The SNFCC’s Stavros Niarchos Park was Honored at the European Garden Award 2018/2019

Crowds of people stand holding praise in their hands for a commemorative photo in a park

Source: SNFCC

The Stavros Niarchos Park at the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center (SNFCC) was honored with the 1st Prize of the European Garden Award 2018 / 2019 for the category of “Innovative Contemporary Design of a Park or Garden”. The award ceremony was held on September 7th, 2018, in Germany.

The European Garden Awards have been distributed each year by the European Garden Heritage Network (EGHN) since 2010. They are designed to raise public awareness of issues concerning the cultural heritage of Europe’s gardens and landscapes, promote modern gardening, and support international cooperation and the exchange of expertise.

The European Garden Award 2018/2019 holds a special distinction for the SNFCC’s Stavros Niarchos Park, since it represents the first time that a Greek park has won this award. The Stavros Niarchos Park’s international recognition comes on the heels of a series of awards and distinctions that the SNFCC has received for its environmental sustainability and innovations. These include, among others, the Platinum Level LEED Certification, which is the highest possible rating for environmentally conscious and sustainable buildings. Most recently, the SNFCC was awarded the European Solar Prize for 2017 in the Solar Architecture and Urban Design category.

All of us at the Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF) feel very proud of the Stavros Niarchos Park’s distinction, which, once again, confirms the Foundation’s initial vision, which involved the creation of an environmentally friendly public space, open and accessible to all. The park constitutes an indispensable component of the ‘triple project’, coexisting with the National Library of Greece and the Greek National Opera in a single site.

The SNFCC is the largest single grant of the SNF, which exclusively supported the cost for its design, construction and outfitting. In February 2017, following the completion of the SNFCC’s construction, the SNF delivered the SNFCC as a gift to the Greek State and Greek society, the legal owner of the project. At the same time, the SNF announced its commitment to continue supporting the SNFCC for the following five years, through grants totaling up to €50 million for the implementation of public programming and for covering SNFCC’s operational costs.