JURY MEMBERS

Xristina Argyros is an architect, urban designer, teacher, and writer. She received her Masters degree in the spring of 2013 from the Yale University School of Architecture after earning her Bachelor of Arts and Architecture degree from Princeton University in 2009. At Princeton an Yale her work was recognised with numerous awards including that of best graduate project. Xristina is the co-founding partner of NEIHEISER ARGYROS, a London based architecture practice with projects in Europe and the United States of America. Prior to this, she worked at a number of award winning firms, including the Office for Metropolitan Architecture (OMA) in New York City, Ateliers Jean Nouvel in Paris, and WORKac in New York City. In 2018 she co-curated the national pavilion of Greece at the 16th Venice Architecture Biennale. Xristina has taught at Yale University, the Welsh School of Architecture at Cardiff University, and has been teaching a design studio at the Architectural Association in London since 2016.

Xristina is currently co-editing a book titled “The School of Athens” which includes, among other things, the research she has been conducting together with her students at the AA which examines the architecture of academic institutions.

Founded in 1996 by principals Ria Vogiatzi, and Alexandros Xenos, Elastic Architects is an international award-winning firm of architects and international partners, based in Shoreditch, London and Athens, structured to provide architectural, interior and landscape design, as well as construction and construction management services. Elastic Architects portfolio includes a variety of international and domestic projects, including hotel, private residences, retail, commercial and sports facilities.


Our work demonstrates the ability to implement different requirements, in different locations and contexts, with international clients including AMAN RESORTS, ONE & ONLY, MARRIOTT, ACCOR, ADRIATIC PROPERTIES, MITSIS GROUP, COCO-MAT and others. Elastic Architects offer a large scope of work, from concept design to detailing, from investing advice to project managing, all tailored-made to each client’s individual requirements.

Απόφοιτος του Αμερικανικού Κολλεγίου Ανατόλια στη Θεσσαλονίκη. Σπούδασε Αρχιτεκτονική στην Ecole Special D’architecture E.S.Α. στο Παρίσι. Έχει συνεργαστεί με διάφορα αρχιτεκτονικά γραφεία σε Ελλάδα & εξωτερικό . Έχει λάβει διακρίσεις σε αρχιτεκτονικούς διαγωνισμούς και έργα μας έχουν παρουσιαστεί στον τύπο και σε εκθέσεις.

Ιδρυτής το 2008 ,του αρχιτεκτονικού γραφείου Deda & Architects με έδρα τη Θεσσαλονίκη με μία ομάδα αρχιτεκτόνων , μηχανικών και σχεδιαστών καθώς και συμβούλων από Λονδίνο, Καναδά και Ηνωμένες Πολιτείες.

Το γραφείο ασχολείται δημιουργώντας διάφορα concept για τα έργα που θα τους ζητηθούν, τη διαχείριση του σχεδιασμού έργων, τον σχεδιασμό υλοποίησης και με τεχνικές συμβουλευτικές υπηρεσίες.

Τελευταία σημαντικά έργα οπού συμμετέχει το γραφείο: Paliouri Resort, American College IB, Λύκειο Αμερικανικής Γεωργικής Σχολής διαγωνισμός, εμπορικό κέντρο Mediterranean Cosmos, Ανακαίνιση ξενοδοχείου Μακεδονία Παλλάς, πρόταση για ουρανοξύστη στην Λεμεσό της Κύπρου κ.α.

Εφαρμόζουμε μια νέα και δυναμική προσέγγιση σε όλα τα έργα που μας έχουν ανατεθεί
 με όραμα και πολύ αγάπη για τη δουλειά μας.

Minas Kosmidis graduated from the School of Architecture of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki in 1988 and in 1991 he completed his postgraduate studies in industrial and furniture design having been awarded a state scholarship by “EOMMEX” (Greek Small/Medium Enterprises and Handicraft Organization), at the École d’ Architecture de Paris - Conflans in the department of “Étude et Creation de Mobilier” in Paris, France.

Architect Minas Kosmidis established his first architecture studio in his hometown in 1993. In 2007 he decided to grow his team and move his studio in Thessaloniki, while at the same time creating a new identity and adopting the name Minas Kosmidis [Architecture in Concept]. Since then, he has created a broad and diversified portfolio in the fields of private housing, hospitality and retail. Many of the studio’s projects have been featured in renowned international magazines and leading websites and have been awarded and/or shortlisted in international competitions such as “Best of Year” awards of the American magazine “Interior Design”, Chinese competitions “Modern Decoration awards” and “Idea Tops” and U.K. competitions “FX awards” and “Restaurant and Bar Design Awards”.

