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Niarchos Cultural Center

Designed by RPBW in Athens, the Niarchos Cultural Centre is an important cultural and educational project, comprising the National Library of Greece and the Greek National Opera.

Renzo Piano Building Workshop, Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Centre, south elevation. © Michel Denancé

The Stavros Niarchos Cultural Centre is located in Kallithea, 4 km south of central Athens. An important cultural and educational project, the site will comprise the National Library of Greece and the Greek National Opera in a 170,000 sqm landscaped park.

Renzo Piano Building Workshop, Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Centre, view from the park. © SNFCC, photo Yiorgis Yerolymbos — Renzo Piano Building Workshop, Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Centre, Kallithea, view from the park. © SNFCC, photo Yiorgis Yerolymbos

Currently a parking lot left over from the 2004 Olympic Games, once the site of a racetrack, the project restore the site’s lost connections with the city and the sea.

Renzo Piano Building Workshop, Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Centre, view from the canal building. © RPBW, photo Shunji Ishida — Renzo Piano Building Workshop, Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Centre, Kallithea, view from the canal building. © RPBW, photo Shunji Ishida

As one of Athens’ earliest seaports on Faliro Bay, Kallithea has always had a strong relationship with the water. At present, however, despite its proximity, there is no view of the sea from the site. To restore this, an artificial hill is being created at the south (seaward) end of the site. The sloping park culminate in the cultural center building, giving it spectacular views towards the sea.

Renzo Piano Building Workshop, Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Centre, the lighthouse. © Michel Denancé — Renzo Piano Building Workshop, Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Centre, Kallithea, the lighthouse. © Michel Denancé

Both opera and library are combined in one building, with a public space, known as the Agora, providing access and connections between the two main facilities. The opera wing is composed of two auditoria, one (450 seats) dedicated to traditional operas and ballets, the other (1.400 seats) for more experimental performances. The library is intended as not only a place for learning and preserving culture, but also as a public resource, a space where culture is truly accessible to share and enjoy.

Renzo Piano Building Workshop, Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Centre, interior of the library, sculpture of the artist Susumu Shing: Myth, 2016. © SNFCC, photo Yiorgis Yerolymbos — Renzo Piano Building Workshop, Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Centre, Kallithea, interior of the library, sculpture of the artist Susumu Shing: *Myth*, 2016. © SNFCC, photo Yiorgis Yerolymbos

The entirely glass-walled library reading room sits on top of the building just underneath the canopy roof. A square horizontal transparent box, it enjoys 360-degree views of Athens and the sea. The site’s visual and physical connection with water continues in the park with a new canal that runs along a north–south, main pedestrian axis, the Esplanade. The canopy roof provides essential shade and has been topped with 10.000 sq m of photovoltaic cells, enough to generate 1.5 megawatt of power for the library and opera house. This field of cells should allow the building to be self-sufficient in energy terms during normal opening hours. Wherever possible, natural ventilation has been used.

Renzo Piano Building Workshop, Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Centre, Kallithea. Opera House, at the center of the room, hanging from the ceiling , the sculpture of the artist Susumu Shing: Cosmos, 2016. © SNFCC, photo George Dimitrakopoulous

Renzo Piano Building Workshop, Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Centre, Kallithea, detail of the canopy. © Michel Denancé

Renzo Piano Building Workshop, Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Centre, Kallithea, aerial view. © RUBY ON THURSDAYS

Renzo Piano Building Workshop, Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Centre, Kallithea, view from the city. © Michel Denancé

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Renzo Piano Building Workshop, Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Centre, Kallithea. Google Plus Landscape

Renzo Piano Building Workshop, Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Centre, Kallithea. Renzo Piano Sketch

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Renzo Piano Building Workshop, Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Centre, overall plan

Renzo Piano Building Workshop, Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Centre, south-east elevation

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Renzo Piano Building Workshop, Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Centre, section

Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Centre, Athens
Program: cultural centre
Architects: Renzo Piano Building Workshop
in collaboration with Betaplan (Athens)
Design team: G. Bianchi, V. Laffineur (partner and associate in charge), S. Doerflinger, H. Houplain, A. Gallissian with A. Bercier, A. Boldrini, K. Doerr, S. Drouin, G.Dubreux, S. Giorgio-Marrano, C. Grispello, M.A. Maillard, E. Ntourlias, S. Pauletto, L. Piazza, M. Pimmel, L. Puech and B. Brady, C. Cavo, A. Kellyie, C. Menas Porras, C. Owens, R. Richardson; S. Moreau; O. Aubert, C. Colson and Y. Kyrkos (models)
Consultants: Expedition Engineering/OMETE (structure); Arup/LDK Consultants (MEP, sustainability, acoustics, lighting, security, IT); Theater Project Consultants (theater equipment); Front (facade engineering); Deborah Nevins & Associates/H. Pangalou (landscaping); C&G Partners, M. Harlé/J. Cottencin (signage); Faithful+Gould (project and cost management)
Client: The Stavros Niarchos Foundation
Year: 2016