The proposal for the reconstruction of the Thessaloniki Exhibition and Conference Centre and ConfExPark by the team of Sauerbruch Hutton (Germany), Gustafson Porter + Bowman (Britain) and Elena Stavropoulou (Greece) has won first prize in the venue’s international architectural design competition. The TIF‐Helexpo fairgrounds are situated in the heart of Thessaloniki, occupying an area of approximately 175.000 sqm.
Thessaloniki International Fair (TIF)-Helexpo, which owns the two most important convention centres in Greece (the one in Thessaloniki and one in Athens), will now work with the winning team on further studies to technically progress the project.
The Competition Jury had deliberated over their decision over three days, 20-23 July, and said the winning design provided for the creation of open and semi-open spaces under roofs with views of the park and the sea. High-tech bioclimatic roofs are designed to incorporate rainwater and there are solar energy systems and bioclimatic high-tech circular canopies or ‘islands’ with photovoltaics at their centre as part of the design.
The jury said the winning design had a strong central idea creating continuities with the surrounding urban fabric, but also between each of the buildings within the centre.
According to TIF-Helexpo, the new building designs respects and highlights the historical axes of Thessaloniki and allows the urban park to provide a single green axis.
The portfolio of works by Sauerbruch Hutton, the lead architectural firm of the winning team, includes the Experimenta, Science Center (Heilbronn, 2019) and the M9 Museum Quarter (Venice Mestre, 2018).
All 15 design proposals that passed the final stage of the International Architectural Competition - from which three were selected for final consideration - will be exhibited at the Exhibition and Conference Center during the 85th TIF, when the three prizes will be awarded in a special ceremony.
