CCOA - Cultural Center Of Athens

  The project is about a multi functional building with public character. In particular, it is a center in the heart of Athens that will promote arts and culture. The building program ordains a multipurpose hall, public library, small museum, cafe, labs, administrative and collateral spaces. Parameters such as integration to the urban tissue, expansion in height, interior circulation, public movement   and gathering spaces was highly recommended  to be  taken into  account.

  The central idea was to design a building that will reduce the high scale of the city and that will give some space back to the city in a semi-public form. For these reason a big part of utilities are placed underground leaving enough aerial space above ground. Initially two basic volumes are attached to the neighbor buildings continuing the urban scale, but slowly, the synthesis reduces to a more human scale. In the heart of the site is an outdoor space - "square". 

  The "square" is framed by cultural functions in order to become a "theatrical stage" for the city life, where the citizens are the performers. A basic public movement pierces the synthesis and passes right next to the "square" in an attempt   to make the character of the building more public and intimate to the city habitants. Smaller  yards act as relief-spaces for the underground functions implying a more private character and giving the sense of secureness.