Maria Kokkinou

It is always very painful to write about the loss of great people you know, especially when their journey is accompanied by a remarkable body of work that has become a common heritage of the life of the city.

On Sunday, November 6, 2022, Maria Kokkinou passed away.
A distinguished architect, she created, together with her life partner and collaborator Andreas Kourkoulas, an extensive and coherent body of high-quality work after their return from London. Among their projects are large-scale complexes including the Benaki Museum on Piraeus Street, as well as numerous outstanding residences. In 2000, she was honored with an award from the Hellenic Institute of Architecture, at the first Greek Architecture Awards, for their first significant project, the office complex on Kifisias Avenue in Marousi.

The untimely death of Maria Kokkinou is a great loss, first and foremost to her family, but also to the wider architectural community.

For me personally, it is a deep sorrow, as our friendship began over four decades ago during our postgraduate studies with Bill Hiller at University College London, which was already a nurturing ground for many talented Greek architects.

Maria Kokkinou will be greatly missed. A woman both strong and composed, with clear speech and straightforward judgment, she stood out among us by offering much without ever seeking personal recognition. Yet, the vague is not fitting for Maria — she remains present through her valuable work and her personality.

Elias Constantopoulos 

President of the Hellenic Institute of Architecture