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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








/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.










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









First floor plan before restoration

First floor plan after rehabilitation








Sections AA and BB before restoration
Sections AA and BB after restoration








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








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








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