The Archipelago Project is an ongoing project to create a new umbrella of various interventions on major archaeological and Museum sites on 6 Islands, with the ultimate goal to provide the visitor with a holistic understanding of the Cycladic Civilization. The Program has had the initial support of the Stavros Niarchos Foundation, but has not though unfortunately up to date progressed in a further stage of implementation.

Major Goals include:

1. ESTABLISH A UNIQUE, CONNECTED DESTINATION

Create and communicate a common identity for the Archipelago sites, using:

• a strong proposition
• sensitive yet vibrant architectural and exhibition design
• compelling and connected experiences
• innovative digital communications

2. NARRATE THE RICH HISTORY OF THE CYCLADES

Connect the museums across the five Cycladic islands to tell a connected story, each from a unique angle:

• How does the archaeology of each island complete part of the picture of ancient Greek and Cycladic history?
• And how can we tell the story of the spaces between the islands, which connect and separate them – the story of travel, trade and the sea?

3. ESTABLISH A SUSTAINABLE REALITY

Through active engagement with communities and stakeholders, lay the foundations for a network of institutions that is financially and operationally sustainable:

•  creating jobs
•  welcoming touring exhibitions
• providing an engaging retail offer
• protecting valuable collections

providing functional, well-maintained facilities for locals, visitors and staff alike

4. EDUCATE AND INSPIRE CULTURAL DIALOGUE

Reveal the cultural heritage of the Cyclades to visitors of all ages and backgrounds, from local Greek communities to tourists from abroad.

• How does this history relate to us today?
• How can these museums come together to create a social forum inspired by their heritage, a meeting point for cultural exchange?

Our ultimate goal will be to develop an holistic framework for the Archipelago project that connects seven sites across five islands to create a rich, cohesive, intrinsically social and sustainable network of cultural experiences. This framework can also act as a model in developing future projects, such as Archipelago Plus.

Through the creation of a Strategic Experience Masterplan we will form a key strategic and forward-looking document that lays the first stone towards making the project goals a reality. We will consolidate the Archipelago project’s aspirations and goals, establish its identity and vision; present inspiring concepts for taking the project forward; and provide a plan for implementation by establishing the parameters for operations, schedule and budget.

In the attached PDF you can read the proposal of the winning team, Ralph Appelbaum Associates, to create a Strategic Masterplan and Sustainability study for the Archipelago Project. It has been developed further with a close collaboration with Dimitris Zoupas and is now awaiting to get in the first implementation phase.