ek magazine 293 | December 2024

Best of 2024

The final issue of this year includes, as always, the “Best of” section, featuring the projects distinguished by our editorial team and published throughout 2024. This provides an opportunity for a comprehensive evaluation of the annual production of completed works and insights regarding their number, typology, and quality compared to previous years. As a result, both the number of buildings selected per category and the categories themselves differ from year to year.
The distinguished projects of 2024 fall into four typologies: Residential Buildings (2), Hotels (4), Special Purpose Buildings (2), and Interior Design Projects (2). It is worth noting that, once again this year, one of the two selected residences was completed in Cyprus, which has consistently showcased outstanding examples of architecture in this field and beyond. Additionally, the National Observatory of Cyprus, one of the two projects recognized in the “Special Purpose Buildings” category, stands out as a particularly compelling proposal for how strict geometry can engage with the natural landscape and the celestial dome, having already garnered international recognition.
A key initiative of ek magazine is its annual organization of two event cycles with distinct themes in May and December, respectively. The May events focus on highlighting materiality in architecture through the work of Greek architects, while the December events aim to explore the work of prominent architectural firms in the country.
In May 2024, the fifth event of the Material Matters series was held in the atrium of the Benaki Museum, dedicated to an extraordinary factor of spatial quality in architecture: color. The captivating lecture by keynote speaker architect Dimitris Antonakakis, alongside other compelling presentations and strong public attendance, once again affirmed the success of this event series.

The year 2024 will conclude with the honorary event “Typologies of Emotions: Kokkinou-Kourkoulas Architects” in the Lighthouse Hall of the SNFCC on December 13. Ten invited speakers will deliver ten-minute presentations exploring various aspects of the firm’s award-winning, extensive, and high-quality body of work. The event will be accompanied by a carefully curated publication, sharing its title with the event. The book features selected photographs, sketches, and designs from the firm’s oeuvre, organized into five thematic sections: Light, Place, Perspective, Stratification, Movement.

Ariadni Vozani