FIX BUILDING
MUSEUM
FIX BUILDING
Emblematic landmark, has stood out for over a century in the Athenian scene.
The National Museum of Contemporary Art Athens (EMST) is situated in the old FIX brewery, an Athenian landmark with distinct architectural and sociological significance.
The past
Ιn the late 19th century, the FIX brewery was moved to a new location, between what is now Syngrou Avenue and Kallirois Avenue. In the still unstructured area, a new factory was built on the west bank of the Ilissos river. In the years that followed, the building underwent gradual transformations to meet the growing needs of the FIX brewery.
The year 1957 is a milestone in the history of the building. The Fix family decided to modernize the brewery and entrusted its redesign and renovation to the architect Takis Zenetos, one of the most significant representatives of post-war modernism in Greece, in collaboration with Margaritis Apostolidis. Zenetos, without interrupting the operation of the factory, integrated all the existing buildings in the new design and created an extroverted, flexible construction, capable of being transformed and of adapting to diverse circumstances in future use. The renovation was completed in 1961. Zenetos’ industrial building is considered to be pioneering for its architecture era and imposed on the post-war urban landscape with the dynamics of its form, size and elongated shape.
The building was abandoned in the late 1970’s. Damage along with the installation of advertising panels distorted its character. There were intense and long lasting concerns regarding its preservation and utilisation. In 1995, part of the northern section of the building was demolished, despite the reactions of the Greek and international architectural community.
The present
In 2000, the ground floor of the building was temporarily given to the newly established EMST, while two years later, it was decided that the Fix building would become the permanent home of the Museum. This gave way to a new creative metamorphosis. After winning the architectural competition (2003), the bidding partnership 3SK Stylianidis Architects, in collaboration with Kalliope Kontozoglou, I.Mouzakis & Associates-Architects Ltd and Tim Ronalds Architects undertook the design development of the building.
According to the architects, the two façades of the building found on Syngrou Avenue and Frantzi Street formed the main axis of the reconstruction as they were to be preserved and remain intact, while the main entrance on Kallirois Avenue marked the new Museum. The Ilissos river trail inspired the design of a large vertical surface of roughly-hewn marble that lean against an aquatic wall – waterfall. The fourth side of the building was approached as an unfinished structure awaiting for its completion after the demolition. Today, the building expands 18,142 m² on a 3,123 m² plot of land, although lacking external space, it provides the city with an internal public area inside the building. The top floor offers visitors a panoramic view of the cityscape from the Acropolis to the south seaside.
The long history of this emblematic building, intertwined with the history of the city, its inhabitants and the many different people who are connected to it, is multidimensional recalling intense memories. Today, the Fix building bears the collective memory of the city, while at the same time hosts the present and the future of contemporary art.
FIX BUILDING TIMELINE
1893
As part of its expansion, the FIX brewery relocated to the current Syngrou Avenue. +
At that time, the area was still unstructured. New and large for the standards of the era, the factory was built on the west bank of the Ilissos river, not far from the ruins of the Temple of Olympian Zeus. In the years that followed, the building underwent gradual transformations to meet the growing needs of the FIX brewery.
1950
In the context of the country’s industrial reconstruction, in the mid-1950s, FIX brewery managed to flourish after the difficult years of World War II. In order to meet the needs of the ever-increasing production, the FIX brewery decided to reconstruct the factory.
1957
Ο ανασχεδιασμός και η ανάπλαση του κτηρίου ανατίθενται στον αρχιτέκτονα Τάκη Ζενέτο, έναν από τους σημαντικότερους εκπροσώπους του μεταπολεμικού μοντερνισμού στην Ελλάδα, σε συνεργασία με τον αρχιτέκτονα Μαργαρίτη Αποστολίδη. +
The redesign and reconstruction of the building was entrusted to the architect Takis Zenetos, one of the most important representatives of post-war modernism in Greece, in collaboration with the architect Margaritis Apostolidis. The architect’s goal was to integrate all the existing buildings in the new design, without interrupting the factory’s operation, and to create an extroverted, flexible construction, capable of being transformed and of adapting to diverse circumstances in future use.
