Politia Allatini - [Thessaloniki]

“Politia Allatini” will be erected in the area of the old ALLATINI mill in Thessaloniki.

The original property of ALLATINI, where the flour mill stood together with all of its secondary buildings, exceeded 35,000 square meters. In 1971, the land was characterized as an open ground of common use. In 1991, the mill as well as some other buildings of the property along with their surrounding areas were characterized as historical scheduled monuments.

Nowadays, the area of the ALLATINI property that can be exploited, after a series of commitments and acts of regularization, amounts to 26,000 square meters. The existing scheduled buildings together with the planned new constructions will cover only 36.5% of the land and therefore more than 4 acres will not be built.

The scheduled buildings to be restored cover approximately 12,500 square meters. Among them we can still find the central mill of the complex, the administration building (the oldest building of the complex that dates back to 1890), the residence of the factory’s manager, the old machine shop, the bakeries that provided the Greek army with bread up until some decades ago and others.

The old warehouses of Allatini, which belong to the state, are located outside the perimeters of “Politia Allatini” and face the sea. This area of 5.5 square meters, together with the 2,500 square meters of the warehouses has been handed over to the Ministry of Culture and will be exploited by the 16th Regulatory Office of Antiquities. Besides the value of the land, the anticipated investment will amount to 40 million Euros for the next four years.

sources:
http://www.themeliodomi.gr/act_develop_Allatini.html
http://www.allatini.gr/en/politeia.asp

Thission Lofts - [Athens]

"Thission Lofts", is a listed industrial building on 123 Pireos Av., in the heart of a booming area, which is rapidly evolving into a cultural and leisure center of Athens.

This listed factory is located along the ancient and busy Peiraios Avenue which connects Athens with the port of Peiraius. Its urban surrounding is a curious juxtaposition between the Acropolis and the building remains of the migrated industries. Currently, the influx of cultural institutions and new residents are driving the rapid transformation of the area into one of Athens’ cultural hubs.

The building’s predominate element is its four storey central internal courtyard - functioning as the main gathering and access space to all 19 lofts and gallery spaces.

The building has a total 3.500 sq.m. area hosting 19 individual residential lofts. There are 3 floors in total and a ground floor serving as a garage.

In order to retain the character of the industrial spaces, a single ‘suitcase’ structure is presented to each Loft. It gathers all necessary utility spaces into a single pod and leaves the remaining spaces untouched. The ‘suitcase’ installation is a focused insertion that can be adapted to suit each individual loft whilst retaining its compact and transitional character.

The Project will be constructed and developed by GNOMON Constructions and it was designed by IF- architects. The Project is scheduled to be completed by the end of Oct 2007 and it will cost 8.000.000€.

sources:
http://www.if-untitled.com
http://www.thissionlofts.gr
http://www.gnomonconstructions.gr
http://www.widebridges.com

Region of Central Macedonia - [Thessaloniki]

The city of Thessaloniki has always been the center of the Greek army forces. This has granted the city with 7 large army camps inside its borders. However, the last years the ministry of defense is donating this high-value land back to the cities (likewise in Patras) . The region of Central Macedonia is planning to unite its divisions under one building in FARMAKIS camp.

Farmakis Camp occupies a total area of 65.000 sq.m. It is going to host as well divisions of the Perfecture of Thessaloniki.

The building area will be 3.500 sq.m. and the total area of the building will reach 15.000 sq.m.

The desing of the complex comes from ARIS architectural office.

source:
http://www.arishellas.com

Favorite Architecture - [USA]

A new website has benn launched by the AIA (American Institute of Architects), trying to estimate the architectural value of several well known buildings in the United States. Everybody (US citizen or not), has the chance to evaluate several landmark buildings and symbols of places, events or whole eras.

The website itself is an example of architecture, combining aesthetic beauty, usability and lots of informative content.

You can choose among 150 different buildings, that represent some of the best of America's architectural heritage. You might select and vote your 5 favorite ones among them, so as to participate in this major event as well.

