Page 144 - ATHENS RIVIERA JOURNAL 2024

ATHENS RIVIERA JOURNAL
architecture

GOING UNDERGROUND
The new subterranean museum will provide the space needed to display never before seen
J
archaeological treasures without encroaching on the city’s precious green areas.

ust two miles northwest of the centre of Athens,
a once neglected archaeological site is emerging as
OF EXHIBITION
one of the city’s most exciting new redevelopment PUSHING THE BOUNDARIES
projects: the new Archaeological Museum of Ath-
ens. Jointly launched in 2022 by the City of Athens, the Min- ARCHITECTURE IN ATHENS,
istry of Culture and the Academy of Athens, the initiative set
out to regenerate the ancient site of Plato’s Academy and the
surrounding run-down park into a vibrant hub of culture, rec- THE NEW MUSEUM WILL BE
reation and nature. In spring 2023, Athens-based architecture
studio Tsolakis Architects was announced as the winner of the A GEM IN THE CROWN
open competition for the design of the new museum and park.
Focusing on the harmonious symbiosis between the park’s green OF THE GREEK CAPITAL
area and the urban expanse surrounding it, architect George
Tsolakis and his team developed a design for a subterranean
museum that hides the bulk of the structure underground
while allowing carefully placed elements to enhance the hori- artefacts and antiquities documenting the city’s history that have remained unseen until today.
zontal topography. According to the architects, “the city and In addition to the main museum building, the project will include an open-air amphitheatre
the grove interact in the centre of the plot, creating a hub of with a 500 seat capacity and an outdoor sculpture gallery relating the exhibits to the existing ar-
swirling movement that acts as a centripetal and at the same chaeological excavations of the Academy. Work will also be undertaken to better showcase the
time a centrifugal force of flows and activities”. archaeological site and excavation areas. The park itself will be enhanced with native trees and
Located in the northwesternmost area of the park, the approx- plants characteristic of the Athenian landscape, as well as recreational and sports areas and un-
imately 14,000 sq. m. bioclimatic building, will be constructed derground parking facilities.
with sustainable materials and aims at minimal environmental Contextualising the design of the museum and plans for the archaeological excavation sites and
impact. The design features four wings arranged around a cen- recreational and sports areas within a broader vision for liveable public space, the proposal is
tral plaza, with gently jutting living roofs adding to the park’s aligned with the City of Athens’s goal, as set out by Mayor of Athens Kostas Bakoyannis, for the
green, walkable space while also allowing natural light to flood new Archaeological Museum of Athens and its park to be inclusive, encourage participation, and
the underground galleries through facades designed with a nod “become an international centre of scientific, artistic and cultural activity and an integral part of
to ancient temples. Alternating spaces that are open and closed, the life in the neighbourhood”.
above ground and below, and creating ample opportunities to When completed, the project will serve as a vital node connecting the city’s future to its ancient
experience the museum from different angles and perspectives, past: The very location where Plato founded his Academy by a sacred olive grove 2,400 years ago,
the design nurtures a sense of intimacy and encourages explora- will once again be a place where locals and visitors alike can partake in the city’s culture, knowl-
tion—ideal for a museum set to house a treasure trove of unique edge, nature, and heritage. 

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