The Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center is a multifunctional and environmentally sustainable education, arts, and recreation complex which comprises of the 210,000m2 Stavros Niarchos Park, the new, state-of-the-art facilities of the National Library of Greece (NLG) and the Greek National Opera (GNO). The SNFCC is an exclusive donation of the Stavros Niarchos Foundation (www.SNF.org) to the Greek state.
The SNFCC was created for the public and was purposefully designed to facilitate access to all, including people with disabilities. The mission of the SNFCC is to enrich the everyday lives of Greeks and attract millions of visitors from around the world.
The site of the SNFCC is located 4.5 km south of central Athens at the Kallithea Municipality and is owned by the Greek State. Following discussions with the Ministry of Environment and Public Works and the mayor of Kallithea, the consensus emerged that the site was the most appropriate available piece of land for the construction of a project of such magnitude.
The construction of the SNFCC begun in 2012 and was completed in 2016. On February 23rd, 2017, Stavros Niarchos Foundation delivered the SNFCC to the Greek State.
In addition, visitors of the SNFCC have the opportunity to participate in a wide range of free athletic, educational and cultural events organized by SNFCC SA. These events are made possible through the exclusive support of the Stavros Niarchos Foundation. The aim of these events is to give visitors a chance to stroll through the SNFCC’s facilities and become actively engaged with its programming potential.
In 2009, the Stavros Niarchos Foundation signed a contract with the Greek State, agreeing to assume the total cost of building and equipping the SNFCC. The contract was ratified by the Greek Parliament. The total cost of the SNFCC reached $867/€630 million, including two grants of $6 mil (€5mil) each to the National Library of Greece and the Greek National Opera respectively, aiming to support the organizations’ transition to their new facilities. The grant is one of the largest donations in Greece’s history.
Consistent with its goals of advancing education and the arts, the Stavros Niarchos Foundation decided in 1998 to fund the construction of a building for the National Library of Greece, whose collections were housed in three separate locations and upgrade the facilities to enable access to learners of all ages, provide research and information resources, and connect the National Library to other Greek and major libraries in Greece and throughout the world. The concept was presented to the government, which expressed its support. Independent of this initiative, the SNF was considering a proposal to rebuild the premises of the Greek National Opera. The Foundation saw an exciting possibility to merge its disparate plans—one that was a perfect synthesis of its mission and commitment to Greece and could provide a lasting and transformative impact: to include the National Library of Greece, the Greek National Opera, and a cultural park in one site, and bequeath to the Greek people a great civic, cultural, educational and environmentally responsible landmark of international stature.
Renzo Piano, an internationally acclaimed architect (www.rpbw.com) undertook the architectural design of the SNFCC. He achieved worldwide fame in the 1970s with the Centre Georges Pompidou in Paris and has produced critically acclaimed cutting-edge buildings around the world since, including the regeneration of Genoa’s old port; the redevelopment of Potsdamer Platz in Berlin; the Kansai International Airport Terminal in Osaka; the remodeling and expansion of The Morgan Library & Museum and the New York Times’ new building in New York; and the Parco della Musica Auditorium in Rome. In 1998, Renzo Piano was awarded the Pritzker Prize, architecture’s highest honor. The selection of the architect for the design of the SNFCC was the result of a thorough evaluation of multiple candidates by the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Board of Directors and its advisors during the course of a closed international architectural competition. The Board remained focused on the candidates’ overall commitment to the excellence of every aspect of the SNFCC, their professional eminence as reflected by past success in relation to projects of similar scope and visibility, and their demonstrated respect for the history and culture of Greece. Renzo Piano fulfilled all of these requirements.
The Salini Impregilo-TERNA joint venture undertook the construction of the SNFCC. The specific joint venture was selected through an extensive process following international standards, whereby leading Greek and international construction companies were invited to submit their bids. The tender process to select the contractor lasted a total of 10 months, and involved eight companies. The fundamental prerequisites for the commission were the quality and safety of the project’s construction, based on the final architectural plans, strict adherence to the project’s budget and schedule, as well as the contractor’s experience, know-how and financial viability. The decision to assign the project to a joint venture that included a Greek company expressed the SNF’s original intent, for the construction of the SNFCC to bring significant and immediate economic benefits to the country.
In regards to permanent positions, stay informed on possible future job openings by visiting the appropriate section of our official website.
The SNFCC offers guided tours of its award-winning building complex, home to the new premises of the Greek National Opera and the National Library of Greece, designed by the Renzo Piano Building Workshop.
Online ticket purchase is available.
Guided tours for groups are available to educational associations, cultural organizations, NGOs and other groups. To reserve, please call (+30) 216 8091004 or e-mail tours@snfcc.org.
The SNFCC welcomes primary and secondary school groups to its educational programs. To book your visit at an SNFCC's educational program, please call (+30) 216 8091005 or e-mail schools@snfcc.org.
Pets can enter all of the SNFCC’s outdoor areas, except for the Great Lawn, the Dome and the Playgrounds. They should always be accompanied by their owner, who must keep them under direct and constant supervision and clean up after them.