However, before this exhibit a major survey was conducted including interviews of AIA members followed by a survey of the public. The ranking of the buildings was based on the process of those specific results.

Non-strikingly the most favorable architectural feat of all, is the magnificent Empire State building. A building that signified a whole era in the US and played the role of a prime landmark for the NY city and the country for severals decades.

The top 10 includes the Thomas Jefferson Memorial built to celebrate the 200 years from his birth.

In position 9 stands a close rival to the first, the elegant Chrysler Building.

While checking this very nice website, try to imagine which buildings would you include in a similar Greek List.

http://favoritearchitecture.org/

KANINGOS 21 Hotel - [Athens]

Kaningos 21 hotel is located on the northwest corner of Kaningos Square in the centre of Athens. The existing hotel was constructed in1965 and underwent a structural reinforcement and aesthetic refurbishing in 2004 by META architects.

Seventy-two rooms on 7 stories occupy the spaces between the double height lobby with mezzanine hosting a reception, cafe, restaurant and congress halls and the roof with its bar-restaurant offering views to Lycabettus Hill and the Acropolis.

A vanilla marble from Leivadia and a warm beige marble from Ritsona are used for the reception area and the mezzanine restaurant. The same combination of materials is applied in all the corridors for the room levels. The elevators are cladded in translucent glass panels. All the bedrooms have wooden floors and plasterboard walls. The bathrooms a combination of white Kozani marble and grey Aliveri marble. The curtain wall facade employs a dramatic red limestone, "Travertino Rosso'.

The architectural approach to this project is sculptural. The thick columns and repetitive, recessed openings giving the impression that the building has been carved out of a mass of stone. These large openings establish a relationship between each room-cell and the city outside, especially the rooms with views along the axis of the Acadimias Str.

The overall density celebrates the square, marking one of its corners in red. Similarly, the implementation of a light study creates an icon of the building at night.

sources:
http://www.kaningos21.gr/
http://www.meta-arch.gr/pages/shops/set_en.htm

SATO office & stores building - [Athens]

The main building of the Greek office furniture company Sato, a work by Dimitris Potiropoulos and Liana Potiropoulou ( in association with Gousis & Frijda architects), is an impressive example of deconstruction architecture in Attica.

The random geometry of the lot, which has a narrow front on Kifissias Ave and continues back from there in a crooked line, affected the architectural solution. Thus, the metal volume of the building curves along the line of the lot and meets Kifissias Ave on an angle. The façade intersected by Kifissias is emphasised by being faced with black unpolished granite. The shade panels that protect the south and west side from the sun are deployed along the linear vertical grid of the building. On this grid are also metal forms that jut out at random and are suspended over the street.

The Sato office building – in its particular location – offered an opportunity to develop more dynamic ideas about buildings in relation to the typical Cartesian building forms and level façades that flank this particular thoroughfare.

sources:
http://www.culture2000.tee.gr/ATHENS/ENGLISH/BUILDINGS/BUILD_TEXTS/B172_t.html
http://www.potiropoulos.gr/typology.html
http://www.gfa.gr/Projects/all-old-projects-en.htm

Ministry of Transport and Communications - [Athens]

The impressive building complex of the Hellenic Ministry of Transport and Communications was created in order to host its mulitple divisions in one place.

The building was constructed by GEK, Th.Karayiannhs and TEB. The construction started at 1995 and was finished at 1998.

The total area of the building complex is 18.000 sq.m. including an amphitheater of 800 seats, and an underground parking space for 200 cars. The ministry is build on a 40.000 sq.m. lot.

The total cost of the project including furniture, equipement and moving from the old buildings reached 30.000.000 €.

Sources:
http://www.thkarayannis.gr/works.html
http://www.stand.gr/activities_01.htm

Public Gallery of Larisa - [Larisa]

The new public gallery of Larisa was created in order to host the large collection of surgeon G.I. Katrigras an art enthusiast and collector, who donated 700 paintings to the city.

