volume of the exhibits, it was transferred to the twin houses of Kougioumtzoglou at 7 Antika Street in the Old Town of Xanthi. It currently hosts permanent collections and periodic exhibitions featuring elements from the public and the private life of the citizens, the social, economic and religious life of the city and the countryside of the early 20th century.
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the building The Folklore Museum of Xanthi is housed in a preserved building that dates back to 1860 in the Old Town of the city. It serves as a characteristic example of Xanthi’s eclectic 19th-century architecture that reflects the “golden” era of the tobacco trade and bourgeoisie of the city. It belonged to Vasileios Kouyioumtzoglou, a known tobacco merchant of the time. It consists of two twin houses intended for the sons of Kouyioumtzoglou. Since 1970 it belongs to the Progressive Union of Xanthi (FEX) and after its restoration it became the main exhibition area of the Folklore Museum of the city.
the space
The spaces exude a special atmosphere of another era, while the museum exhibits, which mainly belonged to the Kouyioumtzoglou family, are plac ed in their “natural environment”; thus they are in harmony with the space and their time.
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the space
Today, the building is a living organism of the city. It connects the present with the past and the future. Each of its elements can transfer us to a different era and tell us a story. We choose to preserve the layout of the spaces as it was in the 19th century, while our goal is that when one crosses the threshold of the house, one feels that he is being transferred to another era. Our aim is to offer the experiences of yesterday to today, to create an atmosphere in space that transfers us to another era. For the objects of the museum to become things again and the space of the museum to become again their environment, in which whoever enters becomes one with the whole.
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the space
The building of the museum has been declared “Historical Building” meaning that we can not intervene in any way in its shell. However, we decided to restore the division of the building into two houses. The preservation of the original condition of the building, both of the outer shell and the interior is important in order to create a space that harmoniously connects the objects, the stories, the urban myths, the songs and the tradition.
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The visitor is not standing opposite to the exhibits as objects of another era, but becomes the protagonist of the story. By choosing principles and techniques used in themed houses, like horror houses and escape rooms, the visitors through their choices can be informed, entertained and discover mysteries, immersing in what they see, or simply be content with observing just the obvious.
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the [under]world In the basement of the house, along a corridor, the spaces are in sequence and larger than the rooms of other levels. They also have arched entrance openings.
the space
Throughout the years that the house was inhabited by the Kougioumtzoglou families, the basement of the house served as the residence of the staff and at the same time, as a storage space.
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We conceivably divide the basement into three “thematic” sections that refer to the dominant working class of Xanthi of the 19th and 20th century: the Houseworkers, the Agricultural workers and the Tobacco Workers. In the basement we discover their stories of that period, while at the same time we learn about machines and tools that have disappeared today.
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the social life The ground level of the house was the place of the daily life for the tenants, while at the same time it was the pre-eminent hosting space for reception and social events.
the space
As we are talking about two twin houses, each one of the two ground level floors of the houses consisted of a living room, a dining room, an office space and a kitchen space and the two houses were connected through one door. On the back of the houses, there was the back yard where the two hamams(Turkish baths) of the house were located, one for men and one for women.
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In the ground levels of the house the visitors can discover stories about the Tobacco trade, the Social life of the city and its inhabitants, the morals and customs of the people, as well as the historic events that determined the history of the city.
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the space
Information flows throughout the space regardless of the chronological order of events, in order for someone to move freely throughout the rooms and discover on their own the space’s stories.
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However, we thought it was important to divide the two ground floor areas into two chronologically different periods of the city’s history, the “Belle Epoque” of Xanthi (18601912) and the gradual decline of the city’s tobacco trade. (1912-1980)
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the private life
the space
The first floor of each house consists of four bedrooms, which did not communicate between the two houses and were the private spaces of the family. We decide to dedicate the bedrooms of one house to the exhibition, while the floor of the other house hosts spaces that will support workshops and ancillary functions of the museum.
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On the first floor of the museum the visitors can discover stories, customs and traditions of marriage and family, old prescriptions of medicines for diseases, as well as children’s toys of the time.
