A two-storey green garden that will house exhibition spaces and services for the public, a main entrance that will be extended to the street, “dirty” walls that give the impression of an underground excavation, and an overall design that does not disturb the existing topography of the Ludwig Lange historic building and Ernst Schiller, these are some of the features of the new National Archaeological Museumthe architectural design of which was recently presented by David Chipperfield Architects and Alexandros N. Tombazis SA in the presence of Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis.

The preliminary design for the Chipperfield-Tombazi offices, which was selected by an international panel from a total of ten proposals for the National Archaeological Museum, centers on the institution’s central building, whose “base” will extend to Patision Street, strengthening the museum’s connection to the city. This new space will be located above street level and will consist of two floors (one underground) that will house permanent and temporary exhibitions, a ticket office, a restaurant, a shop and an auditorium. Entering from the main entrance to the Patision, museum visitors will see part of the expositions, parts of which will be surrounded by walls made of rammed soil, which, combined with a thoughtful play of light and shadow, will refer to an underground excavation or cave.

For all its loftiness, the garden, which will be designed on the new premises of the museum, will be located at some distance from the city noise and will consist of pines, oaks and ornamental shrubs, while it will relate to the parks of the 19th century, but also to the ancient Greek ideal of a public gathering places for all citizens. The garden will be accessible from all sides, and at its center will be a space that will aspire to be a meeting place for museum visitors and Athenians alike. Its design was developed by the Belgian landscape architecture firm Wirtz International.