Villaggio Di Sale: The Revival of the Abandoned Settlement

The Diploma Thesis concerns the redesign of the abandoned settlement of old Kariotes and the decommissioned Alexander saltworks in Lefkada. The two places, which are 10 minutes apart by car, are programmatically connected with the creation of a Museum around salt: its collection, processing and use. The aim of the Museum is to contribute to the promotion of the cultural heritage of Lefkada, but also of Greece, to the extent that it is connected with the -not so old- operational period of the saltworks. With this in mind, the Museum attempts to display both tangible and intangible exhibits, in order to enhance the local cultural identity.

The old settlement of Kariotes was abandoned by its inhabitants in 1957 and the Alexander saltworks stopped functioning in 1988 and are today completely abandoned, despite being designated as a “Protected Industrial Museum and site of Natura 2000 Network”

The proposal addresses issues of reuse and reappropriation by communicating the cultural customs and folklore traditions of the area. The new Museum, through experiential workshops, offers the visitor the opportunity to get acquainted with traditional techniques and practices, to try the local cuisine and to learn about the life of the inhabitants who once lived in the village.