The collection contains invaluable art pieces from great Greek painters such as Lytras, Volanakis, Gysis, Galanis, Parthenis and many more.

The city of Larisa already had a small collection of 200 paintings from local artists which were mostly donated by the artists themselves.

Mr Katrigras donated as well the inestimable furniture of his office that belonged to the famous archaeologist - treasure hunter Heinrich Schliemann (that discovered Troy, Mycenae and Tiryns). He also donated his collection of art magazines (1200 titles) most of them hard to find or out of circulation.

The construction of the building was finished during 2003, when it was inaugurated by the President of the Hellenic Democracy - Kosti Stefanopoulo. The total surface of the building reaches 6.500 sq.m.

sources:
http://www.larissa-dimos.gr
http://www.larissacity.com

Motor Oil Headquarters - [Athens]

Motor oil is one of the largest oil refineries in Greece and the owner of the company (Vardinoyannis) one of the most influential industrialists. The luxurious headquarters of the company are situated in Marousi. They occupy a total ground surface of 2.360 sq.m.

The building has 2 underground levels for parking space, a middle floor for entrance and owners parking. There are also 4 floors for office space in a Π shape so as to create an open atrium with green and skylights. On the top of the building there exists a heliport. Τhe facade and the interior of the building are covered with marbles.

Τhe construction of the building was completed during 1994 and the architect was the famous (and recently departed) Iason Rizos. The construction cost reached 15.000.000€.

Sources:
http://www.moh.gr
http://www.bioter.gr
http://www.rizos-architects.gr/

ETBA Headquarters - [Athens]

The imposing building of ETBA bank in Syngrou Avenue now belongs to Piraeus Bank like the whole ETBA company. It was designed back in the 70's by the famous greek architect A. Tombazis. However the construction of the building was finished during 1991 by BIOTER

The building has 4 underground levels for parking space that cover 8.000 sq.m. of total surface. It has 8 floors for office space with a total area of 10.000 sq.m. The ground level is shaped in a way to facilitate the operations of the bank.

The construction cost was 14.000.000 €.

*

Sources:
http://www.bioter.gr/index.php?lang=gr
*the night photo belongs to [Gioяgos] (memeber of skyscrapercity).

Interamerican Headquarters - [Athens]

The construction of the headquarters of Interamerican Insurance Company was appointed to J&P AVAX. The architectural study of the building was done by the famous architect Porphyrios.

The building has a total surface of 14.500 sq.m. It consists of 7 underground levels for car parking, a ground level and 7 more floors to serve as office space.

The building occupies a prominent position in Syngrou Avenue, close to Acropolis.The flatiron plan and projective metal eaves give a distinct figural presence to the building. It combines modern office architecture with classical tradition.

The construction started at 2000 and ended at 2002.

Sources:
http://www.porphyrios.com/
http://www.jp-avax.gr/

Pfizer Hellas Headquarters - [Athens]

Pfizer Hellas is the Greek subsidiary of the well known international pharmaceutical company.

The company appointed J&P AVAX to construct its new headquarters in Mesogeion Avenue.

The building consists of 5 floors and 2 underground levels, that cover a total 2.600 sq.m surface area. Modern materials were used for the construction of the complex, such as polished and burned granite and Californian marbles.

The building includes an atrium with a triangular glass roof 72m long that ensure natural lighting in the internal spaces. There exists also a 70 seats amphitheater in the ground floor as a continuation of the building.

source:
http://www.jp-avax.gr
http://www.pfizer.gr

Folli - Follie Headquarters - [Athens]

The very dynamic jewelery company Folli - Follie has moved to its new administration buildings during 2002. The complex covers a total area of 11.000 sq.m.

The architectural office behind the project is Kokkinou Kourkoulas.


Source:
http://www.kokkinoukourkoulas.com/folie.html