[ feminine ] /'izola/
Isola, island in English, is closely related to the verb isolare which means to isolate, which is essentially what an island is; a piece of land surrounded by water. Philosopher Massimo Cacciari suggests that it's exactly this state of separation that defines its existence. Islands become points of reference, navigation, and hope across the rough sea.
Isola, island in English, is closely related to the verb isolare which means to isolate, which is essentially what an island is; a piece of land surrounded by water. Philosopher Massimo Cacciari suggests that it's exactly this state of separation that defines its existence. Islands become points of reference, navigation, and hope across the rough sea.
Η λέξη Isola, νησί στα ελληνικά, είναι άμεσα συνδεδεμένη με το ιταλικό ρήμα isolare που σημαίνει απομονώνω, το οποίο περιγράφει την ουσιαστική έννοια του νησιού· ένα κομμάτι γης που περιτριγυρίζεται από νερό. Ο φιλόσοφος Massimo Cacciari αναφέρει πως είναι ακριβώς αυτή η κατάσταση διαχωρισμού που ορίζει την ύπαρξη ενός νησιού. Τα νησιά γίνονται σημεία αναφοράς, καθοδήγησης και ελπίδας μέσα στις ταραχές της θάλασσας.
Isola is an Athens and Corfu based, multidisciplinary architecture, design and research studio working across scales and categories, founded in 2021 by Chaido Kaproulia and Eva Lavranou. For us architecture is not merely the construction of a building but a wider connection between complex social, political, environmental, and technological geographies. We strongly believe that design has the power to provoke social change and we are constantly searching for innovative ideas to create more inclusive and resilient spaces. We are committed to investigating the ever-changing models of inhabitation in the Mediterranean Sea and the social and ecological tensions that affect its landscape. For us design practice is not about the final object but a process of learning, engaging with people, deep understanding of societal values and struggles, collaboration, transformation, and regeneration. To achieve this, we draw inspiration and conduct exercises using multiple media ranging from art, photography, sketching, poetry, writing, theater, traveling, and dancing. Through our practice we seek to be able to critically respond to the urgencies of our times and contribute to shaping more caring future worlds.
People
Chaido Kaproulia, Co-founder
Chaido Kaproulia is an architect and territorial designer. She holds a Master’s degree from the joint program in Urban and Territory Design from ETH Zurich and EPF Lausanne and a Master’s degree in Research in Architecture from the National Technical University of Athens. She has previously studied architecture at the University of Thessaly. Prior to her own practice, she has worked as an architect in Vienna and Athens for several years, participating in a wide range of programs from housing and hospitality to public spaces and winning competition proposals. Her work aims to evolve architectural practices beyond the boundaries of the built, by understanding its relationship with landscape, ecology and agriculture. She has presented her research work in various scientific conferences. She is currently part of the National Technical Universiy of Athens research team for two European research programs.
Chaido Kaproulia is an architect and territorial designer. She holds a Master’s degree from the joint program in Urban and Territory Design from ETH Zurich and EPF Lausanne and a Master’s degree in Research in Architecture from the National Technical University of Athens. She has previously studied architecture at the University of Thessaly. Prior to her own practice, she has worked as an architect in Vienna and Athens for several years, participating in a wide range of programs from housing and hospitality to public spaces and winning competition proposals. Her work aims to evolve architectural practices beyond the boundaries of the built, by understanding its relationship with landscape, ecology and agriculture. She has presented her research work in various scientific conferences. She is currently part of the National Technical Universiy of Athens research team for two European research programs.
Eva Lavranou, Co-founder
Eva Lavranou is an architect and curator. She holds a Master in Design Studies from Harvard Graduate School of Design, graduating with Distinction in 2022, following architecture studies at the University of Thessaly and Politecnico di Milano. At Harvard, Eva served as a teaching assistant for interdisciplinary design courses, curatorial assistant for the Department of Exhibitions, and curator at the GSD Kirkland Gallery. She participated in the 2021 Venice Biennale and has worked on residential projects and award-winning competitions in Greece. Until last year, Eva was part of the Ambasz Institute at MoMA in New York, organizing exhibitions, events, and publications, and researching the history of ecological design. Today, she is focused on her work with Isola Studio, exploring alongside her architecture work, critical curatorial practices through exhibitions, interviews, and events, that focus on design and climate change research. She is currently part of the National Technical University of Athens research team for two European research programs.
Eva Lavranou is an architect and curator. She holds a Master in Design Studies from Harvard Graduate School of Design, graduating with Distinction in 2022, following architecture studies at the University of Thessaly and Politecnico di Milano. At Harvard, Eva served as a teaching assistant for interdisciplinary design courses, curatorial assistant for the Department of Exhibitions, and curator at the GSD Kirkland Gallery. She participated in the 2021 Venice Biennale and has worked on residential projects and award-winning competitions in Greece. Until last year, Eva was part of the Ambasz Institute at MoMA in New York, organizing exhibitions, events, and publications, and researching the history of ecological design. Today, she is focused on her work with Isola Studio, exploring alongside her architecture work, critical curatorial practices through exhibitions, interviews, and events, that focus on design and climate change research. She is currently part of the National Technical University of Athens research team for two European research programs.
