In August 2022, the municipality of Athens, Greece, announced an architectural competition for a new archeological museum and the country’s first ‘green museum’ to be built in the Greek capital’s Plato Academy Park.
Seven months later, the winning design by local architectural firm Tsolakis Architects has been revealed, focusing on the harmonious symbiosis of two opposing forces in the region – the impenetrable mass of the city and the enclosed grove of the park containing the archeological excavations.
Most of the museum’s surface is developed underground, creating smooth outcrops and pits that enhance the character of the site. The museum interacts with the existing terrain and is harmoniously transformed into a solution that serves as a hybrid of architecture and topography.
The 14,362 sqm, the building will be bioclimatic and leave no environmental footprint while providing seamless access for people with disabilities. In the surrounding area, the construction of an open amphitheater with 500 seats is planned. At the same time, within the framework of the promotion of the Plato Academy by the City of Athens, the redesign of the green area is planned with the creation of a park in the spirit of sustainability and future viability.
The proposal emphasizes the design of a public space that includes the museum, the archeological excavations, and recreational and sports areas, encouraging participation. The design principles of the new Archeological Museum demonstrate the vision of the Athens of the future. A city that relates the built infrastructure to the natural terrain and landscape, a city that respects, highlights and harmoniously coexists with nature and its history, including all its citizens.
