Greece’s cultural and sustainable hub by Architect Renzo Piano

Athens has huge appeal from ancient ruins to emerging artistic talents and artisan makers, so it’s great to shine a light a cultural hub, also known as The Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Centre that focuses on giving back to Greece’s residents as well as its visitors. 

Located four kilometres south of Athens in Killithea, the project started life as a parking lot to service the 2004 Olympic Games. Like many structures built for one-time events, it became unloved and disused. In conjunction with the philanthropic endeavours of the Stavros Niarchos Foundation, a new plan was designed to give burgeoning life to the area.

Architect Renzo Piano was brought on board to manage an ambitious plan to create animportant cultural and educational project which was to incorporate the National Library of Greece and the Greek National Opera as well as a glass-walled reading room that sits atop the building. Wider landscaping of the Starvos Park planned for plant diversity and the depth of the cultural centre was depicted with innovation such as the ‘dancing fountains’, architecturally designed water jets which at night light up to music by a variety of great composers such as Dvořák, Vivaldi and Puccini, and during the day provide a cool-off zone for kids.

One important factor in the design and build was to re-connect the area with its relationship with water. To do this, Paino raised the site on an artificial hill so a view of the sea was possible and a long canal was installed, running alongside the Esplanade, today this provides an area for locals to sail or kayak.

Sustainability was another key factor in the construction of this project, completed in 2016. A canopy roof provides the requite shade from the merciless Greek sun, while 10,000 square metres of photovoltaic cells generate enough energy to power the entire opera house and library. The surrounding Stavros Park land was regenerated and planted with indigenous shrubs and trees including a rich variety of flora: olive trees, carob trees, laurel, cypress trees and aromatic herbs. The carefully planted Great Lawn is drought resistant and provided a greenery-infused setting for outdoor concerts and cultural events. The centre’s dedication to sustainability meant that it obtained the LEED platinum certification in 2016.

Work and dedication to the project paid off and the monument provides a multifunctional, sustainable space for Athens and the wider community. Its gravitas was compounded with a nomination for the international prize for architecture by RIBA International Prize in 2018, it was also the chosen location for a speech given by Barack Obama about democracy. The perfect backdrop for culture of all sizes, the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Centre continues to give back.