11th Biennale of young Greek Architects – Αthens

The Hellenic Institute of Architecture, following the successful exhibition of the 11th Biennale of Young Greek Architects in Thessaloniki, presented the award-winning projects as well as all the entries from the competition in Athens.

With the support of the Athens Municipal Organization for Culture, Sports, and Youth (AMOCSY), which provided the welcoming exhibition space at the “Melina” Cultural Center, a representative sample of the activities of Greek architects under 45 years old was presented. Selected models of the standout proposals were displayed, videos featured architects discussing contemporary Greek architecture, and all studies were presented with the aim of fostering the exchange of ideas regarding the development of architectural thought and the production of architectural work in Greece today.

The members of the jury, who thoroughly reviewed the 165 projects submitted to the competition and selected 42 of them for distinction, were:

• Anastasios M. Kotsiopoulos – Professor Emeritus at the School of Architecture, (AUTh) (coordinator)
• Anastasios Telios  – Professor at the School of Architecture (AUTh)
• Konstantinos Moraitis  – Professor Emeritus at the School of Architecture,  (NTUA)
• Morpho Papanikolaou – Architect I.U.A.V.
• Dimitris Thomopoulos – Associate Professor at the School of Architecture (AUTh)

In the exhibition catalog, available from the Hellenic Institute of Architecture, the jury notes the following:

The large number of submitted projects and proposals allows for a highly optimistic view of architectural creation and practice in Greece. In terms of scale and subject matter, renovations of urban and country residences dominate, as well as new country houses, some of which, in certain cases, accommodate tourism-related activities. Also noteworthy is the presence of landscape and urban redevelopment studies, generally the result of competitions that have not yet been realized, while the presence of public buildings and large-scale or complex projects is limited. In terms of compositional ideas, those aligned with the range of the so-called “Greek New Modern” are clearly noticeable, featuring clean geometric forms—usually rectangular—and an “honest” expression and correlation of structural elements and materials. However, variations can also be observed, possibly due to the distinctive features of compositional instruction in the Schools of Architecture. Design choices such as the creation of partially underground buildings should also be noted, as they may have gained the preference of younger designers. It was also observed that the use of advanced computational tools is widespread, although the potential of these tools to describe and support the transformation of the central idea from initial conception to the final work does not appear to be fully utilized.

In conclusion, it is once again emphasized the importance of the institution in promoting the work of young architects and, consequently, the role of contemporary Greek architecture within the ever-evolving and rapidly changing forum of new ideas on the global architectural stage.

Photographs © HIA / Stelios Nikas

#eia #heliarch #eia11biennaleYGA #opanda

Exhibition Opening: Thursday, 05.09.2024, 18:30–22:00
Cultural Center of the City of Athens “Melina”
66 Iraklidon & Thessalonikis, Thiseio, P.C. 11851, Kerameikos Metro Station
Opening Hours: Tuesday–Friday 11:00–19:00, Saturday & Sunday 10:00–15:00, closed on Mondays

Admission free

With the support of the City of Athens Cultural, Sports and Youth Organization
With the financial support and under the auspices of the Hellenic Ministry of Culture