Best of 2020

With the current year close to its end, the editorial team of ek magazine selected twelve architectural projects featured in the print issues 243-253, to be illustrated on our website. Their categories follow the themes of the print edition, including houses, office buildings, interiors, and hotels.

In housing, there has been an equal representation of remarkable works from Greece and Cyprus: in Greece, the Filothei House by Divercity Architects (ek 245) and the Hourglass Corral in Milos by DECA Architecture (ek 249) meet with the House-Garden in the City by Christos Pavlou (ek 245) and the“Four Gardens” by Draftworks (ek 245). Both houses from Nicosia have also been nominated by the Cyprus Chamber of Architects as candidate entries for the European Union Prize for Architecture, Mies van der Rohe Award 2022.

This year, Athens has seen the completion of two outstanding office buildings: The Orbit by LC Architects, in collaboration with I&A Vikelas and Associates (ek 246) and the impressive reconstruction of the AGET Iraklis Headquarters by Georges Batzios Architects (ek 251), the landmark brutalist building having first been designed by Alexandros Tombazis.

The selection of new hotels in Greece includes the dynamically angular Saint Hotel in Santorini by Kapsimalis Architects (ek 248) alongside the Editor Hotel by People (ek 252), a thoughtful reconstruction of an interwar building in the historical center of Athens.

Other outstanding projects and interiors that were complete during 2020 include the IntermiΣΣion Gallery in Piraeus by Kokorelia Architects (ek 245), the Centro Ottici optical store in Nea Smirni by Mold Architects (ek 247), the Bioaroma Museum and Experience Store in Crete by KAAF Architects (ek 247) and the new Zeus+Dione Flagship in Athens by en route architecture (ek 248).

We are looking forward to an equally exciting 2021, wishing everyone happy holidays!