Embassy of the United States

91 Vas. Sofias Ave, Athens, 1959-61

Architects:
Walter Gropius (1883-1969) - The Architects’ Collaborative
Consulting architect
Pericles Sakellarios (1903-1985)



The Embassy of the USA constitutes a point of reference in the urban fabric of Athens and a benchmark in its modern architectural history. It was designed with particular expressionist and symbolic demands by Walter Gropius and his US colleagues, during the time when the Bauhaus master builder had become distanced from the spirit of the radical Modern Movement. This was a typical instance of the neohistorical trend of the 1950s, in which the type of the peripteral temple of Greek antiquity was re-interpreted superficially by the code of the International Style.
The Embassy is a square peripteral (i.e. surrounded by a single range of columns) building three storeys high with an interior atrium open on the side of the garden. On the internal articulation of the offices, light movable partitions were used so that they could be adjusted to reflect changing needs. The structural elements are of reinforced concrete and the building’s exterior is faced with white Pentelic marble. The two upper floors are suspended from beams, each of which is supported by two columns placed externally around the building and internally on the sides of the atrium. Large cantilevers offer shade and the double ceiling includes a ventilation system.
The most characteristic features of the façade are the slim, high marble-sheeted perimetric piers as well as the perimetric cantilever. On the ground floor, the glass panels are protected by a perforated blue ceramic curtain, while the faces of the upper floors are treated with large sheets of glass in an aluminium frame.
The low coefficient of lot coverage, unusual in Athenian conditions, made it possible to landscape the outdoor area in an interesting way. But subsequent interventions and fencing for security reasons eliminated the free and open spirit of the initial design.

TRANSPORTATION