Architects Suzana and Dimitris Antonakakis studied at the School of Architecture of the National Technical University of Athens graduating in 1959 and 1958 respectively, and were taught by professors Panagiotis Michelis, Dimitris Pikionis and Nikolaos Chatzikyriakos Gikas. In the final year of their studies, they were fortunate to have as a teacher and later as a friend the architect A. James Spayer, Mies van der Rohe’s student and collaborator. Since their graduate years Suzana and Dimitris have been partners in life and profession.
In the 1960’s along with their friends and university classmates Efi Tsarmaki – Vrontesi, Eleni Gousi Desilla and Denis Potiris, they co- founded Atelier 66, an architectural practice which welcomed and taught a great number of young architects.
In 1986 Suzana and Dimitris Antonakakis founded A66 – Atelier 66, where they continue to pursue their architectural endeavours. They have achieved international recognition through their architectural design and implementation of important public buildings and private projects during their long career, leading to publications (monographs, journals, books) and exhibitions showcasing their oeuvre in Europe and the United States.
Suzana Antonakaki along with the architectural work that she carried out independently or in collaboration with Dimitris Antonakakis within the framework of A66, was also an active participant of public organisations (Association of Greek Architects – ΣΑΔΑΣ ΠΕΑ, Technical Chamber of Greece (TEE), International Union of Architects (UIA)- attending their events and assuming key positions of responsibility, attending university training seminars in Greece and abroad, and contributed articles as a regular columnist for the “TA NEA” newspaper for 12 years (1999-2011).
Respectively, Dimitris Antonakakis in partnership with Suzana Antonakaki, designed a variety of architectural projects, always within the framework of A66, taught at the National Technical University of Athens (NTUA) as a curator (1959-1991) and as visiting professor at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in Boston (1994-1997 and 1999), at NTUA in Athens (1998-1999) and in the Department of Architecture of the University of Patras (1999-2000). For 14 years (1997-2011) he undertook the artistic direction of the Center for Mediterranean Architecture in Chania.
The work of Suzana and Dimitris Antonakakis is strongly linked to residential architecture, not only because most of their buildings are private houses, but also because their institutional and commercial architecture shows a strong tendency to maintain the human scale of the house or the cluster of houses. For them, the big project is not a big building so much as a small urban neighborhood. Their work is known for its intensive elaboration of architectural elements: entry ways, gates, stairs and steps, windows οf all kinds, porches, courtyards, passages and so on are worked on with love and care. At the same time, the larger whole is always made coherent by a structural and geometrical framework that guides all smaller movements and expressions. The marvel of their architecture is that they know how to successfully balance these two aspects to make the whole more than the sum of its parts.
— John Habraken
Indeed, since 1978, Atelier 66 has employed virtually the same team, amounting to some fifteen architects. From the standpoint of critical regionalism this undertaking has to be regarded as exemplary, not only because the underlying rationality of the work has been so sensitively and consistently inflected in terms of light, climate, materials, tectonics, and topography, but also because it has always been collectively conceived; it has consciously cultivated its own roots, as it were, in order to arrive at its expressive form.
— Kenneth Frampton
Both were awarded honorary doctorates by the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (2007), the Democritus University of Thrace (2016) and are corresponding members of the Académie d’Architecture, Paris.
Έχουν γράψει για το έργο τους οι: Kenneth Frampton, Jean Louis Cohen, Alexander Tzonis & Liane Lefaivre, John Habraken, Δημήτρης Φατούρος, Αριστείδης Αντονας, Γιάννης Τσιώμης, Δημήτρης Φιλιππίδης, Δημήτρης Μανίκας, Παναγιώτης Τουρνικιώτης, Ηλίας Κωνσταντόπουλος , Παναγιώτης Πάγκαλος και άλλοι.
