Point Supreme

Point Supreme, an architecture studio based in Athens, was founded in 2008 in Rotterdam by Marianna Rentzou and Konstantinos Pantazis. Their careers have taken them through London, Brussels, Tokyo, and Rotterdam, where they worked at renowned firms such as OMA and MVRDV. The studio has received first prizes for projects including a social housing complex in Trondheim, the Faliro Pier in Athens, a public space in Tel Aviv, a fire lookout tower in Belgium, the new School of Architecture in Marseille, and an artists’ center in Genk. Their urban research has been featured at the 13th Venice Architecture Biennale, and they frequently teach at leading architecture schools, including Columbia University in New York and EPFL in Lausanne.

S.M.: What initially drew you to architecture? What was your entry point, and when did you realize you had your own perspective on the profession?

Konstantinos Pantazis: For me, it was two things. First, I realized that through architecture, one could influence the image of the city. Second, I was always intrigued by how differently I felt when entering unique homes -that sensation was exciting to me.

Marianna Rentzou: I originally studied Electrical and then Chemical Engineering, before realizing that my drive to create was stronger than my interest in math and engineering. Architecture fascinates me because it balances practicality with creativity and individuality. It provides a framework -whether it’s a building, a city, an interior, or a piece of furniture- that can adapt to the specific needs of people, families, society, and objects. At the same time, its impact is profound, which makes it deeply meaningful.

S.M.: One of the key influences on your work was your time at OMA in Rotterdam. How did that experience shape the way you approach projects in Greece- even in less obvious ways?

K.P.: Working with Rem Koolhaas and OMA was a defining moment in how we came to think about architecture. In the Netherlands, it felt as if we set aside everything we had learned in school and started over. At OMA, we were taught to only begin designing after conducting thorough research into the topic or building. Even now, we devote most of our design time to researching examples from architectural history- both global and Greek, formal and vernacular. Every idea and proposal we develop is grounded in the program, the function, and the user’s experience. Even decisions about form and aesthetics are driven by use. The focus is always the human being—not the building as an object. And finally, we learned that there are no absolute rules or conventions. The architect is a storyteller first, and an artist second.

M.R.: What stood out at OMA was their critical approach to the brief, their boldness in initiating projects independently, and their view of architecture and urbanism as interchangeable. A building was always seen as something that contributed to the city, and the city was treated as if it were a building. Our proposal for the Faliro Pier is a clear example of that influence. We expanded the scope of the brief- the proposal didn’t end with the platform but extended its impact across the entire Athenian coastline.

S.M.: After many years abroad, you chose to establish your office in Greece, right at the peak of the financial crisis. What drew you back to this place at that particular moment?

K.P.: Our primary interest has always been the city. Our experiences abroad gave us a new perspective on what Athens is -and what it could become. We came to appreciate its distinctiveness and potential. At the same time, we saw a lack of vision and attention in contemporary Greek architecture toward these qualities- and a loss of authentic Greek identity. We wanted to help define a new, contemporary Greek architecture. One that is globally aware but doesn’t blindly replicate international styles. Instead, it draws from the richness of Greek history, tradition, landscape, and climate to create something both modern and uniquely Greek.

M.R.: Interestingly, that’s exactly what the Japanese magazine a+u (architecture + urbanism) told us when they decided to dedicate an entire issue to our work -they saw us as an international studio, but one with a distinctly Greek identity.

Read the full interview at the ek issue 287 | May 2024.