Photos by Gavriil Papadiotis
The inspiration for the lighting design was derived from the most important concepts in Greece, resistance and democracy, because the illuminated historical buildings are symbols of the uprising against the dictatorship, in 1973. This area was the focal point of the student uprising in that time and remains one of the most important places of celebrating resistance and democracy every year (17th of November).
The Lighting concept for “Averof” façade and the surrounding buildings aims at highlighting the structure of the building, not individual features. The building complex is a dynamic composition of volumes, mixture of Renaissance elements and ancient rhythms. The central volume is dominated by the marble staircase, pedimented propylon with Ionic style columns. The main concept of “Simplicity” theory was used. Simplicity to focus on the monument and not to the lighting. The lighting concept consists of 3 layers: 1) Bringing to the foreground the iconic staircase. 2) Illuminating the propylon “from within” through silhouette lighting. 3) Creating a uniformly lit two-story background.
Wall-washing effect is applied to the façade with higher values of illuminance than the staircase in front, so as to create optical depth and unsoldered the site when observed from the front. The lighting scheme is completed with the illumination of the 2 one-story buildings that symmetrical flank “Averof”. Warm silhouette lighting is applied inside their galleries as back-lighting on their columns creates rhythm and “frames” “Averof” building.
