The Stavros Niarchos Foundation cultural centre is a world-class centre for the arts, culture and knowledge, housing the Greek National Opera House and the Greek National Library. 

This sustainability-focused centre also includes vital green space where cultural events and activities can be held. Located near Faliron Bay in downtown Athens, the inspiring architecture and engineering design are key to the development of the local area.

Arup’s work with architects Renzo Piano Building Workshop helped provide design strategies across a wide range of services, including a focus on reducing energy and water demands using passive design solutions. A 10,000m2 canopy of PV cells will produce a large amount of electrical energy, whilst offering solar shading for the building and reducing its cooling demands.

The 1,400-seat opera theatre provides the building’s architectural focus, with a large, full-height atrium and fully glazed façade, accompanies by a smaller, 400-seat black box theatre. The Cultural Centre’s architectural design, made to imagine a piece of the earth’s crust rising from the ground, has been lauded internationally and proven influential. It is the first building in Greece to achieve a LEED platinum certification, and was nominated for the coveted RIBA International Prize in 2018.

Exterior of stavros niarchos foundation cultural centre

The opera house provides the building’s architectural focus with a large, full-height atrium and fully glazed façade. 

Interior render of Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Centre

The design focuses on the reduction of energy and water demands using passive design solutions, where possible.

Render of Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Centre

Arup provided design strategies across a wide range of services, which will deliver state-of-the-art engineering to the centre.

Partners & collaborators

Renzo Piano Building Workshop SRL