Pritzker Prize-winning architect David Chipperfield has warned that Athens could struggle to preserve its human character if tourism comes to dominate the city.
Chipperfield made the comments during the Athens Democracy Forum 2026, held in Athens from September 29 to October 1. The forum brought together international figures to discuss democracy, culture and the challenges facing modern societies.
The British architect also spoke about the wider responsibility of architects and the relationship between buildings, cities and the people who live in them.
Chipperfield Says Cities Must Serve Their Residents
Chipperfield argued that architects have responsibilities beyond the person or organization paying for a project.
They also have responsibilities toward the people who work in a building and toward the wider city, he said.
He also questioned the focus on landmark architecture. Architects can build careers around iconic buildings, but most people experience cities through ordinary streets and homes.
Chipperfield said those everyday spaces often receive far less attention.
He argued that the way cities are built can also reinforce economic inequality. For him, this makes the ordinary urban environment an important area for architects to address.
His comments reflect a broader approach to architecture that has shaped his career. Chipperfield received the 2023 Pritzker Architecture Prize, widely regarded as the highest international honor in architecture. The Pritzker jury highlighted his attention to civic and public life.
Tourism Could Change the Character of Athens
Chipperfield then turned to the growing pressure that tourism places on city centers.
He argued that maintaining the quality of urban life becomes difficult when land values rise and residents leave.
Athens, he said, still has a human scale. However, he warned that the city could lose that quality if tourism becomes dominant.
He described the city as a place that should reflect its residents’ aspirations and provide a setting for creative and social life.
He also noted that many city centers have increasingly become destinations for tourism and entertainment. In his view, this can reduce their role as places for community and everyday social life.
His comments come as Athens continues to attract large numbers of visitors while facing wider debates over housing, short-term rentals and the changing character of central neighborhoods.
Chipperfield’s Connection to Athens
Chipperfield has a direct professional connection to the Greek capital.
His firm, David Chipperfield Architects, won the international competition for the expansion and refurbishment of the National Archaeological Museum in Athens.
The project includes a major extension, new exhibition space and improvements to the existing museum. The architectural plan also includes a redesigned landscape around the historic building.
The Greek Ministry of Culture says the project grew from a process that restarted in 2021. In 2023, the Chipperfield Architects–Tombazis and Associates–Wirtz International team won the international competition. The ministry says the wider program covers 36,550 square meters and includes modernization, an underground extension and landscaping.
For Chipperfield, the Athens project therefore sits within a wider question about what architecture can contribute to a city.
His comments at the Athens Democracy Forum focused not only on how buildings look, but also on how cities function as places to live, work and meet.
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