At the Goethe Institute, an exhibition based on the book Athens’ Polykatoikias 1930-1975: Formation of a Typology offers a valuable introduction to the growing international dialogue about the phenomenon of the Athenian apartment building, and how Athens managed to get urban living so precisely right.

The word Polykatoikia (poly = many/katoikia = dwelling) is quickly becoming a key concept in international architecture. While apartment buildings aren’t unique, the Athenian apartment building is. Athens’ polykatoikias from the 1930s to the 1970s combined modernity with social aspiration and, most notably, an unregulated, democratic approach to urban growth that transcended social strata and incorporated diverse architectural styles.

The Growing Metropolis

Criticizing Athens as an unattractive maze of concrete is a thing of the past. 

Today, the city is admired globally, with architectural historian Kenneth Frampton calling it a “Modern city par excellence” in his Modern Architecture: A Critical History. At the end of the 19th century, Athens had a population of less than 150,000, but by the 20th century, it exploded, fueled by waves of Greek refugees and a post-war migration from the countryside. What had been a small city of modest single-family homes, except for a handful of grand neoclassical mansions, would undergo rapid transformation, and all without a master plan. 

Athens – a Capital of Style

Athens’ Polykatoikias 1930-1975: Formation of a Typology by Kilian Schmitz-Hübsch, richly illustrated with photographs by Dimitris Kleanthis, traces the development of the Athenian apartment building from the Modern Movement of the 1930s through the early postwar experiments and finally through the well-known polykatoikias of the 1960s. The exhibition, featuring images and floor plans of some of the finest and most interesting residential buildings of Athens, opened on February 6th at the Goethe Institute with an introduction by architect Myrto Kiourti. The exhibition will be on view until March 1st.

Ms. Kiourti’s talk shed light on Athens’ unique path to modernity. While many cities responded to the post-war housing demand with state-funded projects, the growth of modern Athens was largely driven by small-scale, individual initiatives. With much of the land already privately owned, development of the city was largely in the hands of the people; the state had little to contribute to the equation.

Moreover, capital was more evenly distributed, creating a level playing field where homeowners and independent contractors with limited resources could still shape the urban landscape. Works by prominent architects such as Takis Zenetos (the noted building on Herodou Attikou, 1959-61 ), Kyriakoulis Panagiotakos (the “Blue Building” in Exarchia, 1932-33 ), Georges Candilis and Ilias Skroumbelos (another famous building on Herodou Attikou, opposite the Kallimarmaro Stadium), Souzana Antonakakis, and Dimitris Antonakakis (Atelier 66 in Exarchia, 1972-75) set the tone for the modern city while also providing a stylistic blueprint that inspired countless more modest developments.

Antiparochi: A City by the People, for the People

The construction of contemporary Athens was largely unregulated. It was also largely egalitarian: even owners of quite modest homes were able to take part in the shaping of their city. One of the key factors in this process was the antiparochi system, where homeowners exchanged their property for apartments in newly constructed buildings. This arrangement allowed contractors to build without significant upfront costs, and residents gained modern living spaces with the latest conveniences.

A Blueprint for Modern Living

The desire for modernity shaped Athens’ growth. High-profile apartment buildings, designed by well-known architects, set a tone that many others emulated. “The values of modern architecture, abstraction, simplicity, pure geometry repetition, and basic construction were highly praised by the public. These architectural values made the projects accessible to all. Anyone could copy the initial high-quality projects designed by prominent architects with minimum resources,” according to Kiourti. “Most apartment buildings in Athens were not designed by architects, but by engineers or contractors […] Residents were actively involved in the design process, making this a highly effective model of participatory design that shaped Greek cities from the 1950s onward.” 

The Sociable City

Athens’ approach wasn’t just about modern living – it was also about creating a sociable city, centered on family and the community. The antiparochi system allowed homeowners to pass down apartments to their children, preserving family traditions while embracing urban life. Many polykatoikias also had shops, cafes, and business on the ground floors, providing the local community with much-needed communal spaces. 

Ms. Kiourti noted that while grand modern projects in other countries often struggled, Athens’ smaller, more individualistic developments had lasting appeal: “This unique method of urban development may have denied Greek architects the satisfaction of creating large-scale, narcissistic projects. In Athens, projects were smaller and more modest, with original plans often altered during implementation, frustrating the architects and altering their initial visions. Large parts of the city were even built without the involvement of architects at all.” 

The organic, at times even anarchic, path of Athens’ development has been key to the city’s vitality. “Many people, architects and urban planners, acknowledge numerous qualities embedded in the Athenian urban fabric such as the vibrancy of many parts of the city throughout the day, the diversity in the facades of its buildings, a lively and sociable way of life, a mix of social classes, a sense of freedom…. the true beauty of a city lies in how it is inhabited: Form follows function.” Ms. Kiourti ended her address on a high note: “Athens is indeed an attractive city. However, the city is not attractive because of its beautiful buildings, but because of its attractive way of life.”