‘Thessaloniki ConfEx Park’ Competition Enters Next Stage with 15 Qualified Applicants

Photo source: @TIF-Helexpo

Greece’s national exhibition body TIF – Helexpo has announced the 15 architectural offices and groups that have been qualified to enter the second phase of an international design competition for the revamp of the Thessaloniki International Exhibition Center.

Launched earlier this year, the competition will determine the winner that will undertake the project for the design of a state-of-the-art convention center, to be named Thessaloniki ConfEx Park.

The firms that will proceed to the next phase were selected among 116 candidates from 33 countries and are based in the United Kingdom, France, The Netherlands, Japan, Germany, Finland and Kuwait.

According to TIF-Helexpo, nine Greek technical offices or individual architects participate in seven of the 15 selected groups. In addition, a total of 222 engineers participate in the project, of which 56 are Greeks.

The international jury, chaired by renowned Spanish architect Joan Busquets, based its decision on the candidates’ ability to design an emblematic modern exhibition and conference center and an urban park that will transform the center of Thessaloniki and improve the quality of life for its residents.

The 15 candidates will submit the necessary documents for the competition’s next phase and on February 1 will receive the technical specifications and necessary plans for the main phase of the architectural competition.

Their designs must be submitted for evaluation by the end of May in order for the jury to select the winner.

The 15 qualified applications are the following (in alphabetical order):

• ALA Architects, Mareld Landskapsarkitekter
• Amanda Levete Architects, Studio Seilern Architects, Vladimir Djurovic Landscape Architecture, Fhecor Ingenieros Consultores, R. Úrculo Ingenieros Consultor
• Bruther Architectes, Robbrecht En Daem Architecten, List, Global – Paisagista Architecture, Schnetzer International Puskas, DUSS
• Heatherwick Studio, M. Deda and Associates, Happold Bureau
• Hopkins Architects
• Kengo Kuma & Associates, AKT II , Hilson Moran, Georges Batzios Architects, Doxiadis+
• Lina Ghotmeh Architecture, Vogt Paysage + Urbanisme, Lan , Lot, Tractebel Engineering, Systematica
• Oma Stedebouw
• Proem Architects, Yannis Kitannis, Omete
• Sauerbruch Hutton, Gustafson Porter + Bowman, Elena Stavropoulou
• Sou Fujimoto Architects, Guy Nordenson And Associates, Cracknell Landscape Design
• Unstudio, Schema4, Okra Landschapsarchitecten
• Valode & Pistre Architectes, Michel Desvigne Paysagiste, Vp & Green Engineering, Espace Temps
• Wilkinson Eyre Architects, Grant Associates, Biodiversity By Design, Eleni Pavlidou, Atelier One, Atelier Ten