Alexandros Tombazis

The Hellenic Institute of Architecture organized a new series of lectures by Greek architects entitled “HIA Lectures 2004”. This series aimed to broaden the understanding of the work of architects, and for this reason, prominent professionals were selected and invited to share their views on Greek architecture and their own projects.

Today, Greek architecture remains a pressing issue. The processes related to the practice of the profession, the inadequate implementation of architectural competitions, the relationship between architecture and the broader economic reality of the country, the role and capabilities of construction technology, the gradual transformation of architects into executors of pre-determined decisions made by construction companies, the issues surrounding the Olympic projects, the relationship between architecture and society, the problematic role of Greece’s artistic architectural and urban tradition, the connection between contemporary architecture and the reality of Greek cities, the matter of architectural education, the relationship between Greek and international architecture, the ineffective strategies for promoting architecture within Greece and abroad, and the role of architectural criticism , all these are issues that often do not support architectural research or the development of the overall quality of architectural work. Architecture in Greece today still raises unanswered questions , questions that have already been resolved not only in the West but even in many countries of the self-congratulatory so-called “Third World.”

The Hellenic Institute of Architecture’s lecture series sought to provide answers to these concerns. The architects who were invited, many of whom belong to the younger generation, aimed both to present theoretical positions on these matters and to articulate the principles that shape their personal approach to architecture within the built environment.

ALEXANDROS TOMBAZIS

He was born in Karachi (then part of British India) in 1939. He graduated from the School of Architecture at the National Technical University of Athens (NTUA) in 1962, with distinction. From 1963 to 1965, he served as a teaching assistant in the Department of Architectural Design at NTUA. Between 1964 and 1966, he worked as a research assistant to Constantinos A. Doxiadis, focusing on theoretical studies and research. In 1963, he founded the “Tombazis & Associates Architects,” undertaking architectural projects both in Greece and abroad. His interest in technology, combined with the first oil crisis, led him to explore the use of solar energy at first, and later other alternative energy sources. As a result, from the 1970s onward, he focused primarily on architecture with an emphasis on bioclimatic design, applying its principles on a large scale. His architectural works and writings have been published both in Greece and internationally, in architectural journals, the daily and periodical press, as well as in conference proceedings. He served as a jury member in numerous architectural competitions and participated in expert committees on issues related to alternative energy sources.

The presentation was divided into two parts:

• The first part featured various reflections on architecture, such as: what we can learn from anonymous (vernacular) architecture, the universality (or not) of architectural design, the ever-expanding nature of communication, the building’s skin, the concept of “Less is beautiful,” the use of wind, the non-linearity of architectural design, etc.
• The second part showcased projects by the Tombazis office that resulted from participation in architectural competitions.