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Greece, Athens, Bank Of Piraeus
Bank (Financial) (Period Unassigned), Office (Period Unassigned)
Site Name Greece, Athens, Bank Of Piraeus
Classification Bank (Financial) (Period Unassigned), Office (Period Unassigned)
Alternative Name(s) Korai Building
Canmore ID 284880
Site Number NON-UK 13
Datum WGS84 - Lat/Long
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/284880
- Council Not Applicable
- Parish Not Applicable
- Former Region Not Applicable
- Former District Not Applicable
- Former County Not Applicable
Building Notes
In the early 1970s Sir Basil Spence OM RA designed a new headquarters for the Bank of Piraeus in Athens, which was completed in 1975. The building sits on the site of the bank's former head office and occupies a key location, on the corner of two busy thoroughfares, in the centre of Athens. At eight storeys, it houses not only the head office for the Bank of Piraeus, but also offices for associated banks and insurance companies. The public banking hall is located on the ground and suspended mezzanine levels while the executive suites on the upper floors offer panoramic views across the city to its ancient Acropolis. The cornice line of the adjoining Neoclassical building coincides with the balconies on the Bank's upper floors.
Archive Details
In the design of the building, the architects worked in association with Greek engineers and consultants from the Technical Services Department of the Commercial Bank of Greece. In addition to working within tight financial restrictions, the building's structure and construction were more complicated than many contemporary projects in the country. The workload involved surpassed that undertaken for buildings of comparable size and volume. Nevertheless, an article in the June 1976 issue of 'Technomodica', a Greek construction journal, assured its readers that the building would come to 'be rated as one of the most beautiful buildings in Greece', demonstrating a higher standard of achievement than the average in post-war Athens.
Archive Summary
The Sir Basil Spence Archive holds two manuscript files for this project, which contain a journal article and the original building arrangements. 208 photographs provide a clear impression of the building at different stages of its construction. The 61 drawings include sketch plans and elevations as well as working drawings and structural details.
This text was written as one of the outputs of the Sir Basil Spence Archive Project, supported by the Heritage Lottery Fund, 2005-08.