SELECTED PUBLICATIONS
-
DIMITRIS POLYCHRONOPOULOSΙΧΝΗ ΑΡΧΙΤΕΚΤΟΝΙΚΗΣ ΔΙΑΔΡΟΜΗΣ, ΣΟΥΖΑΝΑ ΑΝΤΩΝΑΚΑΚΗ ΚΑΙ ΔΗΜΗΤΡΗΣ ΑΝΤΩΝΑΚΑΚΗΣ [ARCHITECTURAL ROUTE TRACES, SUZANA AND DIMITRIS ANTONAKAKIS]. ATHENS: FUTURA2018
-
PANAYOTIS TSAKOPOULOS & ELIAS CONSTANTOPOULOSDIMITRIS & SUZANA ANTONAKAKIS, THE CRETAN HOUSES. ATHENS: EK MAGAZINE & HELLENIC INSTITUTE OF ARCHITECTURE2016
-
PANAGIOTIS PAGKALOSΣΟΥΖΑΝΑ ΑΝΤΩΝΑΚΑΚΗ ΚΑΙ ΔΗΜΗΤΡΗΣ ΑΝΤΩΝΑΚΑΚΗΣ, ΠΕΝΗΝΤΑ ΧΡΟΝΙΑ ΠΑΡΟΥΣΙΑΣ [SUZANA ANTONAKI AND DIMITRIS ANTONAKAKIS, FIFTY YEARS OF PRESENCE]. ATHENS: PANAGIOTIS PAGKALOS & PRINTUP PUBLISHING2016
-
JEAN-LUCIEN BONILLODOMUS MARE NOSTRUM, HABITER LE MYTHE MEDITERRANEEN. FRANCE: HOTEL DES ARTS, P. 70-812014
-
DIMITRIS ANTONAKAKISΔΗΜΗΤΡΗΣ ΠΙΚΙΩΝΗΣ, ΔΥΟ ΔΙΑΛΕΞΕΙΣ [DIMITRIS PIKIONIS, TWO LECTURES]. ATHENS: DOMES PUBLISHING2013
-
SUZANA ANTONAKAKISΚΑΤΩΦΛΙΑ, 100 + 7 ΧΩΡΟΓΡΑΦΗΜΑΤΑ [ΤHRESHOLDS, 100 + 7 CHOREOGRAPHIES]. ATHENS: FUTURA2010
-
HILARY FRENCHKEY URBAN HOUSING OF THE TWENTIETH CENTURY. PLANS SECTIONS AND ELEVATIONS. LONDON: LAURENCE KING PUBLISHING2008
-
PANAYOTIS TOURNIKIOTISATELIER 66. THE ARCHITECTURE OF DIMITRIS AND SUZANA ANTONAKAKIS, ATHENS: FUTURA2007
-
SAVAS CONDARATOS & WILFRIED WANG20TH CENTURY ARCHITECTURE, GREECE. GERMANY: PRESTEL PUBLISHING, P. 214, 216-2171999
-
KENNETH FRAMPTONTECHNOLOGY, PLACE & ARCHITECTURE, THE JERUSALEM SEMINAR IN ARCHITECTURE. NEW YORK: RIZZOLI, P. 204-2071998
-
ELIAS CONSTANTOPOULOSMONOGRAPHS, IV: DIMITRIS AND SUZANA ANTONAKAKIS. DESIGN + ART IN GREECE #25. ATHENS1994
-
KENNETH FRAMPTONATELIER 66, THE ARCHITECTURE OF DIMITRIS AND SUZANA ANTONAKAKIS. NEW YORK: RIZZOLI1985
-
ALEXANDER TZONIS & LIANE LEFAIVRETHE GRID AND THE PATHWAY. AN INTRODUCTION TO THE WORK OF DIMITRIS AND SUZANA ANTONAKAKIS. WITH PROLEGOMENA TO A HISTORY OF THE CULTURE OF MODERN GREEK ARCHITECTURE. ANNUAL REVIEW: ARCHITECTURE IN GREECE #15, P. 164-1781981
