In June 2016, the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center (SNFCC) opened its doors to the public. The Cultural Centre is located in Kallithea, 4 km south of central Athens in a site previously occupied by the 2004 Olympic Games. SNFCC is an important cultural and educational project, comprising of the new National Library of Greece and the Greek National Opera all wrapped up in a 170,000 sq m landscaped park that restores the site’s lost connections with the sea.

The visual connection with the water continues to the park, where it focus on a channel to the side of the Esplanade, the main pedestrian axis of the site, in the north-south direction. An artificial hill is being created at the south (seaward) end of the site while the sloping park culminate in the cultural center building, giving it spectacular views towards the sea.

Both opera and library are combined in one building, with a public space, known as the Agora, providing access and connections between the two main facilities. The opera wing is composed of two auditoria, one (450 seats) dedicated to traditional operas and ballets, the other (1.400 seats) for more experimental performances. The library is intended as not only a place for learning and preserving culture, but also as a public resource, a space where culture is truly accessible to share and enjoy.

The canopy roof provides essential shade and has been topped with 10.000 sq. m of photovoltaic cells, enough to generate 1.5 megawatt of power for the library and opera house. This field of cells should allow the building to be self-sufficient in energy terms during normal opening hours. The lighting is also following strict energy criteria, capitalising the daylight wherever possible. The complex achieves a LEED platinum rating.

The project was realised while at Arup Lighting and in close collaboration with Renzo Piano Building Workshop, Beta Plan as the local architect and LDK as the local M&E consultant.