A Architecture in the MR

• All the houses (ςπιτ, spit) in the MR are of the same style, L-shaped and three-storied. Standing in the street (οδ, od) in front of the house, one faces the "bottom" of the L. To the right of the bottom (or the left in a backwards L) is the entrance (ίςοδ, ísod) and driveway into the courtyard (αυλ, avl) (the period in this diagram: L.). On the right as one enters is the windowless three-story wall of the neighboring house. On the left is the exterior wall of the kitchen (κουζίν, kouzín). In the driveway are parked any of the vehicles the family owns, bicycles, donkey carts, electric vehicles, etc.

• The courtyard is an area for outdoor family activities. The householders may have a garden, a fruit tree, a stable (ςταθέρ, stathér) for goats or a donkey, a chicken run (κοτέτς, kotéts), etc. There is a gate (πυλ, pul) at the rear of the courtyard that opens in the back wall onto a narrow alley (δρομίςκ, dromísk). Across this alley is the courtyard gate of the house on the next street.

• The bottom of the L is a large combined living area and kitchen. It is divided up and arranged by the housewife (ικοκυρά, ikokurá) according to her wishes. On the inside of the L, along the bottom, there is an entrance into the living area. The exterior wall has three windows (παράθυρ, paráthur) facing on the street, the center one of which is recessed and has a balcony (εξώςτ, exóst). There are windows in the kitchen facing on the driveway.

• The ascender of the L contains three rooms, commonly used as bedrooms (υπνοδωμάτ, upnodomát). The "bottommost" room contains a private bathroom (λουτ, lout). The other two rooms share a bath that opens onto the hallway (έθους, éthous) that runs the length of the inside of the L.

• Except for the exterior windows previously described, there are no exterior windows. The bedroom windows open onto the hallway.

• The second and third stories follow the same floor plan as the first floor. If they are used for sleeping accomodations by an extended family, there would be no kitchen. If the upper floors are rented apartments (απαρτμάν, apartmán), there would be a kitchen.

• The interior of the L, facing the courtyard, has a porch (βεράντ, verand) along its whole length. The second and third floors have balconies that extend the same length. At the top of the L are staircases leading up to the second and third floor balconies and to the roof.

• The roofs are functional and may be used for various "agricultural" projects: potted tomatoes, beehives (, ), etc. They may not be used for general storage and no other structure may be built on the roofs.

• Sameness along the street front is avoided by painting each house front a different pastel color. Many householders have also had murals painted on the street front, scenes from Greek, Turkish, and Lebanese history, myth, and religion.

• Business establishments have the same architectural style. The front room becomes the customer (πελάτ, pelát) area. The bedrooms become workrooms, kitchens, bakeries, etc. The owner and his family live on the second and third floors.

• This architectural style is not used for the pensions (χαν, han).