In fact, an “invisible” complex, built mainly underground, with green roofs that harmoniously fit into the natural landscape. Groves of the Platonic Academy, is the main winner of the pan-Greek architectural competition announced last August by Anaplasi SA. per Archaeological Museum of Athens. This is a completely new museum that will be dedicated to the eternal evolution of the city of Athens, using archaeological treasures that, due to the lack of appropriate infrastructure, have remained closed for decades in the warehouses of our archaeological services.

The Comprehensive Open Concept Competition, which includes urban planning, architectural research, and traffic law research, was completed in record time, with 17 complete, valid architectural designs entered and with official announcement of results (expected early next week) . at the latest) we know of offices that have received all three awards and two commendations.

OUR George Tsolakis, the head of the first prize winning office, sounds excited. Already having experience in designing the Museum of Naval Antiquities in Piraeus, as well as a number of projects, public and private, medium and large in Greece and abroad, he believes that their proposal serves the vision of the Athens of the future. The main find is the idea of ​​a semi-submersible museum, since most of the 13,500 sq.m. which the construction program provides, is formed underground, leaving almost intact the fragile connection between the precious hectares of greenery and the open spaces of the grove and surroundings. “The architectural approach mainly emphasizes topography, urban planning and public archaeology, as it creatively integrates both the axes of the landscape and the structure of the city, embracing, on the one hand, archaeological finds and at the same time dialogues with relationships between open and closed, public and private,” notes Mr. Giorgos Tsolakis.

The main find is the idea of ​​a semi-submersible museum, since most of the 13,500 sq.m. its area is formed underground.

In fact, the city and the grove interact in the center of the plot, carving four new sidewalks that create a knot of vortex movement at their junction, acting as a centripetal and at the same time centrifugal force of flows and activities that are connected antidiametrically and at different levels. This original engraving creates a central public platform where visitors are divided into four separate wings emerging from the ground. “The square marks the beginning of the development of emerging wings, changing the typology of the ancient Greek temple pavilion from an inward-facing building to an outward-facing building. The arrangement of the facades with the alternation of empty and full refers to the Stoic buildings of the archaeological finds of the Academy. The roofs emerge from the ground as a natural extension, providing sloping surfaces that can be walked on, expanding the existing planted area of ​​the grove, while at the same time providing comfortable conditions of natural light and ventilation for visitors and workers.”

What about the ancients?

The first question that comes to my mind during a conversation with Mr. Giorgos Tsolakis is how to ensure uninterrupted excavations several meters deep when it comes to what is essentially an archaeological park. “It was clear in the specification of the tender announcement that the area where the museum is located has been excavated in the past, so there are no antiquities on it.” He insists that the main concept of the researchers was not to change the nature of the area’s public green space. “The walkable roofs expand the surface of the grove, promoting the growth of ground cover plants, shrubs and small trees, spatially and visually unifying the landscaped public space. The existing plantations are supplemented with endemic trees typical of the Athenian landscape. New configurations and the development of green roofs will lead to an increase and enrichment of the green balance of the grove, creating new conditions for active recreation for residents and guests of the area.”

In addition to the museum, look out also for the open-air sculpture gallery, which is developing at a lower level than the grove, linking exhibits to existing archaeological sites, and in the southeastern part, existing sporting events are being transferred with modernized infrastructure, as well as an underground parking for about 80 cars.