The Ministry of Culture, on the occasion of the damage caused by Daniel, to the building of the Athanasake Museum in Volos, proceeds, with the valuable donation from the Union of Greek Shipbuilders, to the construction of a new building, in the area surrounding the Museum, where they find all support and auxiliary uses, within the scope of enhancing their functions and adapting them to the needs and demands of the modern museum.
The Athanasakeion Archaeological Museum of Volos – is a single-story neoclassical building, built in stone, with a total area of 870 m2. and seven exhibition spaces – located on the beach, in Anavros park. It is one of the oldest museums in the country and until recently the central Archaeological Museum of Thessaly. The reason and purpose for its creation was the accommodation and display of written tombstones from the Hellenistic era, from the ancient Demetriada cemetery, which appeared at the beginning of the 20th century.
The Minister of Culture, Lina Mendonisaid: “The Athanasaki Archaeological Museum of Volos, which was built in 1909, with money provided by Alexios Athanasakis of the Pelion Ordinance, has been classified as a work of art and historical monument with its surrounding area, as it is, perhaps, the only building public from the neoclassical period, from the beginning of the 20th century, preserved in Volos. At the same time, it is a reference point for the city, as it is linked to the historical memories of its inhabitants. restored. In the autopsy we carried out, immediately after the phenomenon ceased, I asked the competent services of the Ministry of Culture to speed up the procedures for the construction of a new building, which would house the museum’s support functions, as well as the configuration of the surroundings, with the removal of the improvised construction houses that create insecurity in the Museum building. Today, the Athanasakeion Archaeological Museum with the addition of the new wing, based on the principles of the bioclimatic approach and energy valorization, with the configuration of the surrounding area, answers no. only functionally but also aesthetically to the needs of the modern museum. The Museum modernization project will be implemented thanks to the generosity of the Union of Greek Shipowners, within the framework of the Memorandum of Cooperation between the Ministry of the Interior and the EEA, for the restoration of Thessaly’s cultural infrastructure from damage caused by catastrophic floods . I would like to thank EEE, its President, Melina Traulou and the members of the Board of Directors for their sensitivity, immediate response and our excellent cooperation.”
The basic choice of the architectural proposal is the removal of the construction shacks and the creation of a new building in a position that allows a global and unobstructed view of the old monument building, from the uncovered area and the two main streets. The surrounding area is kept uniform on two levels, as it is today. The upper part is in contact with the Monument and will remain with the original engraving and drawing. The unstructured lower level is intended for an outdoor sculpture gallery and green spaces. To place the new building in this specific location, all the scattered small buildings, which were built at different times to mainly cover the storage and storage needs of finds, are demolished. All containers that alter the image of the Museum’s surroundings and prevent unimpeded viewing are also removed. The existing auxiliary buildings, as well as the metal containers, are replaced by a single-story building with a semi-basement, to support the Museum’s operations.
The composition develops into three distinct functional sections of unified architecture and morphological and logical perception. The first section includes two sectors, the northern sector and the middle sector, and they are related to the public. The northern sector is developed on the ground floor, which includes the ticket office, security areas and store. In the layout of the ground floor roof, a basement is built with auxiliary uses, required by the architectural plan, such as staff hygiene areas. The intermediate sector includes the multipurpose room and the cafeteria on the ground floor, with the possibility of integration for larger events. In the basement there are spaces for E/M installations, warehouses and public toilets. The two units are separated on the ground floor by a small interior courtyard with planting. The second part is the ground floor with a semi-basement and is located at the bottom of the building. It includes the laboratory section, the necessary storage as well as the researchers’ and conservators’ offices, with the meeting room and the library. It has the possibility of an independent external entrance, while internal connection and communication is made through a covered corridor, from the second part to the first, on the ground floor and basement. The third section is completely underground, taking advantage of the difference in level in the complex’s two courtyards. It mainly includes storage areas and part of the electromechanical installations. It has the possibility of direct entry through the lower courtyard for convenient storage, but also internal connection to the main basement of the main building.
Source: Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Diligence:George Koulouvaris
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