Athens: The Latest Architecture and News
The Orfium Project Offices / elSTUDIO
Cities are Taking New Measures to Mitigate Heatwaves
Prolonged heatwaves have been increasingly common in recent years, and cities are devising various strategies for combating the urban heat island effect. As Sydney experienced blistering summer temperatures of up to 50 degrees Celsius, the authorities have recently banned dark roofs on new homes and mandated lighter-coloured alternatives to reflect solar radiation. In Europe, Athens has taken the example of Miami and hired a Chief Heat Officer, tasked with finding coping strategies as the city confronts with heatwaves and wildfires that prompted a large number of residents to vacate the capital.
Houses in Northern Athens / Demetrios Issaias - Tassis Papaioannou, Architects
- Area: 1000 m²
- Year: 2007
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Professionals: Michalis Philippidis, Alkimos Papathanasiou
Apartment Building Pagkrati / Demetrios Issaias - Tassis Papaioannou, Architects
Olympic Urbanism: The Afterlife of Olympic Parks and Stadiums
Since their inception in 1896, modern-day Olympics have been regarded by hosting cities as an opportunity to project to the world a specific image of themselves, to subsidize large infrastructure projects, or to rapidly unfold redevelopment schemes. Past the frequently discussed eye-catching stadiums, there is a complex story of Olympic urbanism, which encompasses the large scale developments catalyzed by the event. Exploring the urban and architectural legacy of the Games, the success stories, the white elephants, and the administrative agendas, the following discusses what the Olympics leave behind in the hosting cities.
Zeus+Dione Store / en-route-architecture
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Architects: en-route-architecture
- Area: 44 m²
- Year: 2019
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Professionals: Stepsis ATE
South Wing Expansion - Athens International Airport / Alexandros N. Tombazis and Associates | AVW Architecture
- Area: 16800 m²
- Year: 2020
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Manufacturers: Hunter Douglas Architectural (Europe), Novamix, Sto, Assa Abloy, Saint-Gobain, +18
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Professionals: Dr Gottfried Schubert, Dr. Stavros V. Tolis, TEKEM SA, Eleftheria Deko & Associates, Aktor SA, +1
New Metro Infrastructure is Taking Shape in Athens and Thessaloniki
With the recent completion of several new stations and tunnels, the Athens underground metro expansion and the development of the Thessaloniki Metro system are on a set course to completion in Greece. The construction of a direct connection between the Athens airport and the Piraeus harbour, as well as the development of Thessaloniki’s first metro line, are underway, and images by photographer Pygmalion Karatzas show the new underground infrastructure coming together in the two Greek cities.
H3 / 314 Architecture Studio
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Architects: 314 Architecture Studio
- Area: 1000 m²
- Year: 2012
Drawings by Tchoban, Holl, and Calatrava Among Stunning Entries for the First Athens Architecture Club Exhibition
Russian-German architect Sergei Tchoban of Tchoban Voss Architekten has won the Gold Medal in the First Athens Architecture Club Exhibition, organized by the Chicago Athenaeum and The European Centre for Architecture Art Design. Participating architects included Steven Holl, Daniel Libeskind, and Santiago Calatrava.
The Athens Architecture Club seeks to resurrect the historical architecture clubs of the 19th century, functioning as an “open forum, an infrastructural framework, and support platform for architects, artists, and writers to discuss, challenge and enrich a dialogue among practitioners and scholars.
Les Lumieres a la Campagne / Arch Studio 314
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Architects: Arch Studio 314
- Area: 104 m²
- Year: 2018
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Manufacturers: Ikea, Kartel, V-Tac, Vimar
Renzo Piano Building Workshop Presents Concept Designs for Series of Hospitals in Greece
The Renzo Piano Building Workshop (RPBW) has presented their preliminary design approaches for three hospitals in Greece. Part of a €200 million ($240 million) healthcare initiative launched by the Greek government, RPBW will produce designs for a General Hospital of Kromotini, a Children’s Hospital in Thessaloniki, and the Evangelismos Hospital in Athens which will also form part of the University’s Faculty of Nursing.
The three schemes are united by a “people-centric” approach, with each project seeking to integrate into their natural environments with an emphasis on natural light. The projects will follow the design ethos of the Stavros Niarchos Foundational Cultural Center by RPBW, completed in 2016.
8 Treasured Historic Architecture Sites That Have Hosted Huge Rock Concerts
Thanks to their loud, brash, and nocturnal nature, rock concerts are often held in dark bars and nightclubs designed to withstand the abuse of rowdy fans and guitar-smashing rockers. But as musicians earn a following, they eventually graduate from beer-soaked basements to prestigious theaters, outdoor amphitheaters, arenas, and stadiums. For performers and music fans alike, playing or attending a show in a space like Carnegie Hall, the Royal Albert Hall, Madison Square Garden or Colorado’s Red Rocks Amphitheater can be a momentous, once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that ties together the sublime power that great music and architecture can both evoke. As rare as these opportunities are, an exclusive group of iconic musicians have managed to reach an even higher level of prestige by organizing one-off performances amid humanity’s most treasured historical sites—from the Acropolis and ancient Mayan cities to the Colosseum and the Eiffel Tower.
While these special concerts have given fans the chance to experience music history firsthand, many have also been mired in scandal as local officials and residents have raised concerns about potential damage to the sites or inappropriate commercial misuse of treasured cultural landmarks. Despite these legitimate and often justified concerns, these nine iconic sites have hosted some of the most ambitious concerts in the history of popular music:
Apartment in Korydallos / Plaini and Karahalios Architects
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Architects: Plaini and Karahalios Architects
- Area: 80 m²
- Year: 2017
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Professionals: Epikyklos Technical Construction
Industrial Loft in Athens / Konstantinos Pittas
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Architects: Konstantinos Pittas
- Area: 189 m²
- Year: 2017
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Manufacturers: BRIGHT, Danelis, Giannopoulos Aggelopoulos, Kourasanit, Lyohoros
Winning Design Seeks to Increase Public Power Corporation Headquarter's Environmental Awareness
Micromega’s winning proposal for the new Public Power Corporation HQ in Athens seeks to define the company’s public character in creating an integrated urban park around and under the structure. The site which held the steam-powered station is to become a contemporary landmark for the city whilst establishing a dialogue with the historical complex and the existing old electricity factory.
Through Micromega’s design, PPC’s commitment to sustainable forms of energy will be established by three main “topoi” (spaces) that educate and express the company’s renewable sources – sun, wind, and water. In the creation of the new urban park, the architects hope to activate environmental awareness, reminding the public of the alternative clean sources available.