Panos Dragonas & Varvara Christopoulou

The Hellenic Institute of Architecture organized a new series of lectures by Greek architects titled “HIA Lectures 2008–2009”. The aim of this series was to broaden public awareness regarding the work of architects today. To this end, prominent professionals were selected and invited to present their views on Greek architecture and their own work.

Greek architecture today continues to be a subject under question. Various factors contribute to this, such as the processes involved in the profession, the inadequate implementation of architectural competitions, the relationship between architecture and the country’s broader economic reality, the role and potential of construction technology, the gradual transformation of architects into mere executors of pre-determined decisions made by construction companies, the issues surrounding Olympic projects, the relationship between architecture and society, the problematic role of Greek artistic and urban architectural tradition, the connection between contemporary architecture and the reality of Greek cities, the state of architectural education, the relationship between Greek and international architecture, the flawed strategy of promoting architecture both in Greece and abroad, and the role of architectural criticism. All of these issues often fail to support true design research and the development of overall architectural quality. Architecture in Greece today still raises unanswered questions—questions that have already been addressed not only in the West but also in many countries of the so-called “Third World.”

This lecture series by the Hellenic Institute of Architecture sought to provide answers to these concerns. The architects invited, most of whom belong to a younger generation, aimed to present both theoretical views on the issues mentioned above and to articulate the principles that shape their personal poetics within the built environment.

“IT’S ALL GREEK TO ME”

PANOS DRAGONAS

Born in 1967 in Athens. He studied architecture at the National Technical University of Athens (NTUA) (1992) and at Columbia University as a Fulbright scholar (1993). He is an Associate Professor of Architectural and Urban Design at the Department of Architecture of the University of Patras, where he has been teaching since 2000. In 1998, he curated the 2nd Biennale of Young Greek Architects. He serves as an editorial advisor for architecture in greece. His articles have been published in the journals architecture in greece, design + art in greece, Metapolis, Highlights, Stavba, Blueprint, as well as in the newspaper Kathimerini, among others.

VARVARA CHRISTOPOULOU

Born in 1969 in Athens. He studied architecture at the National Technical University of Athens (NTUA) in 1996 and at University College London in 1997.

Panos Dragonas and Varvara Christopoulou have been collaborating since 1998 and founded their office in 2001. Their works and studies have been exhibited in the following exhibitions: “Landscapes of Modernism” (Rotterdam, 1999), “3rd Biennale of Young Greek Architects” (Athens, 2001), “Athens-scape” (London, 2003), “4th Biennale of Young Greek Architects” (Athens, 2004), “Invisible Hotel” (Athens, 2005), “The Shape of Place: 40 Years of Architectural Issues” (Athens, 2008), “Housing in Greece from the 20th to the 21st Century” (Athens, 2009), and “Deadline Today! 99+ Stories on Making Architectural Competitions” (Vienna, 2009).

Their work has also been featured in magazines such as L’ architecture d’ aujourd’hui, Archi, Blueprint, Stavba, Bauwelt, Spazio e Societa, A10, architecture in greece, design + art in greece, Domes, Architects, Greek Constructions, as well as in publications like Contemporary Architecture in Greece (Athens, 2005), 39 Living in the City (Brno, 2005), and 1000Χ European Architects (Berlin, 2006).