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the special rooms
the space
A well-known practice of themed houses is to have some “break” rooms that events take place, but in a different way than the rest.
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In the museum we place four “break” or “special” rooms with a different theme. In these rooms the visitors can find exhibits that have been enriched with responsive and behavioral properties and depending on visitors’ movements and behaviors, they adapt their own behavior.
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the space 38
the cart
the switches
Entering the room we see a still cart. If we decide to enter and explore the space, the cart starts to move, sometimes towards us and sometimes not, responding to our own movements.
In the room there are many old switches, each one of which when triggered plays traditional music, traditional songs, “local talks”, urban legends and idioms, as well as radio snapshots from the political and economic situation of Xanthi during the intense period of 1912-1920.
the cinema
the stamps
An old projector is located in the center of the room and is activated when we enter the room. He starts playing old movies and snapshots of city life of the 19th and 20th century. When the visitors approach the projector, a micro-drone camera starts moving indefinitely in space. They can play with the camera or avoid it, and possibly if someone is observant they will find themselves on the screen!
There are 3 panels inside the room, which approach us or avoid us, depending on our movements and behavior.
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the context
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the method Museum space is a potential space of experiences and interaction, which is enriched with additional traits. The goal is to create spatial situations that can be perceived physically and emotionally. We divide our design proposal to four levels of intervention and research that form the basis of our proposal: (1) Memory and History, (2) The Intangible Cultural Heritage, (3) the Atmosphere and (4) the Interaction. The combination of these four levels creates the final multidimensional museum experience of the visitor. In order to design the experience of such a space and manage the cultural heritage, at least 4 questions should be answered: 1. What is the storyline of this space? 2.What is the social and cultural framework that this story is being placed in? 3.Which are the elements that are going to fulfill the atmosphere of the spa ce? 4. In which way the space or the object is going to interact with the visitor/user?
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the context
[1st level: memory-history]
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the context 46
The Mitropoleos district in a photo from 1902. The size and the space between the depicted houses certify the wealth of the inhabitants, who are mainly merchants.
memory-history Firstly, before we start designing the experience and atmosphere, we analyzed the history of the building and its tenants in relation to the history of Xanthi, Thrace and Greece. In the initial phase, starting from the middle of the 19th century, we organized chronologically the historical events that took place in Greece, Thrace and Xanthi, while locating their connections with the history of the building. In later stages these historical events are not organized chronologically but in categories and then begin to be associated with spaces and objects within the museum. Our goal at this level was to fully understand the history of the building and the social life of the city in order to make the most of the atmosphere of the time and to help the visitor to learn the stories of the museum as narratives of the space itself and the exhibits.
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History Diagram | Chronological Order
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Histrory Diagram | Links between stories
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History Diagram | Links of stories with rooms
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the context
[2nd level: intangible cultural heritage]
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the context 56
The “tzaros” was a big fire, made with branches of oaks, which was lit on the last Sunday of the Traditional Carnival. Atmosphere, coming from the Greek words atmos (ατμός, steam) + sphere (σφαίρα), is the gaseous condition that surrounds something, which we can perceive physically and emotionally. [Mantzou, 2017] This level is not only about the tangible, but also the intangible characteristics of our surrounding space.
intangible cultural heritage An important element of each place’s Cultural Heritage is the intangible folk culture, such as music, idioms, morals, customs, myths, legends, tales etc. It constitutes the way people think; without it there can never be a meaningful connection of the past with us. However, we noticed that, usually in folklore museums, while there is material and information on this part of the cultural heritage, it is not sufficiently highlighted in the exhibition. Thus, in this level we studied the intangible folk culture of Xanthi through the 19th and 20th century in order to enrich the museum experience with sound events, music and dialogues, while enhancing the sense of chronological change, so that the visitor will discover the actual everyday life of the city and its residents.
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the context
[3rd level:
atmosphere]
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atmosphere The third level of atmosphere* is shaped by the two previous levels and the placement of spaces and objects in an overall context that will shape an experience.
the context
We design the atmosphere by shaping the existing space as it was in the 19th and 20th century, while the exhibits are placed in their true place. At the same time, using digital technology, we enrich the space with various events that are activated through motion-sensors depending on our movement, that aim to create an experience of another era. Exhibits become things in space and we become part of the “whole” again.