1961
The Zenetos’ industrial building was complete, a pioneering factory, both in design and equipment. +
The architectural proposal was a sharp and lucid summary of the principles of modernism: dynamic forms, clear and austere lines, large openings, and an emphasis on the horizontal axis. The linearity of the façades combined with the scale of the project provided a sensation that the building extends to infinity, with its extrovert nature reflected in the way that the factory’s operations are visible through the large expanses of glass around the building at street level, where the machinery was installed. This pioneering edifice imposed itself on the haphazard, characterless cityscape of post-war Athens.
1970
In the late 1970s, the building was left idle. In the ensuing years, the Fix building remained unused. +
Damage in both the interior and the exterior shell and the installation of advertising panels distorted its character. Concerns about the preservation and utilization of the building, which is a landmark of architectural and sociological value, were intense and long-standing. Proposals were made for the reuse of the building as a commercial, industrial, conference, cultural, and research center, but also for its demolition for the creation of a park.
1994
In December, a compulsory expropriation on public benefit grounds brought the building under the ownership of Attiko Metro S.A. Despite the strong reactions of the Greek and international architectural community, its northern part was demolished.
2000
In February, following conversion work on the building’s ground floor, the Ministry of Culture and the Yannis Tsarouchis Foundation organized the exhibition Yannis Tsarouchis, Between East and West. The same year, this facility turned over to the newly-established National Museum of Contemporary Art Athens (EMST) as a temporary venue.
2002
It was decided for the remaining part of the old FIX brewery to become the Museum’s permanent home, and a 50-year lease signed between Attiko Metro S.A and EMST. +
After an Open Tender Procedure, EMST assigned all necessary Project Management Services to a Project Management Firm under the name Ellinotechniki S.A. to monitor and review the Design and the Reconstruction of the Museum building. At the same time, the process of recording the building’s existing condition begins, along with the planning of the Museum’s building program, while an Architectural Tender (Restricted Procedure to be conducted in two stages) for the award of the Contract for the Design of EMST was announced.
2003
The first prize of the Architectural Tender was awarded to the bidding partnership: 3SK Stylianidis Architects, in collaboration with Kalliope Kontozoglou, I. Mouzakis & Associate Architects, Tim Ronalds Architects, Studies of Technical Projects, Pan. Babilis and Associates LLC, INSTA.
2004
EMST and the bidding partnership of the first prize of the Architectural Tender signed the Design Development Contract.
2005
In March, the First Stage of the Architectural Design (Initial Design) was submitted. +
During the First Stage of the International Restricted Procedure Tender for the award of the Contract for the “Construction of the National Museum of Contemporary Art Athens” Project, 15 construction firms submitted folders of interest: EKTER S.A, AKTOR S.A., J&P ABAX, EDRASIS C. PSALLIDAS S.A., BIOTER S.A., ENTECHNOS S.A., ERETVO S.A., ELTER S.A., MOCHLOS S.A., INTRAKAT S.A., ATHENA S.A., ANASTILOTIKI S.A., MICHANIKI S.A., GANTZOULAS S.A., TERNA S.A. In September, the Second Stage of the Architectural Design (Final Design) was submitted, while in October, the International Tender (Restricted Procedure to be conducted in two stages) for the award of the Contract for the “Construction of the National Museum of Contemporary Art Athens” Project was announced. In November, the Third Stage of the Architectural Design (Application Design) was submitted.
2006
ΜIn accordance with the decision of the Board of Directors of EMST, the following ten construction firms were designated to participate in the Second Stage of the International Restricted Procedure Tender for the award of the Contract for the “Construction of the National Museum of Contemporary Art Athens” Project: +
AKTOR S.A., J&P ABAX S.A., EDRASIS C. PSALLIDAS S.A., BIOTER S.A., ERETVO S.A, ATHENA S.A., ANASTILOTIKI S.A., MICHANIKI S.A., TERNA S.A., EKTER S.A. Except for J&P ABAX S.A., the other nine construction firms submitted their financial offers. The Board of Directors of EMST declared the construction firm BIOTER S.A as the lowest bidder of the Tender and as the Contractor for the “Construction of the National Museum of Contemporary Art Athens” Project. Meanwhile, on February 22 the Single-Member Court of First Instance of Athens rejected the Temporary Injunction brought by the firm ENTECHNOS S.A. against the decision of the Board of Directors of EMST, according to which ENTECHNOS S.A. was excluded from the further procedure of the Tender for the award of the Contract for the “Construction of the National Museum of Contemporary Art Athens” Project. Hearing of the Temporary Injunction that AKTOR S.A. brought against the decision of the Board of Directors of EMST, on July 4, according to which the construction firm BIOTER S.A. was pronounced temporary bidder of the Tender for the award of the Contract for the “Construction of the National Museum of Contemporary Art Athens” Project. The decision of the Single-Member Court of First Instance, on October 4, rejected the Temporary Injunction of the firm AKTOR S.A. and procedures for the construction of the building continued. On November 11, AKTOR S.A., the third-lowest bidder construction firm, lodged a complaint to the European Commission against the Tender Procedure for awarding the Contract for the “Construction of the National Museum of Contemporary Art Athens” Project.
