It all begins with an idea.

Embedded in hellenic heritage are generations of lively conversations around the family table, from current affairs to creative adventure, from making small to building big.

Convivial family discussions, friends and guests sharing, caring, celebrating, exchanging ideas. Nourishment in every sense of the word.

From here builders, educators and scientists were born, passed and continue to inspire.

Jen

… the current generation, an architect and an educator, dreams of creating a school honouring her family and community.

Jill, Angelo and their beautiful, carefully renovated old stone house are a key part of the story in 2023.

Jill and Angelo

Angelo Gkountelas and Jill Reedman are our neighbours, friends, and owners of The Old Stone House. Angelo is Greek and originally from Larisa. He studied architecture in Florence and has worked in various countries across Europe. For the last twenty years Angelo has been working in and around Sykourio, specialising in renovating old stone properties, preserving local heritage and making them fit for modern life. Jill is British and began her career working in television, first as a designer and later as a producer. For the past fifteen years she has headed teams of designers for IKEA, first in Greece, Cyprus and Bulgaria and more recently in Great Britain and Ireland, designing everything from new store concepts, cinema adverts and online services to global events such as COP26.

The Old Stone House

Angelo and Jill bought The Old Stone House twenty years ago and have transformed both the house and garden. The stripped back stone walls and wooden ceiling beams are a tribute to the past while the decor is light, modern and comfortable. It is a house full of books and art and is a place to relax, rest and be at home.

In 2012 Jen began testing her idea, from build + learn workshops for children to professional interdisciplinary talks and events her idea of a seasonal school gathered momentum. Collaborating with fellow architects, planners and urban designers, including long term colleagues Effie and Penny who joined in 2014, the project gained traction. In tumultuous 2015 Jen conducted a series of ‘designer : maker’ interviews, and the project evolved, forwards through iteration and exploratory events in the UK and in Greece.

Barry

In 2022 guest artist, and fabulous friend, Barry Martin was invited to join the adventure in Sykourio.

Carolina

In the meantime, Carolina and Jen met and joined forces while teaching the next generation of architects at the School of Architecture, University of Reading.

The A-Team

... and they invited their two indomitable students, now BSc Architecture graduates, Abi and Alex to join the journey.

We look forward to adding to this page as our school evolves and expands.