Archaeological Thematic Museum of Piraeus

Open Architectural Competition (Preliminary Design), 2014

Materiality, land removal, simple geometric shapes and limit transformed into space in the existing building and the museological narrative.
Consideration of the recovery of the earthly and rocky structure of the site led to the re-rendition of the gate’s concept as ‘a space of penetration and oversight’.
The new Museum is a simple geometric volume with a three-way division. A ‘quarrying product’ that brings to mind the geomorphologic changes in the peninsula’s topography. A concrete block marks the base of the building’s volume while a porous prism, a stone’s volume after its cutting, demarcates its crest. The external structure, an element of optical penetration, surrounds the external motion flow, while in the internal articulation a ‘funnel of light’ surrounds the central course of ascent, descent.
The living experience of the whole, of ‘once_now’, reaches its peak with the viewing of the city of Pireaus and Athens in a reflection game with water mirrors of the outdoor glyptotheque.
The Museum square and the Public Park advance as a perceivably seamless and consistent space with legibility and size. Curves, fluid forms, create levels and access ramps, create an atmosphere of familiarity and optical diffusion, shaping the square.

Architectural design:
sparch SAKELLARIDOU / PAPANIKOLAOU ARCHITECTS
Partner in Charge: Morpho Papanikolaou
Collaborators: E. Papaevangelou, G. Papanikolaou, E. Korompeli, E. Zntravkov , N. Xristopoulou
Students of architecture: G. Kontominas, I. Tatli, A. Papadopoulou, Z. Iatridou

Consultans: F. Vlachaki (Architect, Museologist), S. Barbarian (Landascape Architect), P. Kinatos. I. Pagonis, K. Polyhronopoulos (Civil Engineers), Samaras & Associates – Consultant Engineers (Mechanical Engineer), E. Deko & Associates (Lighting Design), Beetroot (Logo)