Ancient Chrono-Dialogues:
A Bridge Between Past and Present

The removal of the Parthenon marbles in 1801 marked a new era of the building. Today, more than 220 years later, Parthenon marbles are still away from their original site in Athens, exhibited in London. The removal is still considered controversial and there is a demand by the Greek government for their return.

For this project, the event of the marbles removal was used as a reference of antithesis (contrast), as an event that highlights contrast between past and present. Someone’s obsession to own a piece of the past in the present, created disrespect towards a historical monument. The marbles were removed in a violent way resulting in permanent damage to the ancient masterpieces. The hypothetical journey of the marbles to the port to get exported is being followed tracking contrast between classical Greece and Greece of today. This journey is recorded in a form of a video and the connection of the city center to its waterfront is also explored within the process. Fragments of plaster were used in the video representing the way the marbles were removed.

For the next stage a tracing device was built. The fragments used for the video were used as an input for the device. The tracing process follows the timeline from the Parthenon marbles removal in 1801-1803. Eight key stages of the removal were highlighted for the timeline. According to these stages, the fragments are placed on the tracing device strategically and their shadow is traced on the bottom of the device. The shadows are then manipulated and stuck on top of each other in order to inform the design process.

The ancient chrono-dialogues is a building that crates a bridge between the past and present, and its main programs are divided between the international center for Greek civilization and the museum of influence. Complementary programs such as workshops, an archive, a library, an educational section, a caffe and a restaurant are also on site. The aim of the proposal is to keep the legacy of the ancient Greek civilization alive by adapting it to modern standards, using innovative modern technology.