Basement of Athens Conservatory undergoes striking partial facelift

One of the most emblematic buildings in the Greek capital, the Athens Conservatory is the most representative example of the architectural oeuvre of Ioannis Despotopoulos, the only Greek to have studied under Bauhaus school founder Walter Gropius. A little known fact about the Conservatory, billed as one of the most expensive properties in the Balkans, is that most of its basement area has never been put to use since construction work ended in 1976 due to a lack of funding.

Now, however, the edifice is entering a new chapter and setting new standards in the field of collaborations between the state and private initiative.

Based on a complete plan developed by the institution's energetic director Nikos Tsouchlos and his team, collector and NEON cultural organization founder Dimitris Daskalopoulos undertook the cost of refurbishing 1,800 square meters of a garbage...