Frideriki Moustaka, Junior Architect
Frideriki Moustaka is a graduate of the Department of Architecture of the University of Patras. She has professional experience in architectural offices in Athens and Vienna, where she has worked on projects of various scales, ranging from small residential projects to urban design. She has participated in architectural competitions, earning distinctions, while her research project earned the 1st prize at the 7th Panhellenic Conference on Spatial Planning and Urban Development. Her architectural interests focus on the relationship between the built environment and the natural landscape, with particular emphasis on sustainability and the use of local resources to enhance the development of the construction sector.
Frideriki Moustaka is a graduate of the Department of Architecture of the University of Patras. She has professional experience in architectural offices in Athens and Vienna, where she has worked on projects of various scales, ranging from small residential projects to urban design. She has participated in architectural competitions, earning distinctions, while her research project earned the 1st prize at the 7th Panhellenic Conference on Spatial Planning and Urban Development. Her architectural interests focus on the relationship between the built environment and the natural landscape, with particular emphasis on sustainability and the use of local resources to enhance the development of the construction sector.
People
Η Χάιδω Καπρούλια είναι αρχιτέκτονας με ειδίκευση στον αστικό σχεδιασμό. Παρακολούθησε το μεταπτυχιακό πρόγραμμα Urban and Territory Design, μια συνεργασία των πανεπιστημίων ETH της Ζυρίχης και EPF της Λωζάνης (2022) καθώς και το μεταπτυχιακό πρόγραμμα του Εθνικού Μετσόβιου Πολυτεχνείου Έρευνα στην Αρχιτεκτονική: Σχεδιασμός- Χώρος - Πολιτισμός (2022). Νωρίτερα σπούδασε αρχιτεκτονική στο Πανεπιστήμιο Θεσσαλίας (2018). Πριν την ίδρυση του Isola δούλευε ως αρχιτέκτονας σε γραφεία στην Βιέννη και στην Αθήνα και συμμετείχε στον σχεδιασμό και την υλοποίηση έργων όπως κατοικίες, τουριστικά καταλύματα, δημόσια κτίρια και αρχιτεκτονικούς διαγωνισμούς. Μέσα από την έρευνα της έχει στόχο να εξελίξει την αρχιτεκτονική πρακτική πέρα από τα όρια του κτισμένου, κατανοώντας τη σχέση του με το τοπίο, την οικολογία και τη γεωργία. Έχει παρουσιάσει το ερευνητικό της έργο σε διάφορα επιστημονικά συνέδρια.
Η Εύα Λαβράνου είναι αρχιτέκτονας και επιμελήτρια εκθέσεων. Παρακολούθησε το μεταπτυχιακό πρόγραμμα Master in Design Studies: Art, Design and the Public Domain στο Harvard Graduate School of Design από το οποίο αποφοίτησε με άριστα (2022). Νωρίτερα σπούδασε αρχιτεκτονική στο Πανεπιστήμιο Θεσσαλίας (2018) και στο Πολυτεχνείο του Μιλάνου (2014-15). Κατά την διάρκεια των σπουδών της στο Πανεπιστήμιο του Harvard ήταν βοηθός καθηγητή σε διάφορα διαθεματικά μαθήματα design, βοηθός επιμελητή στο τμήμα των Εκθέσεων καθώς και επιμελήτρια των εκθέσεων στην GSD Kirkland Gallery. Έχει συμμετάσχει επίσης στην Μπιενάλε της Βενετίας 2021. Έχει συνεργαστεί με διάφορα γραφεία στην Ελλάδα ως εξωτερικός συνεργάτης για έργα όπως κατοικίες, καταστήματα και αρχιτεκτονικούς διαγωνισμούς. Μέχρι την περασμένη χρονιά εργαζόταν, παράλληλα με το Isola, στο Ambasz Institute του τμήματος Αρχιτεκτονικής και Design του Μουσείου Μοντέρνας Τέχνης της Νέας Υόρκης όπου και διοργανώνε εκθέσεις, εκδηλώσεις και διαλέξεις και συμμετείχε στην έρευνα για την ιστορία του περιβαλλοντικού σχεδιασμού.
Η Φρειδερίκη Μουστάκα είναι απόφοιτος του Τμήματος Αρχιτεκτόνων του Πανεπιστημίου Πατρών. Διαθέτει επαγγελματική εμπειρία σε αρχιτεκτονικά γραφεία στην Αθήνα και τη Βιέννη, όπου εργάστηκε σε έργα διαφορετικής κλίμακας, από κατοικίες ως έργα πολεοδομικού σχεδιασμού . Έχει συμμετάσχει σε αρχιτεκτονικούς διαγωνισμούς, αποσπώντας διακρίσεις, ενώ η ερευνητική της εργασία κέρδισε το πρώτο βραβείο στο 7ο Πανελλήνιο Συνέδριο Χωροταξίας και Πολεοδομικού Σχεδιασμού. Τα αρχιτεκτονικά της ενδιαφέροντα επικεντρώνονται στη σχέση του δομημένου περιβάλλοντος με το φυσικό τοπίο, με ιδιαίτερη έμφαση στη βιωσιμότητα και την αξιοποίηση τοπικών πόρων για την ενίσχυση της ανάπτυξης του κατασκευαστικού τομέα.
isola studio
Ippokratous 9, 10679
Athens, Greece
All images produced by isola unless otherwise specified.
Ippokratous 9, 10679
Athens, Greece
All images produced by isola unless otherwise specified.