A Hidden Universe in Piraeus Opens Its Doors

During this year’s Open House Athens, Sympan welcomed the curious, the wanderers, and the design-devoted into its quiet, otherworldly core. Tucked in the heart of Agios Dionysios—where harbor grit meets urban pulse—Sympan unfolded like a whispered secret: a place shaped by memory, material, and imagination.

Once an industrial residence for dockworkers, Sympan has since transformed into a layered space of hospitality and artistic experimentation. Across the weekend, visitors stepped into an architectural experience defined by contrast—between past and present, raw and refined, permanence and change.

From the Kamara rooms—where history clings to the walls in soft textures and sun-faded hues—to the hidden courtyard where metal and foliage intertwine, every corner invited quiet reflection and unexpected connection. It was less of a guided tour, more of a drifting—through chambers, thresholds, and moments.

Throughout the space, curated interventions and restored elements sparked conversation between old and new. What remained was a lingering sense of stillness, of slowness—a reminder that architecture can hold memory without nostalgia, and offer presence without spectacle.

Thank you to all who crossed the threshold.
Sympan will keep unfolding.

old beyond the walls.