Aris Kosntantinidis is without any doubt one of the leading Greek architects of the late 20th century. Born in Athens in 1913 he studied extensively in Munich during the 1930ies and returned to Greece in the 40ies where he worked in various positions in the Greek public sector, the ministry of public works and the Greek Tourist Agency.
The rebuilding of Greece in the 19050ies was an ideal situation for the growth of architecture and Konstantinidis as a leader of the relevant department in the Greek Tourism Organization, designed and managed the beliding of the famous Xenia Hotels in ideallic and remarkably scenic locatuons all over Greece, as part of the plan for developing tourism industry in Greece.
Konstantinidis’s architecture belongs to the modernist school but the influences of anbcient tradition are evident throughout his work. Moreover Konstantinidis was an case of a rare intellectual who was combining his love for architecture with a broadness of knowledge and the need to express himself through words. “First I built what I had to say and then I rebuilt it with words. That is why all I was writing are in accortdance to what I was building”. Buildings according to him are ‘Life Vessels’ and through them the architect shows his view of life throgh them. Konstantinidis view of life is one in which people live united in a comfortable and simple environment.
During the years of the Greek junta Konstantinidis left for Switzerland where he remained in self exile for seven years. On his return to Greece he worked again for the Greek Tourism Orgainization where he was now treated as asimple public servant and he retired due to old age in 1978. He spent the last years of his life, not building, but writing in an increasingly pessimistic mood that was unfortunately completed with his suicide on 1990.
AKS Porto Heli Hotel was build by architect Tasis Papaioannou who belongs to the school of students of Aris Konstantinidis with obvious influences from his work and teachings.
Peloponnese Hotels – AKS Porto Heli
