The Greek Foundation
  • Architecture
  • Interiors
  • Design
  • Art
  • Fashion
  • Travel
  • Graphic Design
  • Gastronomy
  • Photography
  • Interviews
  • Visits
  • All Stories
  • Shop
  • About
  • Submit
  • Creatives
  • Stockists
  • Contact
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Spotify
The Greek Foundation
0 Shop
  • Architecture

Marathona Tombs Canopy by Giorgos Triantafyllou & Partners

Giorgos Triantafyllou & Partners designed the canopy of the tombs located in Vrana Marathonas, East Attica, an area excavated in 1970 as part of a larger and ambitious initiative to promote its archaeological site and in particular to protect two major tombs dating back to the middle Bronze Age, the so-called “twin brothers.”

This shed is not a typical building structure but is in fact a “protective shell” consisting of two main elements: a) a standalone horizontal protection frame, mounted on steel columns – acting as a shelter – and b) an “earthen” perimeter, surrounding the excavation site, similar to the fences that protect monasteries, precincts and graveyards, which creates a unique sense of introspection. This ‘mantra’ was designed to resemble a soil and earthly fence, a continuation of the landscape. The complex outline of the structure resulted from the layout of the canopy frame which could only be mounted on columns in a free formation, with archaeologicaly safe foundations and in line with the structure of the adjacent museum.

The perimeter panel is slotted and provides an optical connection between the interior and exterior, using vertical wooden blinds. These are introduced to emphasize the interior – which is dominated by the excavated tombs with the open graves and exposed animal and human bones – and create a sense of sacredness whilst establishing a parallel optical connection to the exterior surroundings. The panel is constructed using galvanized steel trusses layered by precast panels, which are in turn covered by a plaster surface resembling the texture and soil color of the surroundings. These two elements, the horizontal protection frame and the panel, coexist through a horizontal opening (band skylights), while maintaining their autonomy so that they can exist in the landscape as standalone elements.

In order to facilitate the flow of large groups of visitors around the site, wooden paths and platforms have been introduced, providing safety clearance from the excavated grounds or acting as footbridges over the open tombs. As a result, the size of the staging platforms and the width of the pathways and staircases are disproportionate. As a result of the size of the aforementioned architectural elements, they dominate the archaeological site especially in relation to the scale of the tombs. However, it would have been preferable to facilitate the visitor flow by enforcing appropriate crowd control and using smaller wooden pathways and platforms, mounted on simple wooden structures that wouldn’t affect the site, instead of the large metal frames imposed by the – rather excessive – regulation requirements.

Creative
Giorgos Triantafyllou & Partners
Credits

Photos © Giorgos Triantafyllou

Related Stories
View Post
  • Architecture

Mold Architects nestles Homa retreat into the scenic landscape of Vagia in Serifos

View Post
  • Interiors

Space is around us renovates mosaic-floored apartment in Kypseli blending past and present

View Post
  • Fashion
  • Interiors

Mouki Mou celebrates craftsmanship and quality in a light, modern space in Plaka

View Post
  • Interiors

Agis Mourelatos Architects complete ground-floor apartment in Athens where original and modern features coexist

View Post
  • Architecture
  • Interiors

KN Group unveils colorful new premises for EDENRED

View Post
  • Architecture

Domus Laetitiae: A house in a refugee settlement in Cyprus designed by Studio Kyriakos Miltiadou

  • Shop
  • Stories
  • About
  • Submit
  • Creatives
  • Stockists
  • Contact
  • Terms

Input your search keywords and press Enter.

We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept All”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent.
Cookie SettingsAccept All
Manage consent

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.
CookieDurationDescription
cookielawinfo-checkbox-analytics11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-functional11 monthsThe cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-others11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
viewed_cookie_policy11 monthsThe cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.
Functional
Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
Performance
Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
Analytics
Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
Advertisement
Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.
Others
Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet.
SAVE & ACCEPT