Nestled at the foothills of Mount Lycabettus in the neighbourhood of Neapoli, the two-story building of SeaPort Art Center for Curatorial Research has been carefully restored to serve as the home of the residency and our public programming.

Originally built in 1952, the building reflects the period of reconstruction that marked the emerging urban landscape of Athens. This was a time when the city was rapidly transforming- redefining its architectural identity through modernist influences, new materials, and a desire to rebuild both its infrastructure and its spirit. During its renovation by the architectural office ARID, great care was taken to preserve the building’s original marble staircase, terrazzo floors, and the intricate ironwork of the balconies and front gate. The exhibition floor was redesigned with a contemporary gallery finish in a terracotta tone, echoing the colour palette of the period in which the house was built. This flexible area also accommodates screenings, talks, and other public events. The upper floor hosts resident curators in a light-filled apartment that retains its original flooring and opens onto a spacious terrace used for public gatherings. The result is a space that bridges Athens’s architectural heritage with SeaPort’s contemporary vision of hospitality and exchange.

Rising in the heart of the city, Mount Lycabettus stands as one of Athens’ most prominent natural and cultural landmarks. According to classical mythology, the hill was said to have fallen from the hands of the goddess Athena as she carried a massive rock intended to fortify the Acropolis. Its name is believed to derive from lykobatías drymós — “the hill of wolves” — a reference to the time when the area was covered by dense forest where wolves roamed freely. Another version suggests that the name comes from lykofos (twilight), while some historians trace it to the Pelasgian word loukamvetu. Etymologically, Lycabettus may be interpreted as the rock upon which the light (lyk) “walks” and “strikes” as the sun rises. 

Over time, Lycabettus became a symbolic vantage point of Athens - a site from which one can trace the city’s layered histories and continuous transformations. In turn, the neighbourhood of Neapoli — whose name means “New City” — was developed in the mid-19th century as one of the first districts to emerge beyond Athens’ original city walls. It soon became a haven for students, artists, and intellectuals, drawn by its proximity to the universities and its dynamic, close-knit community. The location of the SeaPort building situates the program within a landscape that connects history, memory, and the contemporary urban fabric of Athens.