Design Philosophy:
“I believe that architecture is the art of creating new spaces, experiences and emotions, trying to activate as much as possible all senses of its users. In other words, an architect is called to enact the role of a director in a play where the script is written by the actors-users and which takes place on a particular stage-space during a pre-determined period of time”.

Kalia Konstantinidou’s expertise in hospitality is best showcased through her and her husband’s, Antonis Eliopoulos,
multi-awarded hotels in Santorini, the enchanting Vedema Resort, the stunning Mystique, both members of The Luxury Collection and the sublime Istoria, A Member of Design Hotels. The three hotels are like their children (they have
three children as well) and they emblematize their owners’ great love of Santorini and the exceptional hospitality and discreet luxury embodied in their properties.

Kalia Konstantinidou was born and raised in Athens, she has a Bachelor’s Degree in Shipping and a Master’s Degree in PR & Communication,  and she has been sharing her time between Athens and Santorini, as she is the Vice President of the company, as well as Director of Sales and Marketing for all three hotels. Her work in hotels started soon after she met her husband, Antonis Eliopoulos, when he had the bold idea of developing his family’s summer estate into the first 5-star hotel of the island, the now renowned Vedema Resort. A few years later, their collection was enhanced by the spectacular Mystique, which displays their unique ability to effortlessly combine luxury hospitality with serene elegance in a spectacular and legendary location. Their newest wonder is Istoria – a 12 suite retreat in the black sand beach of Perivolos that puts a new spin on the Greek beachside hotel.

Her love for travel and discovering new cultures along with her passion for Greece, its natural beauties and its hospitality heritage have motivated Kalia to enhance Santorini’s hotel scene with three different offerings that perfectly complement each other. 

The award winning practice “Mastrominas ARChitecture” was founded in 1984 by lead architect Ilias Mastrominas. He was born in Piraeus Greece in 1958. He studied architecture at the Polytechnic School of Milan and at the Aristotle
University of Thessaloniki. Several years of experience in hospitality design with a major hotel complexes portfolio, have led to publications and distinctions
in Greece and abroad.

 

His expertise and deep knowledge in hospitality projects, as well as his continuous seeking for aesthetic adequacy, are summarized in the awarded project Casa Cook Kos, in collaboration with Lambs and Lions, Berlin who made the overall concept, art direction and interior design.

 

Five prizes in Hotel Design Awards 2017, the gold Tourism Awards 2018 (design of the year), the Prix Versailles 2018 (European winner special prize for an exterior architecture - hotels category), the international Design
Awards (IDA) 2017 (Architecture bronze – commercial buildings). Recently nominated for the German Design Awards
2019 (Architecture - Excellent communications design) and shortlisted for the AHEAD Europe (Awards for Hospitality Experience and Design).

 

The firm’s main objectives regarding architectural composition are functionality, adaption to the environment, sustainability, cost effective construction and the creation of aesthetically simple yet timeless forms.

 

Today, Mastrominas ARChitecture, operates both in Athens and Kos, with a group of young architects aiming to transmute the firm’s significant experience into new ideas.

 

 

Eva Sopéoglou is a London-based and Greece-based practising architect, academic researcher and university lecturer. Her work is concerned with the interaction of humans with the environment both within urban and natural contexts. For example, it explores the notion of comfort in architecture as a multi-dimensional quality of inhabitable space, place and the environment; it also considers a tectonic, aesthetic and social-cultural definition of sustainability, taking note of the implications in the design of spaces. A recurring theme is the relationship between interior, exterior and semi-enclosed spaces; this is an often overlooked aspect of space-making which I consider crucial, both in the public and domestic spheres.

George Fakaros is a hotel and architecture photographer, that deals exclusively with architectural photography, hotel photography and luxury residences.

 

He travels extensively on assignments throughout Greece, Europe and especially greek islands.

 

He is the first greek official photographer of Marriott - Starwood Hotels & Resorts. He believes in long and lasting professional relationships, by listening and attending to their clients’ objectives first. The longevity of these relationships proves the efficacy of this approach.

 

His inventive images are widely published in a diverse range of magazines, websites and brochures in Greece, Europe and U.S. 

 

With degree in photography from Technological Education Institute, Athens and studies in Graphic Arts, George brings years of deep technical knowledge in digital processing, avant-garde lighting, keen composition and large format printing and always pushing the limit in both his commercial and personal work. 

 

The outcome is a passionate attention to detail, the most creative approach possible and a reliable and professional service. Above all, it results in beautiful photographs that show buildings and interiors at their best and images that describe architecture within the built environment.