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*
Atmosphere, coming from the Greek words atmos (ατμός, steam) + sphere (σφαίρα), is the gaseous condition that surrounds something, which we can perceive physically and emotionally.7 It is not only about the tangible, but also the intangible characteristics of our surrounding space.
cut One of our first decisions regarding the creation of the atmosphere was the use of digital holograms throughout the museum space, which would interact with each other as well as with the viewer. However, this idea was rejected as this condition would place the user opposite the objects, and would ultimately offer him just a staged performance experience.
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the context
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the context
[4th level:
interaction]
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the context
interaction The fourth level is about the total response and interaction of the space and the objects to the visitors’ movements and choices. As mentioned before, they are called upon to look for and discover the story of the space and the exhibits. The principles and the technologies of responsive and behavioral design that we use, have as target to “confuse” the visitors and make them perceive the space and the exhibits as “living beings” that they want to narrate their story. Throughout this level, digital technologies play an essential role. While the exhibits are seemingly simple functional traditional objects, they are enriched with responsive and behavioral traits that are being triggered through movement, sound, touch or temperature sensors. The exhibits are parts of the house and the city’s history and at the same time they are also the transmitters of the history to the visitors. While the visitors’ movement in space is free throughout the museum, their choices are changing the way that they will experience the exhibition. Depending on the level of movement and interaction with the space their choices can lead them to different results. 67
[*some of the technologies]
the responsive and behavioral traits
the context
Mirrors change your clothes into clothes of antother era; frames move and react to your behaviors.
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behavioral materials
special effects
Secret maps and photos appear when you approach
The temperature changes depending on the music you choose to listen to; in the living room when you approach the window you may experience an earthquake.
project mapping The adjoining mansion that also belonged to Vassilis Kougioumtzoglou is being built in front of our eyes.
the app
Αugmented Reality
We propose the creation of a smartphone application that serves for our entrance and navigation in the museum while helping us to receive more information from the museum space and the exhibits. It “unlocks” the door and acts as a guide, while alerting for events or more information.
Τhe tools and the machines are occupied with motion sensors in order to start “functioning” when we approach. At the same time, with the app on our smartphone, through augmented reality, we can see and learn the exact way they used to function.
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the context
cognitive sciences
Of course, the evolution of ICT and new digital technologies provide us with the ability to produce responsive and behavioral spaces, however it is also important to use information from psychological and cognitive sciences as well. Today designers are required to consider not only the physical aspects of a product but also the intangible aspects that are connected with behavioral qualities. Especially for behavioral design, designers should also take into consideration the way that the human brain perceives a moving object, in order to connect the social presence, the design and the organization of interesting interactions with people, as well as in the total design of the object’s behavior. [Levillain and Zinetti, 2017]
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the experience
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the entrance
the experience
secret map
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the piano
the age of the tobacco trade
the fireplace
the dinning room
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lullabies
the experience
tobacco workers
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the end of the war
the cast
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the instruments
the experience
the teapot
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dark room
the tools
the hammam
the loom
whispers
reflections
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the experience
[the movie] Our responsive and behavioral museum experience in one video: https://vimeo. com/388268535
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legend video move extra information sound augmented reality
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[the game] We created a website http://139.59.138.3 in which you can explore and discover the history and some elements of the actual space of the museum.
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index
[index: the history of the city] some important sociopolitical, economical and educational historical events of the city of Xanthi
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1829
Xanthi is not listed as a large urban center of Greece. In 1829, Xanthi was affected by two successive and large earthquakes, which demolished the city and the villages of the surrounding area. A lot of inhabitants fled further south, founding Genisea or Genice Xante (meaning “New Xanthi” in Turkish), while the old city was called Eskise Xante (meaning “Old Xanthi” in Turkish)
1830
The New Greek State is founded. Thrace, while remaining under Ottoman Occupancy, presents economic, social and spiritual growth. The Greek bourgeoisie of Thrace develops and dominates in the imports and exports of products, and especially in the tobacco trade. This year, the construction of the Kougioumtzoglou family’s mansion is completed. The mansion will later be the residence of the parents of the family.
