A marvel of architecture on Syngrou Avenue in Athens, is hosting the multifaceted cultural events organized by the Alexander S. Onassis Foundation, as well as by other notable institutions promoting the letters and fine arts. The building, with a surface area of 18,000 m2, is being constructed on a plot of private land measuring 3,000 m2, and covers an entire block.
The international competition for the design of the building attracted 66 candidates from all over the world. The winning design was put forward by the French architectural firm “Architecture Studio”, which provided for a building 89 feet tall, faced with white marble and glass, in a reference to the minimalism demonstrated by Ancient Greek architecture. The building is destined to be a model of contemporary architecture. Its simplicity of volume and plainness of form have a powerfully monumental character. At the same time, the outside of the building lends it an expression of mystery, like changing scenery. By day, the white horizontal strips of marble on the facades reflect the light of Attica, producing a wave-like impression. The opposite happens at night, when the white marble strips are illuminated in a different way and the inside of the building becomes visible, revealing the shell surrounding the large performance halls.
SurfaPore C was used to protect the strips of unpolished white marble that are used to provide this magnificent wave-like effect outside the building.
