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SI. NETWORK OF EXPERTS. EXPERIENCES. SUMMARY FORM FOR BUILDING REHABILITATION: CYFB09 Country : Cyprus Written by :Diomedes Myrianthefs Restoration of De Rocheforts Residence, Lefkara Identification Objective/s of the rehabilitation: Restoration of a house to be used as a permanent residence of the
owner. Address: Lefkara Location: Village Build environment: High density Catalogued building: Listed as ancient monument B Architect/s: Diomedes Myrianthefs Construction manager: Vagelis Kartsakas Construction company: Kasopeios Ltd Promoter: Date of rehabilitation: May 2001 Feb 2003 Total cost of rehabilitation (taxes included):
343.200
Financing: Subvention by Government: 61.175,6 Owner (Annic De Rochefort): 302.382
Source of information: Diomedes Myrianthefs Description of the former building Features of the building: The house was built in several stages over a period of more than one
century. It is one of the biggest properties at the village. The last owner who lived in the house was a well off land owner and wine producer. The oldest part dates back to the early 19th c. and the newest part is an addition of the 1950s. The architectural style of the building follows the local traditional style of each period. It was entirely built by local stone. The older part consists of a single doorway, a semi open space leading to the internal yard, and the main two storeyed building with iliakos (covered verandas) on both floors, arranged in U shape at the rear of the yard. The arches of the iliakos and of the two main living rooms are the most distinctive features of the older part of the house. The auxiliary rooms were used as cellars, wine press and store rooms. Like many rural houses, the present building is the result of continuous additions as the family and its activities required. The original cell was the cellar at the back of the main arched room, which was added later, along with several ground floor, flat roofed rooms. The upper floor, of a less rustic style, must have been an early 20th century addition. It covers a smaller area than the ground floor rooms. An external stair leads from the yard to the veranda and the rooms upstairs. The newest part of the house is a mainly residential three level wing built above the entrance with a balcony on the street. Another stair leads to the upper rooms of the later wing opposite the older one.
State of conservation before the intervention:
The house has been abandoned for almost four decades and it was in very bad state of preservation. Parts of the roofs and terraces had collapsed, some walls where leaning and the woodwork (doors and windows) where extensively rotten.
Former use: Residence Typology of the building: Grouped between party walls Floor levels: GF+1FL Build floor area: 493 m2 Useful floor area: - Number of homes / shops / offices One home
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/etc.: Walls: Stonewalls, timber-framed walls. Flooring: Earth in auxiliary rooms, large gypsum marble slabs in living rooms,
irregular local stone slabs in yard and semi open entrance space. Framework: Stonewalls
Roof: Earthen and concrete terraces, lean to roofs with French type tiles. Renderings: Gypsum plaster and Lime wash. Openings and projections in the facade:
Covered balcony, wooden doors and windows on the street faade.
Water supply systems: - Drainage systems: - Previous studies and diagnosis Type of study: Research on the previous owners and their occupations, on the original
use of the different spaces; archaeological study on the different phases of the building by observation of the masonry, the building techniques and materials used; study of the different architectural styles of the various parts of the building in comparison with the local examples.
Diagnosis made per constructive element: Walls and pillars: Study of the structural integrity of the load bearing masonry. Evaluation
of the problems of the load bearing structures in order to determine the degree of the interventions on the masonry (reinforcement, rebuilding etc)
Flooring: - Roof: Examination of the roof elements in order to evaluate their resistance
and determine which ones are safe to reuse Renderings: Study of the different types and techniques of the authentic renderings
and evaluation of the available products . Study of the colours and research of the original product
Project The intervention aimed at the proper restoration of the building complex keeping the authentic character and the most of the existing materialsTraditional building techniques and materials were used along with modern ones where this was necessary. Modern facilities were incorporated so as to meet the owners needs and the modern life style demands (central heating, bathroom facilities, electricity etc). Rehabilitation works Current use: Residence Walls: Collapsed walls were rebuilt. Cracks were strengthened by grouting.
Leaning walls were pushed back to their original position by means of tension cables which were left in place hidden in the floor and roof structure.
Framework: - Roof: The majority of the roofs and terraces were reconstructed. Wooden
beams of irregular shape, wooden branches and concrete were used for the terraces. Rectangular beams, planking and French type tiles were used for the roofs.
Exterior renderings: Gypsum plaster was used for the internal spaces, lime mortar or lime wash for the covered external walls. Some of the plastered walls were painted with the traditional lilac (loulaki) mineral colourant. The material and the technique were applied again after many decades of non use.
Inside renderings: - Pavement: Part of the original stone pavement of the courtyard was repaired, the
rest was reconstructed with the same material and technique. Supply systems: Water supply, electricity and telephone were installed. Environmental and outdoor interventions:
Pavement, plantings, acoustical barriers, modification of the topography/relief, etc .N/A.
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Evaluation of results Environmental integration: The project is considered successful because it remained true to its
context Adjustment to the initial programme:
No adjustment to the initial programme.
Change in use: No change in use. Social balance: Maintenance of the population and their activities The house is now a
permanent residence of a foreigner who has become part of the local community.
Aging and maintenance of the building (materials and building techniques):
Regular maintenance of woodwork and paintwork is a responsibility of the owner.
Attached documents. Drawings and photos
Ground floor plan before restoration
Ground floor plan after rehabilitation
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First floor plan before restoration
First floor plan after rehabilitation
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Sections AA and BB before restoration
Sections AA and BB after restoration
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Before restoration Sections CC and DD
After restoration Sections CC and DD Photos of original state
View of the first floor before restoration View of the entrance porch and the oven
View of the wine press View of the cellar
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Photos during rehabilitation
Leaning wall and cracks
Terrace reconstruction Leaning wall supports
Cables to pull back the leaning wall Reconstruction of a timberframe wall
Reconstruction of a timberframe wall Loulaki colour samples Date 1887 found on upper floor arc
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Photos after restoration
View of the courtyard after restoration View of the courtyard after restoration View of the new cellar
View of the first floor, north side View of the first floor, south side
View of the first floor veranda View of the kitchen View of the main bathroom
