He passed away at the age of 85, after a serious and prolonged illness, said the architect Alexandros Topaziswhose architectural firm was chosen to work with that of Briton David Chipperfield on the update and expansion of the National Archaeological Museum.
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He was born in Karachi (then British India) on April 10, 1939. At the age of six, his family moved to England and a year later, in 1947, he settled in Greece. He graduated from the School of Architecture at the National Technical University of Athens in 1962, where he excelled and was honored with the Thomaidio and Chrysovergio awards. In the period 1963 – 1965 he was curator of the Department of Architectural Compositions at NTUA.
From 1964 to 1966 he worked as a scientific assistant to Constantinos A. Doxiadis, where he dedicated himself to theoretical studies and research. In 1963 she founded the Study Office “Alexandrou N. Topazis” and carried out architectural projects in Greece and abroad. His interest in technology and the first oil crisis led him to initially deal with the use of solar energy and later with other alternative energy sources. Thus, from the 70s onwards he dedicated himself mainly to architecture with an emphasis on Bioclimatic Design and applied its principles on a large scale. He believed that to design a building it is necessary to take into account the climatic characteristics of the location and use them in the best possible way. His architectural works and texts were published in publications inside and outside Greece, in architectural magazines, in the daily and periodical press, as well as in conference proceedings.
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He participated as a judge in several architectural competitions and in committees of experts on alternative energy sources. He was a visiting examiner at the Dublin and Strathclyde schools of architecture in Glasgow. He has given lectures in more than 24 countries.
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He has been honored in more than 95 Panhellenic or invitational competitions and 15 international competitions. He was a member of the Technical Chamber of Greece (TEE), the Association of Greek Research Offices (SADAS), the Association of Greek Research Offices (SEGM), the International Solar Energy Society (ISES), the American Solar Energy Society ( ASES), the Hellenic Solar Society Energy (ELETHILEN), is a Life Fellow of Passive and Low Energy Architecture (PLEA), is an honorary member of the American Association of Architects (AIA), a member of the Board of Directors of the Hellenic Institute of Architecture (EIA) and the Hellenic Architectural Society.
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Alexandros Tombazis, who stood out for bioclimatic architecture and sustainable building design, was a descendant of the ancient naval family of Hydra. His son, Nikolaos Tombazis, was the chief designer of the Ferrari Formula 1 team.
Architectural work
He has handled various types of projects such as residences, office buildings, educational buildings, hospitals, places of worship, etc. some of them are:
Evangelical School of Smyrna
DIFROS residential complex, Chalandri – Athens
DRYADES residential complex, Kifisia – Athens
Iliako Chorio, Pefki-Lykovrysi – Athens
Church of the Holy Trinity, Fátima – Portugal
Bank of Greece Central Services Office Building and Monetary Museum, Amerikis Street, Athens
Athens College Bodosakeio Primary School, Kantza Attica
Athens Pediatric Center (later Athens Medical Center), Marousi – Athens
Bioclimatic building of the Department of Pharmacy at the University of Patras
Message of condolences from Minister of Culture Lina Mendonis
Informed of the loss of Alexandros N. Topazis, Minister of Culture Lina Mendoni made the following statement:
We said goodbye to Alexandros N. Topazis with great sadness, but also with great gratitude for his profound mark on architecture, in our cities, in public space. Alexandros N. Topazis, with a fruitful career spanning six decades, is rightly ranked among the greatest post-war architects. From the first years of his activity he made a decisive contribution to the renewal of neo-Greek architecture and its transition from modernism to post-modernism. Essentially introducing, with its visionary spirit, bioclimatic planning in our country, an already consolidated capital, but with enormous criticality and potential for the future of our cities.
Alexandros N. Topazis was an internationally renowned and recognized architect. His legacy lives on in his dozens of projects, from the pioneering Difros housing complex to the Patras University School of Pharmacy building and, of course, the Church of the Holy Trinity in Fátima, Portugal. The most recent example of his work is his office’s collaboration with David Chipperfield on the proposal for the New National Archaeological Museum, which has been qualified and is in the process of being implemented.
Alexandros N. Tombazis was, however, a unique teacher, in theory, with his numerous writings, but also in practice. Some of the greatest Greek architects of the last half century studied with him, before spreading their own wings. He was always there for everyone with unrelenting understanding and help, and this is his indelible legacy and influence.
To his children, Despina, who continues his work in his office, and Nikolas, who has been writing his special career for decades, to his grandchildren, to his countless colleagues and friends, I send my sincere condolences.