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1860-1912: The first economic growth of Xanthi
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At the end of the 19th century, Xanthi had 10.000 inhabitants, 6.000 of which are tobacco workers and constitute the working force of the city. Tobacco production requires handwork through all of the stages, and in addition to the pre-eminently productive ages, children and elderly work as well in the numerous tobacco shops for more than 12 hours a day. Around tobacco, at that time, new social classes were developing, a bourgeoisie consisting of insurers, bankers and tobacco merchants and a working class constituted of tobacco workers which provided the infrastructure to an organized society in well-structured groups and unions. Thus, the transformation of a small city into an urban economic center is completed, along with a simultaneous remodeling of its social structure.
The economic prosperity of the bourgeoisie is evident in the mansions that were being built during this period, and for sure leaves a mark in time until today. NorthEuropean neoclassical architectural elements are being adopted as the traditional elements of local architecture are considered to be of Oriental origin, and are therefore no longer acceptable.
1860
A big fire destroys most of the city of Genisea, as well as all the tobacco warehouses. The Ottoman Administration decides to transfer the administrative seat of the Prefecture of Xanthi to the city of Xanthi. Therefore, many tobacco workers move to Xanthi and as a result, the economic activity around tobacco in the city rises rapidly.
1866
The construction of the twin houses of the Kougioumtzoglou family is completed. This mansion today houses the Folklore Museum of Xanthi.
18771878
Muslim refugees are settling en masse in Thrace due to the RussianTurkish war. Thrace is divided in 3 parts by the Berlin Conference and is declared as the autonomous province of Eastern Rumelia. At the same time, there are four consultant offices operating in Xanthi, one Greek, one Austrian, one French and one Italian.
1885
Eastern Rumelia is occupied by Bulgaria.
1886
In an article of the newspaper “Anatolikos Astir” (Eastern Star) published in Constantinople, it is noted that in the city of Xanthi operate: a Greek School or Middle School with 5 classes, 40 students and 4 teachers, an Public School with 6 classes, 200 students and 4 teachers, a Girl’s School with 8 classes, 132 students and 3 teachers, and 3 kindergartens with 267 students and 4 kindergarten teachers.
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1891
The construction of the train line that connects Constantinople with Thessaloniki is completed, and it facilitates an easier connection of Xanthi with the largest Balcanic economic centers. In the same year, Athanasios Kougioumtzoglou founded the “Kougioumtzogleio” school, after his name, in order to house a kindergarten and a bequest.
1900
In the city of Xanthi there are 2 cinemas and one theatre.
1903
Greeks react strongly and armedly against the attempt of the Bulgarians to de-Hellenize Thrace.
1905
Ion Dragoumis, deputy consultant in Alexandroupolis, encourages the purchase of land around the city by Greek people, in order to cut off the penetration of the Bulgarians. At the same time, the music and sports association “Orpheas” was founded in Xanthi, which also played a key role in the organization of the Greek Resistance, along with Metropolitan Joachim.
19071908
The attempt of de-Hellenization of Thrace during the period 1903-1907 provoked intense reactions, as well as the creation of national committees in various cities of Thrace. During this period, many people decide to leave abroad to a better life
19101911
Xanthi became the new sub-administrative center of Thrace. In Xanthi, at that time there were operating 3 banks; 2 Greeks and 1 Turkish, 11 private bankers, 2 consultants and 15 cafes, with the most famous being the “Orea thea” (meaning “Nice View”) café which was mostly addressed to tobacco workers and hosted foreign musicians for live concerts. Regarding Greek schools there were operating: the “Matsineios” High School, 1 Girl’s School, 1 kindergarten with a total of 1030 students, as for Turkish, 8 boys’ schools and 1 girls’ school with a total of 600 students.
1912-1920: First and Second Bulgarian Occupation & the declination of the city 1912
After Turkey’s loss in the First Balkan War, on November 8th of 1912, Thrace was conquered for 8 months from Bulgaria (1st Bulgarian Occupation).
