cultural center in klafthmonos square athens

diploma thesis project - FINALIST in Greekarchitects.gr Magazine Awards 2013

LOCATION: ATHENS, GREECE   YEAR: 2013   5TH YEAR - DEPARTMENT OF ARCHITECTURE ENGINEERING, DEMOCRITUS UNIVERSITY OF THRACE     
TEAM: MANOLIS VENIERAKIS, THEOFILOS ZACHOS
SUPERVISING PROFESSORS: PANAGIOTIS KOKKORIS, THEONI XANTHI, KONSTANTINOS KEVENTSIDIS
PUBLICATIONSGREEKARCHITECTS / KTIRIO / SYMPOSIUM & exhibition DIPLOMEETING 3 

The thesis project is about a culture center on Klafthmonos Square, located in the city center of Athens, Greece between major public spaces.

In the process of analysis, the character of the city's wider historical area was studied as well as the overall fabric of it, historic, urban and architectural. The goal was a building that could be part of a city walk, a type of indoor public space, where cultural uses could serve the purpose of socializing.

In urban scale, the main concept was the diagonal junction of the two nearby squares through the site, aiming to vitalize the whole area the new passage activates the site and accomplishes the start of the ascent into the building. In the specific block the adjacent buildings also incorporate cultural uses, such as a museum, lecture and concert halls as well as a movie theater.
The new culture center is proposed as a cooperation between the existing organizations in order to form a united cultural pole.

The building comprises of three autonomous functional modules. (a) the underground, where a projection room and temporary exhibitions space can be found, (b) the extended ground floor with open offices for educational programs and (c) the main upper volume of library. The result is a flexible and multi functional space, both for the residents and the city visitors. A “center” used in everyday life, active member of the public spaces of the city.

Making of the final presentation model, scale 1/100

Detailed portfolio for the analysis & design process of the Diploma Thesis Project.