Heritage Preservation Policy of Civil Servants Joint Stock Fund for Historical Buildings in Athens: The Deligiorgi Residence Case

Maria Vyzantiadou,Panagiotis Gkiokas

doi:10.3390/heritage2010044

Maria Vyzantiadou, Panagiotis Gkiokas

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3390/heritage2010044

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Abstract

The Civil Servants Joint Stock Fund (C.S.J.S.F.), since its establishment in 1867, has invested part of its funds in acquiring real estate properties during the interwar period in Greece. The real estate selection was a very significant process for the Fund’s administration, investing on buildings situated in the historic center of Athens and designed by well-known architects. The fund also initiated the restoration procedures in order to keep its real estate up to date with respect to their importance as milestones of Greek Culture. This paper presents a part of the Fund’s heritage preservation policy and its extensive protection, conservation, restoration, and rehabilitation program; referring briefly to the historical and architectural description of the five (C.S.J.S.F.) historical buildings, in addition to the conservation and restoration projects for one of them; the Deligiorgi Residence, which was designed by the architect Ernst Ziller. The restoration work underlines the ultimate need for heritage preservation, and the importance of being sensitive to the historical character of the buildings, thereby improving their economic status and contributing to the sustainable preservation of architectural and cultural heritage within historic cities.

Highlights

IntroductionThe Civil Servants Joint Stock Fund (C.S.J.S.F.)—following its investment policy—purchased, reconstructed, and expanded buildings situated in the historic center of Athens between 1926–1939
The Civil Servants Joint Stock Fund (C.S.J.S.F.)—following its investment policy—purchased, reconstructed, and expanded buildings situated in the historic center of Athens between 1926–1939.This area entails the most important part of its real estate property
The Fund, in itsrestoration effort to revitalize the remarkable and aged buildings, andresent to improve their economic statue, while contributing to the enhancement of our architectural and cultural heritage, conservation project of the Residence, which we describe in the following paragraphs

Summary

Introduction

The Civil Servants Joint Stock Fund (C.S.J.S.F.)—following its investment policy—purchased, reconstructed, and expanded buildings situated in the historic center of Athens between 1926–1939. This area entails the most important part of its real estate property. The above action has proven successful because Greek currency (drachma) devaluations and the economic devastation caused by the Second World War. Real estate selection was a very significant process for the Fund’s administration, investing on buildings designed by well-known architects, as well as assigning the design and construction of new ones to outstanding architects and engineers of that period. The buildings mentioned above are the following: (1). The study and supervision of the project was commissioned by architect

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