Public Bodies
I’m Stavroula Tziourtzia, an architecture student from Veria, Greece, currently completing my thesis on a community swimming pool. My path has been shaped by hands-on experience in a local restoration office and a Business Development internship at MVRDV in Rotterdam, where I explored how strategic thinking meets design in an international firm setting. I'm deeply involved in community-led initiatives, such as bike-to-school programs and library activities for children, and I've participated in European youth exchanges and global networks like MEDS (Meeting of Design Students), IACES (International Association of Civil Engineering Students), and ASAT (Aristotle Space and Aeronautics Team). These diverse, collaborative environments fuel my interest in adaptive reuse, micromobility, and architecture as civic infrastructure.
In small and mid-sized cities across Europe, swimming pools are often seen as luxury amenities rather than vital civic infrastructure. Pools of Possibility repositions the public pool as a space of community resilience—an intersection of social equity, environmental cooling, public health, and collective ritual.
Initiated during my architecture thesis in Veria, Greece, the project stems from a desire to turn underused or unrealized public facilities into inclusive, adaptive spaces of care. The research investigates case studies of swimming pools used as heat refuges, youth gathering spaces, and intergenerational health hubs—particularly in areas facing climate challenges and social fragmentation. The proposal explores how pools—existing or proposed—can become catalysts for spatial dignity and urban cohesion.
Drawing from a mix of architectural design, speculative scenarios, and civic activism, Pools of Possibility is not just about a building type, but a methodology for how spatial practices can address civic desire. It proposes design frameworks that center on access, seasonal adaptability, material reuse, and community co-creation.
As climate extremes become more frequent, reimagining recreational infrastructure as resilient, multipurpose space is urgent. This proposal advocates for pools that hold more than water: they hold people together.
I envision this proposal evolving through collaboration with institutions exploring climate justice, social design, and alternative pedagogies. From design research to community workshops and exhibitions, it invites dialogue on the soft edges of architecture—where space becomes public, and care becomes collective.