Thessaloniki ConfEx Park Architectural Contest Winners Announced

Impression of the winning design for the Thessaloniki ConfEx Park.

Sauerbruch Hutton (Germany), Gustafson Porter + Bowman (UK) and Elena Stavropoulou (Greece) have won the Thessaloniki ConfEx Park design competition with their innovative design which incorporates history, functionality and innovation for the revamp of the Thessaloniki International Exhibition Center.

According to TIF-Helexpo CEO Kyriakos Pozrikidis, discussions are underway to finalize a preliminary design contract with the winning architects.

The target he told ANA-MPA, is for works to begin on the project after the 2023 fair and be completed by 2026 on the annual event’s 100th anniversary.

The winning proposal, among 15 submitted to the International Architectural Design Competition, includes a series of island-like circular canopies – which are the exhibition spaces and the conference center – floating among trees and plants of the northern port city’s new urban park.

The winning idea will be presented and awarded at a special ceremony during the 85th TIF on September 11-19.

Impression of one of the island-shaped exhibition spaces from the winning design for the Thessaloniki ConfEx Park.

Greece’s national exhibition body TIF-Helexpo and  Thessaloniki, authorities are aiming to redevelop the city’s fairgrounds into a state-of-the-art convention center dubbed ConfEx.

The master plan for the landmark project foresees the creation of exhibition facilities, commercial use area, recreation and hotel infrastructure, a new conference center and exhibition space, a sports activities area and an urban park for leisure, outdoor cultural events and exhibitions.

Second prize goes to Lina Ghotmeh Architecture (France), Vogt Paysage + Urbanisme (France), LAN (France), LOT (Greece), Tractebel Engineering ( France), Systematica (Italy) and third to UNStudio (Netherlands), Schema4 (Greece), OKRA Landschapsarchitecten (Netherlands).