The International Evaluation Committee, set up by the Minister of Culture and Sports Lina Mendoni in April 2022, has conducted and completed the selection process to study the architectural design, i.e. the architectural proposal, under which the New National Archaeological Museum is being created. The process of preparing an architectural project entitled “Modernization, underground expansion and interconnection with the Akros Acropolis of the National Archaeological Museum …” approved by the decision of the Minister of Culture and Sports (No. 558074/17.11. 2021-Government Gazette B΄5352) .

The International Evaluation Committee, after a careful and thorough examination of the submitted proposals, unanimously chose the proposal of the architectural offices of David Chipperfield Architects and Alexandrou N. Tombazi SA.

The chosen proposal combines elements of an inventive relationship between the old and the new building, the quality of the spatial experience, sensitivity to programmatic and museum-museographic tasks, the integration of urban planning into the fabric of the city, and an innovative solution. issues of sustainable development and environmental planning.

Informed by International Evaluation Committee President Andreas Kurkulas, Lina Mendoni said: “The office proposal of David Chipperfield and Alexandros N. Topazis embodies a vision, creates a unique landmark in the urban fabric, is human-centred. This emphasizes the national dimension of the National Archaeological Museum, which it associates with world development. I note that all the submitted proposals are of high quality, aesthetics and vision, while they fully comply with the specifications we have set. I thank all participants, Greek and foreign architects. We need an extrovert museum that is in constant dialogue with society, with a dynamic view of the future. The expansion of the National Archaeological Museum contributes greatly to the restoration of the wider area of ​​the historical center of Athens. This is one of the landmark projects that Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis has included in government policy statements and in which he has shown great personal interest. Special thanks to the members of the International Evaluation Committee for the excellent quality of their work. I thank Nicholas and Irini Limou as the first phase of the project was completed thanks to their kind donation. I thank the employees of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, members of the Committee for Control over the Development of the Charity Project for their support of the entire project. The presentation of the Chipperfield-Tombazi office proposal will be made within the next month by the architects in the presence of the Prime Minister.”

David Chipperfield is an internationally renowned and award-winning architect. His architectural practice has extensive experience in the architectural design of museum spaces around the world, including the Neues Museum in Berlin, The Hepworth in the UK, Museo Jumex in Mexico. Architectural bureau Alexandros N. Tombazi SA. is a recognized and award-winning office with experience in large projects.

According to the established procedure, at the appropriate invitation of the Evaluation Committee, the projects were presented by ten architectural offices abroad in cooperation with ten Greek architectural offices respectively. are the following:

David Chipperfield Architects and Alexandrou N. Tombazi Study Office SA
SANAA (Kazuyo Sejima + Ryue Nishizawa) and Buerger Katsota Architects
Herzog and de Meuron and AETER Architects
Diller Scofidio + Renfro and VAP Architects and Neiheiser Argyros
Adjaye Associates and Kizi Studio
OMA and Sakellaridou/Papanikolaou Architects
Atelier Jean Nouvel and George Batzios Architects
· Kengo Kuma & Associates & K-studio
Thomas Phifer and Tsolakis Architects and Kalliopi Kontozoglu
RCR Arquitectes and Parmenidis-Longuepee-Mari

The International Evaluation Committee – in alphabetical order – consists of the following members:
Gerasimos Yiannopoulos, lawyer
George Deodatis, civil engineer, professor at Columbia University
· Pierre B. Ducray, archaeologist, professor, former rector of the University of Lausanne
· Louis Godard, archaeologist, honorary professor of Aegean cultures at the University of Naples. Federico II, Advisor for the Artistic Heritage of the Presidents of the Italian Republic C.A. Ciampi and G. Napolitano.
· Christopher Hudson, art historian and publisher at Lowgill Publishing, President of Motovun Group of International Publishers (MGIP)
Andreas Kurkulas, architect, professor at the EMP School of Architecture
· Mijin Yun, Architect, Dean of the College of Architecture, Art and Planning, Cornell University. Founder of Design Across Scales Lab.

The preparation of an architectural design study was the subject of a donation to the Ministry of Culture and Sports AMKE “Family NSL” by the families of Nikolaos and Irini Laimos.