1913
On the 13th of July, Xanthi was liberated by the Greek army, but on the 28th of July of the same year, the Treaty of Bucharest awarded the whole of Thrace to Bulgaria (2nd Bulgarian Occupation). Christians and Muslims together, establish the Republic of Gumuljina (from Koumoutzina, the Byzantine name of Komotini). On the 16th of September the Treaty of Constantinople is signed, according to which, Thrace is ceded to the Bulgarians, although the Bulgarians recognize the Sultan’s sovereignty over Thrace. Many people leave their houses, while many tobacco merchants move to Kavala. These years, while Xanthi’s economy is beginning to decline, the city of Kavala starts to develop.
1919
The beginning of “Allied Thrace” is marked, when the forces of France and England seek the autonomy of Thrace. They assign to the French General Charles Antoine Charpy to occupy Thrace. On the 4th of October, under his command, Greek troops entered the area and the city of Xanthi. Xanthi is liberated. On the 27th of November the Treaty of Neigh is signed, according to which Thrace is ceded to Greece and population exchanges are agreed between Greece and Bulgaria.
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1920-1935: Second Economic Growth of Xanthi Up until May of 1920, Xanthi was under allied occupation with French rule, while the other cities of Thrace were being liberated one by one. On August 10th the Treaty of Sevres was signed in France, according to which Thrace, Imbros and Tenedos were ceded to Greece, while the Ottoman Empire and the allied forces signed peace. This year, Xanthi has a population of 22.000 inhabitants, while in the city operate: a seat of Prefect, Public Fund, Tax Office, School Inspection, Mortgage Office, Magistrate’s Court, Diocese, 9 Orthodox Churches, 3 monasteries of which 2 function as National Orphanages and a High School with 325 students, 2 consulates, 4 clubs, 3 banks and 3 newspapers as well as an Organized High School Teachers Union.
index
Regarding the educational institutions there are: 7 primary schools, 4 kindergartens, Muslim Schools for boys and girls, and the Private School of Melissidou.
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1921
Population grows fast due to refugees. Also, with the Moudania Armistice the Greek Army evacuated the area of Eastern Thrace, resulting in more people settling in Western Thrace.
1922
The Tobacco Workers Movement is founded along with workers unions and there are the first protests of trade unions. At the same time, due to the development of trade unions, there is a revival of cultural associations such as Orpheus, Phoenix, Pan, Arion etc.
1923
The treaty of Lausanne is signed in Switzerland. Greece is obliged to pay war reparations in kind due to the lack of money, by extending the Turkish territories of Eastern Thrace beyond the borders of the Agreement. There is also a mandatory exchange of population, resulting in the settlement of 100.000 refugees in Thrace. This implies an increase in the urban population and agricultural production. Due to the annexation of Thrace to Greece, the Ottoman Tobacco Monopoly was lost.
1926
After the liberation, the tobacco trade was recovered in Xanthi, but on a different basis. Along with the few tobacco traders that returned to the city, foreign companies are also settling in the area. The tobacco sector, however, has been hit hard enough and its viability is still uncertain. As they used to say: “The money you spend on tobacco turn to steam”. On the other hand, in 1926 handmade cigarettes were permanently banned in Greece, while the tobacco workers’ wages were squeezed, resulting in protests by the tobacco workers’ unions. Specifically, on December 8th of 1926, the union representing the 6.000 tobacco workers of Xanthi protested against the non-payment of money to the starving tobacco workers.
1927
A 1927 article describes the city of Xanthi: “Xanthi, as it is known, is the pre-eminent tobacco city of Greece, not so much in terms of quantitative production, but for the quality of its product, which holds the scepter of world production”. This year, Xanthi is ranked 7th in population and budget in Greece. 91
1927
In May 1927, protests of tobacco workers began in Thessaloniki, and extended to other cities as well. The tobacco working class was characterized by some as the most populous working class in Greece.
