Displaced: Heraklion, Airbnb, and the Housing Crisis

This photographic project is a visual critique of the violent transformation of the urban fabric of Heraklion. Using architectural contrast as a vehicle, the lens focuses on the points where the old, the worn and the authentic come into direct conflict with the smooth, sterile facades of short-term rental accommodation (Airbnb).

The photographs do not include people, but human absence is the central theme. Through the exclusive focus on buildings, textures and materials, the housing crisis that plagues the city is highlighted. On the one hand, falling plaster, rusty railings and slogans of local groups on the walls testify to a neighborhood that lived and breathed. On the other hand, Real Estate imposes a uniform, "touristy" aesthetic, transforming the right to housing into a luxury product.

This violent proximity on the streets of Heraklion is not just an architectural trend; it is the imprint of the displacement of the residents themselves from their city.

Faded apartment building with peeling paint stands next to a renovated whitewashed rental facade

Cracked plaster and exposed brickwork on an old building wall

Narrow street where traditional architecture meets a freshly painted rental property

Rusted metal railing on a balcony next to a sleek modern window installation

Graffiti tags on a weathered shutter beneath an immaculate whitewashed upper floor

Uneven stone pavement leading past a row of mismatched building fronts

Construction debris piled outside a building being converted into tourist accommodation

View down a narrow alley with contrasting old and new building surfaces

Worn wooden doorframe beside a glossy modern entrance with keycode lock

Fading mural on a wall partially obscured by a new air conditioning unit

Crumbling stone archway next to a freshly painted rental sign

Overgrown courtyard visible through a rusted gate opposite renovated apartments

Empty clothesline on a weathered balcony overlooking a row of tourist lets

Detail of cracked wall plaster beside a smooth stucco rental conversion

Political sticker and old posters on a doorframe next to a minimalist keybox

Two adjacent buildings showing the stark contrast between decay and renovation

Worn marble steps leading to a renovated entrance with security camera

Street-level view of shop shutters beside a converted apartment entrance

Rusted wrought iron balcony detail against a freshly painted facade

Narrow passage between old stone building and new rental development

Face of a building with peeling paint and new double-glazed windows

Rooftop view showing the uneven skyline of Heraklion with scattered construction cranes

Evening light on a street where old and new buildings stand side by side

Deserted street with contrasting architecture and a rental availability sign

Aged wooden beam protruding from a wall above a polished modern entrance

Displaced: Heraklion, Airbnb, and the Housing Crisis ​

Displaced: Heraklion, Airbnb, and the Housing Crisis