2007
On May 2, according to the Letter of the European Commission at the present stage, “there were no sufficient clues to prove the violation of the European Union law on Public Contracts, regarding the issues of the complaint”. +
Following in June, the Contract for the “Construction of the National Museum of Contemporary Art Athens” Project between EMST and the lowest bidder BIOTER S.A. was signed. Until September, preliminary works were held by the Contractor to set up operations in the construction site till asbestos was found in the building ceasing all activities.
2008
On February 29, works for the removal of hazardous materials began. +
On April 22 and May 8, clean certificates were issued by Plinios A.E. Company. On November 25, a Supplementary Contract was signed between EMST and the Contractor. A 208-day extension was given to the Contractor to complete the “Construction of the National Museum of Contemporary Art Athens” Project.
2009
By the end of July 2009, the tardy progress of the Project by the Contractor resulted in the executed works being less than 10% of the anticipated by the Contractual Issues. +
Due to a significant delay in the delivery of the Project, the Board of Directors of EMST, during the 21st July 2009 meeting, decided to send a Special Call to the Contractor. On August 18, according to Article 5.6 of the General Obligations Agreement, a Special Call was sent to the Contractor. The 5/11/2009 decision of the Board of Directors of EMST, which rejected the Contractor’s objection to the declaration of default from the Project Contract, was notified to the Contractor on December 1. Three days later, the Contractor brought a Temporary Injunction to the Single-Member Court of First Instance against EMST, requesting the suspension of the 5/11/2009 decision of the Board of Directors of EMST, non-forfeiture of the Contractor guarantees, and Temporary Order. On December 11, the Single-Member Court of First Instance Temporary Order ordered the suspension of the 5/11/2009 decision of the Board of EMST and non-forfeiture of the Contractors guarantees.
2010
On January 18, a hearing of the Contractors Temporary Injunction against EMST took place before the Single-Member Court of First Instance. +
On June 30, under the decision of the Board of Directors of EMST, a five-member Legal-technical Committee of consultative nature was designated to promote the procedures for the completion of the Museum Building and all relative legal issues. On July 15, according to No. 5835 Decision of the Single-Member Court of First Instance of Athens, the Contractor’s Temporary Injunction against EMST was rejected, while the declaration of default from the Project Contract as well as the forfeiture of guarantees was confirmed. In the framework of the Project Contract settlement, after the declaration of default of the Contractor, and the preparation of New Tender Issues for the construction of the Museum building, the Board of Directors of EMST decided to assign a Design for the Architectural-Geometrical Plan of the existing condition of the Museum Building. On September 29, the Board of Directors of EMST decided upon a New Tender for the award of the Contract for the Project “Construction of the National Museum of Contemporary Art Athens” after the declaration of default of the Contractor from the Project Contract.
2011
The signing of the Contract for the Project: Construction of the National Museum of Contemporary Art Athens between EMST and the construction company AKTOR S.A.
2014
On May 29, “Certificate of Completion of Work of the First (1st) Stage of the Project Implementation” was issued by the Project Manager. On December 30, the “Certificate of Completion of the Limit Test Conditions, Tests and Measurements of the Second (2nd) Stage of the Project Execution” was issued.
2015
On April 21, the Protocol for the Consignment of the Acceptance of the Project “Construction of the National Museum of Contemporary Art Athens” was signed between EMST, the Contractor, and the Project Manager. On May, 7 and 8, EMST moved its administrative offices and its equipment to the first floor of its new building.
2016
In May, the Council of Museums approved the new Museological and Museographical Studies. In July, the Final Acceptance of the building was fulfilled and in September, the “Design, Construction and Equipment of the National Museum of Contemporary Art Athens (EMST)” at the NSRF was completed.
