“Boulouki” – Traveling Workshop for Traditional Building Techniques

“Boulouki” is an interdisciplinary group dedicated to the study of traditional building materials and construction techniques. Its name refers to the guilds of traditional craftsmen, who would move from place to place in search of work. The group’s aim is to identify, document, and promote the knowledge of communities, professional groups, and individual artisans regarding traditional building techniques.

In 2024, “Boulouki” was honored at the Romanian Athenaeum in Bucharest with the Europa Nostra Award, in the category “Education, Training and Skills.”
Aegeas AMKE has supported the group’s activities over the past two years, specifically the Autumn School of Traditional and Sustainable Building (2023) and the project “TSIATI” (2024).

The Autumn School of Traditional and Sustainable Building took place in October 2023 in Frasta, Tzoumerka. During the programme, the relationship between traditional building techniques, contemporary issues of sustainable construction, and the reduction of the environmental footprint of building practices was explored.
The programme included seminars, lectures, demonstrations, and hands-on workshops focusing on the use of natural materials in traditional and sustainable construction. The Old Primary School of Frasta was transformed into a site of experimentation and practical training. The hands-on component of the workshop focused on the continued construction of the school’s new courtyard gate, while the entrance cobbled pathway was completed by the 18 participants, who were trained in stone carving, dry-stone paving techniques, and paving with lime mortar.

The project “TSIATI” – Apprenticeship and Workshop on Traditional Timber Construction took place from 2 to 27 September 2024 in Frasta, Tzoumerka. It focused on highlighting traditional and sustainable timber-building techniques, covering the full spectrum from raw material to specialized applications.
Through a dual educational programme—comprising a professional apprenticeship and an experiential workshop—TSIATI centered on the restoration and renovation of the wooden roof of the former Primary School of Frasta, which has been granted to Boulouki to serve as a research and training center for traditional and sustainable building.
The TSIATI programme included the full restoration of the school building’s wooden roofs by 26 young professionals, as well as the addition of two mezzanine levels. A particular challenge—and at the same time a major achievement—was the design and implementation of thermal insulation using natural materials.

DONATION OF THE NON-PROFIT CIVIL COMPANY AEGEAS

• Financial support for the programmes and workshops (2023–2024).