A major exhibition at the Athens Conservatoire unfolded as an immersive narrative on the 50 years long journey of Pieris.Architects and the firm’s longstanding commitment to sustainability, design innovation, and sensory architecture.

How many “breaths” can a “dive” into an iconic Bauhaus landmark in the heart of Athens hold? How can contemporary Greek architectural creation inspire renowned international artists? Can architecture emit… scent and sound?

A retrospective — yet forward-looking — exploration of fifty years of practice, “2nd Nature” positioned architecture not simply as a discipline of construction, but as a living, breathing cultural force.
Exhibition:
2nd Nature: 50 Years Pieris.Architects

Durations:
8–16 November 2024

Place:
Athens Conservatoire

Auspices:
Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport
Region of Attica
National and Kapodistrian University of Athens
University of Thessaly
Hellenic Institute of Architecture.
Co-curated by Pieris.Architects and DpS Athens, “2nd Nature” explored the intersection of art, architecture, and sustainability through selected projects and artistic installations. Hosted at the multi-purpose space Ω2, the exhibition invited visitors into a layered, experiential reading of space — one that transcended the visual and engaged the full spectrum of the senses.

The exhibition narrative unfolded through five interconnected thematic sections:

01_Embracing the Unexpected.

An immersive installation, created in collaboration with landscape architect Karolos Chanikian (Greenways) and lighting engineer Giorgos Samoladopoulos (Site Specific), invited visitors to “dive” into a spatial experience shaped by light, texture, and movement. The work examined how ecological thinking can transform the way we perceive and interact with nature.
02_Echoes of Structure.

Large-scale and forward-thinking projects were presented, including the award-winning proposal for the Metropolitan Water Airport of Attica and the Sports, Cultural & Environmental Park of Agia Paraskevi. A central highlight was “The SPOT” (Sustainable Practices of Tomorrow), a carbon-neutral university building at the University of Patras, constructed using 3D robotic concrete printing — one of the first full-scale applications of this technology in Greece.
03. Softness of the Environments

Projects of varying scales — both realized and conceptual — demonstrated how architecture can gently embed itself within rural landscapes, island topographies, and dense urban fabrics through adaptive reuse. Among the featured works were the Olon glamping site in Milos, the award-winning Tella Thera hotel in Chania, Crete, Olivia Eterna, and Gazi Vision in Athens
04_Visual Diaries.

This section revealed the internal life of the studio: drawings, models, workshop material, notes, and process documentation. It offered a rare insight into the layered, collaborative, and iterative nature of architectural creation.
05_ Pnoé (Breath)

The final thematic section functioned as a connective thread between Pieris.Architects’ work and selected creations by international artists. The dialogue centered on climate, energy, and the vital relationship between architecture and the natural world.
Participants included Crina Arghirescu Rogard with her handcrafted “Narcissus Mirror_series 2” made from recycled leather in collaboration with Hartis; ceramic artist Todd Marshard; and Roxane Revon with her wheatgrass-root textiles. Pieris.Architects also presented their own functional sculptural objects, including the “Kellert tables” trilogy crafted from repurposed marble.




The architectural journey of Pieris.Architects in numbers

2
Generations
12.500
Creative Days
204
Built Projects
93
People Working Together
23
International Industry Awards & Honors
7
Artist Collaborations
17
Energy - Reduction Initiatives
8
Sustainable Development Goals






“2nd Nature” CONTRIBUTORS

Curation
Pieris.Architects & DpS Athens

Concept & Design
DpS Athens

Under the auspices of
- Ministry of Infrastructure and Transportation
- Region of Attica
- National and Kapodistrian University of Athens
- University of Thessaly
- Hellenic Institute of Architecture

Affiliate Collaborators
- COSMOS | ESG & CSR Consulting | Sustainable Synergies Organiser
- GREENWAYS Landscape Architecture Chanikian ltd | Landscape design
- SITE-SPECIFIC | Lighting design
- Virna Koutla | Soundscape design

Supporters

Summit
- ALUMIL | Aluminium frames
- Elval Colour | Etalbond
- HERACLES Group, a member of Holcim Group | Video
- MARMYK Iliopoulos S.A. | Marble

Horizon
- NEOKEM S.A. | Powder coatings
- SCENT::LINQ PRO | Scent

Perspective
- Benjamin Moore | Colour paints
- CENTRO Kitchen|Wardrobe|Living | Plywood & OSB
- PROGETTO | Architectural Terrazzo & Ceramic Surfaces
- SANELCO ALL ABOUT WOOD | HPL

Outlook
- Asset Interiors SA | Furniture
- HELLENIC HALYVOURGIA S.A. | Reinforcement bars
- Knauf | Plasterboard

Media Sponsors
- ARCHISEARCH.gr
- Design Ambassador

Food & Beverage
- Granikal (Aperitivo Spritz by Luxardo & Mala Peruviana)
- Illy Regenerative Agriculture
- Paros Farming Community
- V. Roubis: bfresh spitiko & feeju

Construction
- TEXNODOMIKH OE | Plasterboards & painting
- Metaloutec - Aluminum & steel applications | Metal applications

Artists
- Crina Arghirescu Rogard and Hartis
- Roxane Revon
- Todd Marshard
- Thomas Van Noten


Production
Pieris.Architects


Curation
Under the auspicies
Affiliate Collaborators
Summit Sponsors
Horizon Sponsors
Media Sponsors







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