SELECTED DISTINCTIONS
-
DISTINCTION INTERNATIONAL ARCHITECTURAL COMPETITIONΔΙΕΘΝΗΣ ΑΡΧΙΤΕΚΤΟΝΙΚΟΣ ΔΙΑΓΩΝΙΣΜΟΣ ΓΙΑ ΤΟ ΝΕΟ ΜΟΥΣΕΙΟ ΑΚΡΟΠΟΛΗΣ (Σ. ΑΝΤΩΝΑΚΑΚΗ, Δ. ΑΝΤΩΝΑΚΑΚΗΣ, Α. ΚΟΥΝΑΛΑΚΗ)1990
-
2ND PRAISE PANHELLENIC ARCHITECTURAL COMPETITIONΤ.Ε.Ε. ΣΤΗΝ ΑΘΗΝΑ (Γ. ΑΗΔΟΝΟΠΟΥΛΟΣ, Δ. ΑΝΤΩΝΑΚΑΚΗΣ, Σ. ΑΝΤΩΝΑΚΑΚΗ, Κ. ΔΑΣΚΑΛΑΚΗΣ, Α. ΜΟΝΕΜΒΑΣΙΤΟΥ, Π. ΜΠΑΜΠΑΛΟΥ, Α. ΝΟΥΚΑΚΗΣ, Δ. ΡΙΖΟΣ, Θ. ΦΩΤΙΟΥ)1980
-
1ST AWARD PANHELLENIC ARCHITECTURAL COMPETITIONΘΕΡΙΝΕΣ ΚΑΤΟΙΚΙΕΣ ΟΙΚΟΔΟΜΙΚΟΥ ΣΥΝΕΤΑΙΡΙΣΜΟΥ ΜΗΧΑΝΙΚΩΝ ΚΑΙ ΕΡΓΟΛΗΠΤΩΝ ΣΤΙΣ ΣΠΕΤΣΕΣ (Σ. ΑΝΤΩΝΑΚΑΚΗ, Δ. ΑΝΤΩΝΑΚΑΚΗΣ, Ε. ΒΡΟΝΤΙΣΗΣ, Δ. ΠΟΤΗΡΗΣ)1967
-
1ST AWARD PANHELLENIC ARCHITECTURAL COMPETITIONΑΡΧΑΙΟΛΟΓΙΚΟ ΜΟΥΣΕΙΟ ΧΙΟΥ (Σ. ΑΝΤΩΝΑΚΑΚΗ, Δ. ΑΝΤΩΝΑΚΑΚΗΣ, Ε. ΔΕΣΥΛΛΑ)1965
THE PEOPLE WITH WHOM WE HAVE COOPERATED OVER THE YEARS ARE OF COURSE MANY AND THEIR CONTRIBUTION HAS BEEN INVALUABLE – PEOPLE WHO APPROACHED THESE WORKS WITH A HEIGHTENED SENSE OF RESPONSIBILITY, WHO LEARNED OVER THEM BOTH ON THE DRAWING BOARD AND IN CONSTRUCTION SITES SO THAT THEY MIGHT ENSURE THEIR COMPLETION TO THE DEGREE THIS HAS ULTIMATELY BEEN ACHIEVED.
MANY ARCHITECTS OF ALL AGES, MANY SPECIAL RESEARCHERS, FEW DESIGNERS, EVEN FEWER MODEL-MAKERS, COUNTLESS CRAFTSMEN, BUT ALSO PEOPLE IN CHARGE OF ADMINISTRATIVE OR TECHNICAL SERVICES AS WELL AS RESIDENCE OWNERS HAVE COLLABORATED WITH US IN THE COURSE OF ALL THESE YEARS. WE ALWAYS REMEMBER OUR DEAR FRIEND DIMITRIS FATOUROS AND ALL OUR COLLEAGUES THAT SYSTEMATICALLY DEALT WITH OUR WORK, SUCH AS A. TZONIS & L. LEFAIVRE, K. FRAMPTON, J. L. COHEN, P. TOURNIKIOTIS, D. PHILIPPIDIS, N. KALOGIROU, D. POLYCHRONOPOULOS, P. PANGALOS, S. GIAMARELOS, P. TSAKOPOULOS AND MANY OTHERS.
