Apostolos Kalfopoulos – Themis Chatzigiannopoulos (BLOD)

The Hellenic Institute of Architecture, as part of the 19th lecture series of Greek Architects titled “Lectures & Dialogues,” held the third event of this series on May 30, 2023, at the restaurant of the Benaki Museum in Piraeus. The event was recorded by BLOD, and the speeches along with their accompanying presentations are available at the following link:

https://www.blod.gr/lectures/dialekseis-dialogoi-akalfopoulos-th-hatzigiannopoulos/

The Lectures of Greek Architects have historically been an iconic establishment of the Hellenic Institute of Architecture (HIA). Over the past twenty years, distinguished creators have been invited to present their work. The presentation of the diverse facets of architectural practice, alongside critical discussion, has been a consistent hallmark of this initiative. The simultaneous presentation of the work of two architectural firms, followed by a dialogue between them and with the audience, is intended to spark public conversation about architecture—its relationship with establishments, the processes of its production and critique, and its multiple expressions in both private and public spaces.

The overall coordination of the lectures on behalf of the Board of Directors of the HIA was undertaken by Anastasios Kotsiopoulos (Architect, Emeritus Professor at AUTH), Dionisis Sotovikis (Architect), and Sofia Tsiraki (Architect, Professor at NTUA).

In the third lecture of the series, participants were:

Apostolos Kalfopoulos (Associate Professor of Architectural Design and Visual Arts, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki)

“APROPOS”

In his lecture titled “Apropos”, he presented a series of collaborative as well as individual works, spanning from 1998 to the present, covering a wide range from architecture to exhibition curation and various activities.
This selective “rewind” through expanded design and curatorial practices aims to serve as a springboard for a discussion on how architecture can create environments for action, pause, and critical (re-)reflection — where design attempts to go beyond what the economy can exploit.

Themis Chatzigiannopoulos / TCP architects

INACCURATE PERSPECTIVES

The presentation involves showcasing a selection of examples from the recent activities of the speaker and “TCP architects.” For each example, an intellectual correlation and possible meaningful alignment are attempted with architectural works and experiences that played a significant role in shaping a particular way of thinking and designing.

Apostolos Kalfopoulos (Ph.D, MArch, BSc) is an architect, exhibition curator, and art critic. Since 2002, he has designed and curated a range of multidisciplinary projects, exhibitions, and publications. He has extensive experience in artistic direction of cultural projects and strategic cultural planning. In 2017, he co-founded the collaborative platform “SuKu,” which focuses on research in architectural design through participation in architectural competitions. Between 2009 and 2016, he directed “DYNAMO,” an independent, non-profit organization supporting, promoting, and disseminating contemporary creativity and original research in the fields of fine and applied arts, architecture, and design. He is an Associate Professor of Architectural Design and Visual Arts at the Department of Architecture, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (AUTH). He lives and works in Athens and Thessaloniki.

Themis Chatzigiannopoulos is an Assistant Professor of Architecture at Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, teaching undergraduate and postgraduate courses in architectural, urban, and environmental design. His published theoretical work and research interests focus on the architectural design process throughout all phases of project development, as well as the reciprocal relationship between architectural design and advances in construction technology. He is a founding member of “TCP architects” and has a professional portfolio that has received 14 awards and distinctions in international and national competitions, has been exhibited in 21 architecture exhibitions, and has been featured over 100 times in both specialized and general media.

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