Not a Number Architects designed a series of small wooden shops and galleries to bring some urban flair to the harsh, Cretan topography. The site of the project is at the heart of a 10-acre sloped park in Elounda, Crete, which is landscaped to accommodate various recreational and leisure activities. The design of ‘Core Agora’ consists of individual yet similar pavilions that host space for boutiques, souvenir shops, food and beverage outlets but also gallery spaces for local artists and designers.

Not a Number Architects’ delicate wooden volumes sit on a grid-like arrangement with a landscaped area between them. The designers wanted to blend the indoor and outdoor experience of each space, and achieved this by creating somewhat transparent volumes with multiple entrances at each one. The otherwise metal-framed pavilions are anchored on concrete pedestals and are clad entirely with tinted wooden elements.

The characteristic skin of the pavilions is made of plywood lamellas in a woven pattern that reflects traditional basket weaving techniques. Their wooden façade functions as the binding element of the whole complex but also as a vertical sun shading device for every structure. The uniformity of the skin is interrupted by large windows that frame the products on display. At night the volumes light up like lanterns that illuminate the surrounding pathways in the park.