WE ALWAYS THINK DEARLY OF FORMER MEMBERS OF THE ATELIER 661 FOR ALL THAT WE OWE TO THEM; WE ARE PROUD OF THE CAREER EACH HAS INDEPENDENTLY FOLLOWED AFTER 1986.
WE ALSO THINK OF COLLEAGUES WHO HAVE COLLABORATED WITH US AFTER 1986 AT A662 AND ALL THOSE WHO HAVE WORKED WITH US IN THE STUDIO THROUGHOUT THESE LATER YEARS3 . OUR THOUGHTS ALSO GO TO THE ARCHITECTURAL OFFICES THAT HAVE COOPERATED WITH US AS WELL AS TO THE VARIOUS SPECIALISTS THAT HAVE PATIENTLY SUPPORTED THE WORK OF THE STUDIO4.
LAST BUT NOT LEAST, WE NEVER FORGET OUR ASSOCIATES IN THE VARIOUS STAGES OF CONSTRUCTION THAT COMPLETE A BUILDING, FROM THE MOMENT THAT ITS FOUNDATIONS ARE LAID TO THE MOMENT WHEN IT BECOMES INHABITED.
1 Members of Atelier 66 included the following architects and urban-planners: G. Aidonopoulos (1965-1967, 1978-1982), G. Antonakakis (1975-1985, B. Babalou (1972-1975), C. Chadjimichalis (1968-1974, 1978-1979, 1982-1986), E. Goussi – Desilla (1965-1972, 1980-1982), C. Daskalakis (1976-1983), Th. Fotiou, A. Monemvasitou (1972-1986) , A. Noukakis (1972-1986), A. Polichroniades (1975-1986), D. Potiris (1965-1967), D. Rizos (1978-1983), E. Tsarmakle (1967-1975, 1980-1982), (1979-1981, 1982-1986), D. Vaiou (1977-1986) and, as well as secretary L. Triantafilou (1980-1998), E. Filopoulou, A Bertou.
2 The following architects have been or continue to be members of A 66: A. Antonas (1992 to the present), M. Kalogerakou (1986 to the present), E. Koumarianou (1986-2004), A. Kounalaki (1986-1995), U. Stefanopoulou-Platanioti (1986-1999), X. Tsioni (1993 to the present), F. Yianissi (1992-2001).
3 Architects that have cooperated or continue to cooperate with A66 include: C. Alexakis, E. Alipranti, S. Antonakakis, N. Afxentiou, Th. Charalambides. Ch. Galifianaki, D. Georgantopoulou, Z. Kotionis, N. Maliari, E. Papageiorgiou, E. Papaconstanti, E. Paraskeva, V. Pasiourtides, Ch. Plaene, M. Polikarpou, E. Stathani, C. Stavrou, D. Tenexakis, N. Tsimas, D. Vardaki, D. Yianissis, Th. Xanthe.
4 These include the architectural offices of L. & E. Batakis, V. Bertsato, M. Perakis, G. Triantafilou G. Tsiomis, Tense Architecture Network, and Civil Engineers A. Athanasiades (for many years) and C. Agapiou, A. Delivoria, A. Mitsopoulos, G. Pissas and Engineers C. Galanis, P. Kerchoulas, Ch. Platanios, N. Galanis, E. Paxinos, P. Koumouras and associates.
5 Ch. Tzanakakis and G. Tzes (furniture), M. Protopapas (marble installation), L. Conte (electrical installation), G. Alikaniotis and M. Roussos (domestic coating), G. Roussos (work), N. Tzimoulis (paints), and S. Lassithiotakis (finishes).