Designed by architectural firm Renzo Piano Building Workshop (RPBW), the new cultural centre will be located near central Athens on a public parkland site, overlooking the waterfront. The project is expected to be an ecologically sustainable multifunctional centre and is being aspired for LEED Platinum or Gold certification.
The cultural centre will encompass an area of around 232,000 square metres and will accommodate the National Library and the Greek National Opera, as well as 70,000 square metre Stavros Niarchos Park. Underneath the Park, the museum will have two buildings that will be combined into one fluid, glass-walled structure, moulded to include an urban Agora, which will serve dual purpose as a gathering place as well as a portal to the National Library and Greek National Opera.
The Greek National Opera is expected to consist of a 1,400-capacity main theatre and an experimental theatre with a seating capacity of 400. The National Library will feature an iconographic wall of books, which will define is purpose. The library will stock a collection of around 750,000 books for the general public.
The scheme will be integrated into its site and will cut back its carbon footprint by using natural resources. The roof of the building will be lined with photovoltaic cells, which in addition to wind energy system, will generate green electricity to fuel the power requirements of the place.
Construction on the scheme is projected to span 38 months, and will entail an outlay of €325 million ($417.76 million).
