also:
B. Tschumi, the lead design architect of the
     museum, talks about the project on Wallpaper

M. Photiadis, the associate architect of the
     museum, shares thoughts about the Reunification

The dedicated Acropolis Museum information page

The Acropolis Museum is a universal cultural posession. Four design competitions were held within 40 years, the last two international.

The Makryianni site was chosen in 2000 with competition winners architects Bernard Tschumi, N. York, Paris and Michael Photiadis, Athens with continuous office work production exploiting the seven hour difference. Associates were 60 consulting specialties. The excavations on the NAM site revealed that Athenians lived here with housing layers of Hellenistic, Roman and early Byzantine periods. This visit forms a special exhibition area.

The NAM is a lively concept with 14.000 m2 exhibition galleries and snack bars, gift shops, restaurant, projection spaces, amphitheatre, lounge, temporary exhibits and four basements with auxiliary spaces, totaling 23.000 m2. A family can spend a day with all ages happy.

The importance of the site's facing the Acropolis made the architects create a transparent top-most Parthenon gallery in glass. Its axis was tilted let light come onto the frieze at the same angle as the original. The continuous frieze was carved at 10,30m high (more than three floors) into the flesh of the four bearing marble walls. It could only be seen by the Gods. It was brought down to human level, at the eyesight of 1,50m.

The materials are simple and contemporary. The bearing structure is concrete, apparent outside and background to exhibits within. Glass not only protects spaces but on floor level gives visual continuity from the top Parthenon gallery to the excavations of ancient Athens. Marble covers all floors. Black from Macedonia for all circulation and public spaces and ochre-pink from Elikonas of Peloponessos for all galleries to match the sculptures' patina.

Official opening will be held June 2009

Project Details:

Building name: Acropolis Museum
Building address: Makriyianni 2-4 & Dionyssiou Aeropagitou, Athens
S, E, foothills of the Acropolis
Nearest transport link: Acropolis Metro Station
Architect: Bernard Tschumi Architects with Michael Photiadis, Architect