1st Biennale of Young Greek Architects

Architecture undoubtedly plays a decisive role in our lives. By shaping the spaces in which nearly all human activities and relationships—both public and private—unfold, it directly affects the quality of our daily living. At the same time, it expresses, more comprehensively than any other creative activity, the character of our culture. Yet, in our country, where the problems of the built environment are particularly acute, architecture rarely finds itself at the center of attention, whether it is from the state or the public. Relevant and well- conceived initiatives are, of course not lacking, and the events organised by the responsible institutions are as a rule of significant importance. The fact that many of these events attract a large public turnout demonstrates that interest, sensitivity, and concern for architectural developments do potentially exist. What is perhaps missing is a broader and continuously renewed critical dialogue — one capable of shedding light on the problems, elevating architectural education for both designers and users of space, and prompting the state to assume its responsibilities for improving the conditions under which architectural work is produced. 

It was the recognition of this absence that led to the initiative to establish the Hellenic Institute of Architecture, which aspires to contribute to the cultivation and development of this dialogue through a series of thoughtfully selected and well-planned activities. According to the founding declaration of the Institute, such activities will include: ‘the systematic organization of thematic, historical, or monographic exhibitions on the work of Greek architects in Greece and abroad, as well as the hosting in our country of similar foreign exhibitions, combined with lecture series and conferences; the promotion of new publications and the dissemination of original architectural research; the establishment of awards, the announcement of competitions, and the organization of seminars — all with the ultimate aim of cultivating a broader critical awareness and sensitivity regarding the purpose, content, and propositions of architecture. Of course, the Institute hopes to receive both the moral and material support of the state, various organizations, foundations, and actors in economic life, as well as to secure productive partnership with collective bodies pursuing similar goals.

The fact that the Institute is launching its activities with an exhibition of selected works by young Greek architects is no coincidence. Showcasing the achievements of contemporary Greek architecture—and above all, of those young creators who, often under adverse conditions, manage to produce work of high quality—holds particular significance for us. We believe it can highlight remarkable works that often remain unknown, lost among many mediocre and indifferent ones; encourage architects who have recently embarked on their careers with creative enthusiasm; raise public awareness of the values of architecture; and earn respect for the architectural profession in the collective consciousness. Hoping that we will manage to organize such an exhibition every two years, thereby establishing it as a recurring event, we hastened to name the current one the ‘1st Biennale of Young Greek Architects.’ We also planned to accompany this exhibition with two public discussions, scheduled for December 8th and 18th, respectively. In the first discussion, titled “Contemporary Greek Architecture,” the members of the selection committee will have the opportunity to explain their criteria and rationale, while the architects participating in the exhibition will speak about their work. In the second discussion, titled “Prospects and Dead Ends of Contemporary Architecture”, the invited speakers are Professors Francois Loyer, Pierre von Meiss, Andreas Papadakis, and Nikos Kalogeras, presenting their views in that order

In closing this introductory note, I would like, on behalf of the Institute’s Board of Directors, to sincerely thank all those who contributed to the realization of the present exhibition: the colleagues who responded to our public call and submitted their works for review, demonstrating their trust in the Institute; Professor Dimitris Fatouros and colleagues Nikos Valsamakis and Vasilis Grigoriadis, who agreed to serve on the evaluation and selection committee; colleagues Nadia Koula and Nikos Vratsanos, who bore the challenging responsibility of overseeing the review process, organizing the exhibition, and producing the catalog; and colleague Apostolos Vettas, who designed the exhibition space. I would also like to thank the Ministry of Environment, Physical Planning and Public Works, the Cultural Center of the Municipality of Athens, and the French Institute of Athens for covering significant expenses and for their valuable cooperation in organizing the aforementioned events.

Savvas Kontaratos
President of the Board of Directors of the Hellenic Institute of Architecture

Partner Organizations:
Ministry of the Environment, Physical Planning and Public Works 
Municipality of Athens 

Curation:
Vettas Apostolos 
Vratsanos Nikos 
Koula Nadia

Sponsors:
Ministry of Culture
Hellenic Technodomiki S.A.
GEK S.A.
Hellenic Cooling S.A.
E.I.G. Korontzis S.A.
T.E.V. S.A.