Grigoris Tsilimidos

Hi, I am Grigoris Tsilimidos, a trained Interior Designer, from Greece. With a vast range of interests, varying from architecture, furniture, stage and graphic design to exhibition sets and curation, my ultimate dream is the day that I can finally call myself a multidisciplinary designer.

2021 finds me in-between London, Greece and Zoom. Interior Design student by day and organizer of the RCA Inside/Out Lecture Series by night.

As a 2nd Year student, I have joined the Nonterior Platform, with the hope to leave my mark in the world. Design that concerns whole communities and has a wider impact on society has always fascinated me and given me a sense of pride for the profession I represent. The question is simple: How do we design for people, with people?

Education:

09/2019-today Royal College of Art, London, UK

MA Interior Design: Exhibition Design

- Dissertation with title “Questioning spatial informality: through the lens of Michael Wolf”, Mark: ‘Distinction’, 2019

09/2012-12/2018 UNIVERSITY OF WEST ATTICA (UNIWA), Athens, Greece

BA in Interior Architecture (240 ECTS), Grade 9.01/10 “Excellent”

Professional experience:

09/2016-05/2018 Interior Designer, STAGEDESIGNOFFICE, Athens, Greece

03/2016-08/2016 Intern, STAGEDESIGNOFFICE, Athens, Greece

School of Architecture Prizes 2021 Joint Winner of Head of Programme’s Prize - Interior Design

NORTHANTS' HAGGLEMAKERS

Public markets have always been spaces of sociability. In an era where the markets’ identity is being threatened by gentrification, what can we do to keep their vibrant spirit alive?

The project proposes a new ‘meanwhile’ market with different spaces for discussion and debate, located on the rooftop of a multi-story car-park in Northampton’s town center. The use of haggling as the sole purchasing method revitalizes the intrinsic quality of the historic market.

The space is collectively operated by the existing Market Square traders and younger entrepreneurs. It aims to attract the participation of locals and the town’s council and fuel hard discussions on various community topics.

Research Summary Comic-Strip

Northampton has a historic Market Square, but also a long history of revolution, as the local comic book writer Alan Moore reminds us. The tensions between the people and the government have always been present in the town and today there is yet one dispute at the Market Square. In specific, the traders and numerable locals are against a gentrified rejuvenation proposal that threatens the identity of the market. Such approaches have had a serious impact on the economy of the region and have led the local retail sector in demise. Remembering their rebellious past and taking after global examples, the local traders can resist and take the situation in their hands. The suggestion is to use the rooftop of the nearby carpark and create their own autonomous market community there.

Scenario: We are in 2023 and the revamp of the Market Square is a reality. Some of the old trader are no longer in favor of the new layout and they leave, or they are driven out, because they lack in quality products.

As a result, they sign a contract for a meanwhile space with the owner of the car-park, to create a self-managed collaborative market, which also offers them new job opportunities, through a reskilling program, in association with young entrepreneurs from the University of Northampton.

The main goal though is to create a space for social opportunity, based on the model of the ancient Greek Agora, where discussion and debate where embedded in the heart of the market.

Collage Community Conversation debate Greece Political Design political engagement public market re-skilling self-managed social engagement Social Inclusion

The Hagglebox — A conceptual object that captures the essence and the tension of the project. This customized fruit box encourages people to debate through shopping in a market that has no prices and where you just.. Haggle it!

Debating over oranges...

bargain conceptual object debate haggling Interaction orange Political Design Public engagement public market Short film social engagement

Axonometric Drawing — Outside/In design strategy: 1.View of the building t from the Market Square. 2.Insertion of semi-private conversation spaces and LED curtains on the facade. 3.Insertion of main debate theatre. 4.Projection to the square via an inflatable reflecting structure, ‘The trial balloon’, which activates the space when it goes up. 5.Installation of a series of different stalls that provoke haggling and debate.

The 6 Stall/Workshop Villages

Operation Diagram

Axonometric drawing Design Methodology design strategy Inside Out operation public market public space Public Sphere Short film social design stages Theatre

Floor Plan Lev. 5-6A_Scale 1:100

Section A-A_Scale 1:100

Section B-B_Scale_1:100

Front Elevation_Scale 1:100

Drawings elevation market stalls plan public market Scale section technical drawings

Projection to the streets / Access — 1. Public seating elements that broadcast the debate. 2. View from the 'Trial Balloon'. 3. Access through the Grosvenor Shopping Centre.