It is an existing old people’s home in Thessaloniki, built in the 1950s.

There was a need for an architectural improvement, as well as for an upgrade of the static load-bearing ability and earthquake-resistance, to serve its purpose.

The building had a reinforced concrete framework, perfectly uniform in plan view and side view.

The strengthening method applied, provided for the construction of reinforced concrete shear walls between the columns and of “L” shaped walls, which would connect three columns at right angles.

The new added walls embodied the existing columns at their ends.

The new walls were symmetrically distributed on the ground floor plan view and were extended all the way up to the three upper floors.

The existing building had no basement and consequently the new walls had to be founded directly on the ground on newly built pad footings.

The slab on ground was strengthened to assure the fixing of the walls against earthquake horizontal loads.

In addition, it was necessary to strengthen some coupling beams – connecting the new walls together – with a shotcrete “jacket”.

Cubus collaborated on this project with Professor Dr. E. Mystakides.