Archinect - News

Tensions build at Athen's port of Piraeus, the first stop for many refugees seeking asylum in Europe

2016-04-26T12:52:00-04:00

Squalid, chaotic, overwhelmed: Piraeus is the first port of call for the thousands now trapped in the capital, on the frontline of Europe’s refugee crisis. Since the closure of Greece’s northern border and with it the Balkan migrant trail – a move that has resulted in more than 46,000 stranded on the Greek mainland – it has been emblematic of the country’s inability to cope with a situation few had envisaged.

"In passenger terminals never built to deal with a humanitarian crisis, facilities have been rudimentary, tensions high, and resources vastly overstretched."

The article notes that the growing refugee population is putting pressure on Athenian society, which was already tense as the country continues to struggles under crippling austerity measures imposed by the European Union. Far-right movements, like the Golden Dawn, are gaining popularity.

Meanwhile, a plan sponsored by the UN Refugee Agency proposes to house up to 20,000 refugees in private apartments around the capital.

For more on the refugee crisis in Europe and the Middle East, check out these links:

Piraeus Museum for Underwater Antiquities - The Competition Winners

2013-02-22T19:29:00-05:00

Just a few days ago, results were announced in the international architectural competition Piraeus Cultural Coast - Museum of Underwater Antiquities. Now the organizers also released images of the five winning projects and nine honorable mentions. The brief calls for the conversion of an existing industrial facility in the port of Piraeus, Greece into a museum of underwater antiquities with redesigned open public spaces for outdoor activities.

Piraeus Antiquities Museum Entry by Sériès et Sériès / Studio Touraine / Tajima Open Design Office

2013-02-19T20:20:00-05:00

French-Californian outfit Sériès et Sériès has shared with us its entry to the international architectural competition "Piraeus Cultural Coast - Museum of Underwater Antiquities" in Piraeus, Greece. The scheme was designed as a collaborative effort with Studio Touraine, Tajima Open Design Office, and ARUP.

Piraeus Antiquities Museum Entry by PAR & ARUP

2013-02-08T14:17:00-05:00

Results have just been announced in the international architectural competition "Piraeus Cultural Coast - Museum of Underwater Antiquities" in Piraeus, the ancient Greek port city right outside of Athens. The design proposal by Los Angeles firm Platform for Architecture + Research (PAR), in collaboration with ARUP, didn't quite make it among the top prize winners, but we're excited to feature it here.