Environmental Design in Rural Greek Village Communities

Environmental Design in Rural Greek Village Communities

Nikolaos Zaferatos*

Ph.D., AICP; President and CEO, AWISHhellas; Professor of Planning and Environmental Policy; Huxley College of the Environment, WWU
 
AWISHhellas is developing a sustainable redevelopment plan for the Village of Farsa, Kefalonia, which was fully destroyed in the 1953 earthquake. Identified as the top priority by the Prefecture of Kefalonia, and working closely with the Farsa Village community, the program emphasizes studies for the cultural revival of the historic traditional village, and seeks to apply sustainability principles in new construction practices. The project’s design philosophy, “Living Village”, represents an approach to community development to provide a bridge between the village’s traditional past and its sustainable future.    

 *Nicholas Zaferatos is an Associate Professor of Planning and Environmental Policy at Huxley College of the Environment, Western Washington University, and Director of the Kefalonia Program in Sustainable Community Development. He is the Executive Director and President of A World Institute for a Sustainable Humanity – Hellas. He received his Ph.D. in urban planning from the University of Washington. A native of New York City, he has worked professionally as an urban planner and community advocate for over 30 years. His specialization lies in Native American Indian Tribal political governance, community planning, urban design, and sustainable development.