The modernism of the 1960s Modern architecture in Athens

the air force assistance fund building designed in 1947 thoukydidis valentis.



the building of national museum of contemporary art on syngrou avenue. designed in 1957 takis zenetos fix brewery , twice long now.

already since 1949, completion of greek air force assistance fund building on akadimias street, designed in 1947 thoukydidis valentis, showed course office buildings in central athens follow. building undecorated subtly visible concrete frame in form of grid, , has many corbusian principles such ground floor pilotis. valentis had consistent ideology behind design principles of office buildings concerning practicality , aesthetics later in 1960 wrote down in architektoniki [architecture] review. years later, 2 young architects, nikos valsamakis (born in 1924) , takis zenetos (1926–1977) exerted influence in revitalizing greek modernism. buildings, notably 1 of valsamakis s first apartment buildings on semitelou street (1951) , zenetos s fix brewery on syngrou avenue (1957, partly demolished , renovated houses national museum of contemporary art), radically different contemporary counterparts. valsamakis s apartment building on semitelou street devoid of ornament , has façade grid formed balconies , columns. moreover, design inspired traditional architecture in matters of materials, such stonemasonry of ground floor , wooden elements elsewhere, , colouring, such contrast between white , bright red. zenetos s designs, on other hand, inspired technological , industrial progress.

mature developments

the office building @ start of ermou street on syntagma square. designed in 1961 dimitris papazisis , interior takis zenetos. has curtain wall made of i-beams, marble, , glass.



ote building near victoria square designed in 1961 kostas kitsikis.

gradually, apart le corbusier s principles such pilotis , horizontal windows, post-war international style came influence buildings in athens. also, grid on façades, of office buildings, became 1 of important fields in design innovation. departing valentis s corbusian proto-brutalist accentuated grid made of permanent masonry, glass , aluminium curtain walls started take over. valsamakis s office building on kapnikareas square (1958) , dimitris papazisis s office building on syntagma square (1961) first buildings in athens full blown curtain wall similar in fashion of ludwig mies van der rohe implemented. marble, abundant material in greece, again used. in 1961, kostas kitsikis designed office building ote on tritis septemvriou street includes 58-metre tower curtain walls , lower wing long brise soleil.

important buildings of era include; building of athens conservatoire on rigillis street. conceived ioannis despotopoulos part of large cultural centre in 1959 went through many alterations , stalled. finally, athens conservatoire built between 1969–1976. building praised clean lines, feeling of transition when 1 moves street building, , despotopoulos s handling of both tradition , monumentality; building of national hellenic research foundation, designed constantinos doxiadis , built between 1965–1968. similar oscar niemeyer s buildings, front , rear façades have strict grids while lateral ones covered smooth marble. moreover, library wing low height makes contrast taller office wing in background; hilton athens designed emmanouil vourekas, prokopis vasileiadis, , spyros staikos , completed in 1963. modern building; however, extensive use of white marble , thin columns made example of classicizing modernism of period, similar in fashion united states embassy building in athens designed walter gropius , completed in 1961.