2020
The National Museum of Contemporary Art Athens is now open to the public. Ready to welcome its visitors with its permanent collection, exhibitions, and activities.
ARCHITECTS
TAKIS ZENETOS
Takis Zenetos was born in Athens in 1926. He was one of the most important representatives of post-war architecture in Greece, designing some of the most beautiful buildings during the late ’50s, ’60s, and ’70s. He studied at the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris (1945 -1952). He returned to Greece in 1955 and, along with Margaritis Apostolidis, started an architectural firm. Their early works include the factories FIX and APCO, houses in Kavouri, the block of flats in Amalias Avenue, the homes in Glyfada and Psychiko, the open-air theater in Lycabettus, and the round school in Ag. Dimitrios. Zenetos completed 120 works in total, including the Regional development plan of the Greater Athens area, many industrial buildings, noteworthy houses, and blocks of flats. His work was published in many European magazines. He died in 1977.
MARGARITIS APOSTOLIDIS
Margaritis Apostolidis was born in Athens in 1921. He was a Greek modernist architect. He studied architecture at the famous École des Beaux-Arts in Paris at the atelier of Otello Zavaroni, where he completed his dissertation entitled “Aquarium in Athens”. Returning to Greece, he opened a joint office with Takis Zenetos and collaborated on all the major projects of the 1956-1965 period bearing their signature. Part of the archive of the works of Margaritis Apostolidis is in the Archives of Modern Greek Architecture of the Benaki Museum. He was married to the actress Anna Kyriakou with whom he had a son, the civil engineer Christos Apostolidis. Additionally, for 40 consecutive years, he offered his services as a technical consultant to the “Asylum for the Infirm”. He passed away on January 16, 2005.
3SK STYLIANIDIS ARCHITECTS
3SK Stylianidis Architects are based in Athens. They have realized projects of high specifications and they are active nationwide and abroad. The group focuses on creative design and has great and acknowledged know-how of materials and construction. Their projects cover design as a whole: public buildings, cultural centers, theatres, museums, offices, shops, working spaces, banks, hotels, and big tourist entities, as well as private houses and residential complexes. The group has considerable expertise in handling complex design projects, which are particularly demanding, as far as time is concerned.
KALLIOPE KONTOZOGLOU
BArchHons, AADiplHons, RIBA III, ArkUK, TEE. She collaborated with Tim Ronalds (1982-1988). Her last project, the Jacksons Lane Theatre, won, in 1988, The Sunday Times-RIBA Community Award, sponsored by the Prince of Wales. Upon her return to Athens (1989), she joined T.Spanomaridis and I.Zachariadis as a partner for a year, before starting her own practice, Axis Mundi Architects. In 2003 she formed, with A. and B. Stylianidis and K.Sionis, 3SKStylianidis Architects. Since 2010, she has been operating as a freelance architect, both in Greece as well as abroad. She has been teaching design at numerous universities, 1982-today (AA, GSD-Harvard, UBC-Canada, Academy of Fine Art-Vienna). Currently, she is an Adjunct Professor of Architecture at UWA, where she teaches the Athens Studio (1994-today).
TIM RONALDS ARCHITECTS
Tim Ronalds Architects are renowned in Great Britain due to their many distinctions, as well as the high-quality work they provide. The studio specializes in composite constructions and reconstructions of existing edifices: buildings for the arts, theatres, and cultural centers. Some of their recent works are The Landmark, a building – museum for a wider area in Ilfracombe comprising a theatre and a visitor’s pavilion (RIBA, 1999), the Mick Jagger Arts Centre, the Brighton College Arts Centre (1st prize), the restoration and reconstruction of Hackney Empire Theatre, London, the new musical stage in Watford, Salisbury Cultural Centre etc.
I.MOUZAKIS & ASSOCIATES-ARCHITECTS LTD STUDIES
I. Mouzakis & Associates-Architects Ltd Studies is comprised of architects, who have worked since 1972 providing architectural services in a wide typological range and large scale of building constructions. Its architects have great experience in complex and special projects, both in the public and private sectors, in every phase of study and realization of the undertaken works. Their experience covers the fields of Residence, Education, Industry, Office and Administration, Hospitals, Tourist and Sports Facilities, Solar Energy Applications, Research, and Air stations.