1928
In 1928 there was a 36-day strike by the tobacco workers of Xanthi for daily wages. In the protests that took place, there were dead workers. 1928 was the year that the Greek tobacco crisis came to an end. Through the past years, almost all the carriers of the Tobacco World were involved in the crisis; the government with all its arms as well as the wider society, since many professionals supported the tobacco workers’ struggle. Overall, until 1935 and after the collapse of the tobacco trade of Xanthi, there were efforts being made for the reconstruction of the Thracian countryside, resulting in a significant increase in the urban population and agricultural production.
1936-1944: 3rd Bulgarian Occupancy, Second World War & second economic declination
index
1941
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The Bulgarian army enters Greek territory and for the third time, Thrace is under Bulgarian Occupation. Many people decide to leave the area, while those who stay are forced to obtain Bulgarian citizenship. The Bulgarians occupy the shops of Xanthi and close the Greek schools resulting in the gradual dispensation of the Greek element.
1943
On March 4th 4,200 Greek Jews from the Bulgarian-occupied zone are deported and killed in German concentration camp.
1944
On October 16th the evacuation of the Bulgarian-occupied areas by the Bulgarian troops and the Bulgarian settlers began. In the same year, the Prefecture of Xanthi was defined by law.
1947
The Tobacco Industry of Xanthi is declining, due to: 1. The Marshall plan that allows the import of western tobacco in Greece 2. The use of cigarette filters as early as 1945; reducing the demand for oriental blends as the taste became more neutral. 3. The merge of The Tobacco Workers’ Fund with the Social Insurance Fund, which leads to a mass exodus of tobacco workers from their profession for a small fee, leaving only a few hundred women in the profession in Xanthi.
1973
The Democritus University of Thrace is founded with its headquarters in Komotini.
1976
SEKAP, a cooperative tobacco industry is established, and begins production in 1980.
The most characteristic tobacco variety of the region, the famous “basmas”, is now used only in very small quantities, as much as to give aroma and taste to the neutral western type tobacco. More than 90% of the eastern tobacco of Xanthi is exported to the whole world by SEKE S.A. while the remaining tobacco workers of Xanthi work mainly seasonally.
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[photos] pg. 13 onl.eu pg. 20 from personal archive pg. 23
left: https://museumfinder.gr/item/laografiko-ke-istoriko-mousio-xanthis/ από tariqante right: https://www.fex.org.gr/laografiko-istoriko-moyseio-ksanthis pg. 25 from personal archive pg 46 https://oldxanthi.blogspot.com/
index
pg 56 https://apokries.ert.gr/xanthi/
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[references] 1.Bill Brown, “Thing Theory”, < http://links.jstor.org/ sici?sici=0093-1896%282001 23%2928%3A1%3C1%3ATT%3E2. 0.CO%3B2-4>, article in the magazine Critical Inquiry, issue 28, no.1, 2001 2.Marshall McLuhan, «The Gutenberg Galaxy: The walking of the Typographic Man», University of Toronto Press, Canada, 1962 3.Polyxeni Mantzou, «Aporia in Architecture: What now? », Epikentro, Thessaloniki, 2017 4.Socratis Giannoudis, «Prosarmosimi Architectoniki», Ion publishes, NTU Athens, 2012 5.www.wikipedia.org 6.www.wikipedia.org 7.Polyxeni Mantzou, «Aporia in Architecture: What now? », pikentro, Thessaloniki, 2017 8.Florent Levillain, Elizabetta Zinetti, “Behavioral Objects: The rise of the Evocative Machines”, < https://www.academia.edu/33321787/Behavioral_Objects_The_Rise_ of_the_Evocative_Machines >
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[aknowledgements] We would like to thank: Our supervisor, Polyxeni Mantzou for her valuable guidance and support throughout this journey, Dimitris Giouzepas and Emilia Karapostoli for their contribution, The DiDiDUTH team that has been an important forum for discussion and questioning in our weekly meetings, and more specifically: Anastasis F. and Maria N. for their important advice and selfless help, Argyris and Panagiotis, for their important help in creating the website, Paschalis from F.E.X. for the information he provided us about the history of Xanthi and his undivided help during our visits to the building, Thrax Punx for providing their music to our videos, And of course, our family and friends for their undivided patience, love and support 97