None of the buildings in Olympiada are very old, as the village was only settled in 1924 (see history of Stageira and Olympiada part 7). The village consists of a variety of buildings, representing part of the range of 20th century Greek building styles. Most are modest village houses, and all are decidedly - and thankfully - low-rise. The oldest houses are the kind of plain famers'/fishermans' cottages with red ceramic roofs, which used to be a common sight in Greece. (See photos of old village houses in Chora, Samothraki.)

From the 1960s, the kind of concrete house in the right of the photo became more common. Greek law stipulated that tax need not be paid on an unfinished house. This led people to build the first storey of their homes with flat roofs, which bristled with exposed steel rods left for further concrete construction. The idea was that a house would remain unfinished until the children grew up, got married and built further storeys.

Older houses, though quainter, tend to be too small for the lifestyles and expectations of modern families, who require more space and privacy than was imaginable to previous generations. Modern multi-storey houses are more economical in use of land, are lighter and airier, and have balconies. They can also be more easily separated into apartments, which can be rented out. Unfortunately many old houses in Greece, including some superb neo-classical and Art Deco buildings, are being demolished to make way for characterless concrete apartment blocks.

This house is on the corner of the main street and Odos Philippou, presumably named after King Philip II of Macedon, Alexander the Great's father. In some ways this is ironic, since Philip destroyed many of the cities of Halkidiki, including Stageira in 348 BC. He did later have Stageira rebuilt, "out of love to Aristotle" (see history of Stageira and Olympiada part 6).