Neiheiser Argyros and Esé Studio revive historic Aigli Zappeiou in Athens

Architecture studios Neiheiser Argyros and Esé Studio have completed the first phase of the new Aigli Zappeiou, a hospitality complex located within the National Garden of Athens, adjacent to the Zappeion Hall. Originally built in 1904 as a café, Aigli has been a landmark of Athenian social life for more than a century. The redesign reimagines its role as a more open, inclusive, and contemporary meeting point in the city. The architects describe their approach as “ornamental minimalism,” blending classical and contemporary elements. Historic features such as columns, patterned marble, and woodwork have been retained but pared back, allowing food, art, and social life to take center stage. The once inward-looking building has been opened up to the surrounding gardens with new terraces, planters, and expanded views. Covering 1,300 square metres, the complex is envisioned as a collection of distinct yet connected venues, from cafés and restaurants to cultural and event spaces. The first two to open are the all-day café and the restaurant. The all-day café is conceived as a modern grand café with 320 indoor and outdoor seats. A 20-metre marble bar anchors the historic double-height space, while ficus trees and rough-cut Tinos marble surfaces create a dialogue with the gardens. The café accommodates a wide range of uses, from morning coffee to late-night gatherings. By contrast, the restaurant offers a more intimate fine-dining experience for 150 guests, with views of the Acropolis and the National Garden. Its design reintroduces the red-and-white patterned marble floor, mirrored in a contemporary wood-inlay ceiling. Custom furnishings, layered textures, and a sculptural central bar add warmth and sophistication. The reimagined Aigli positions itself as both a cultural landmark and a dynamic urban destination, a “container of contrasts” where historic memory and contemporary life coexist.