For some years now the Benaki Museum has been covering a large gap in the maintenance of archives and documents of the architecture of modern Greece and the presentation of architectural subjects to the Greek public.
In 1995 the museum established the Neohellenic Architecture Archives in an effort to gather, record, classify and archive all information related to the architecture of modern Greece, town planning and topography, be it in written or oral format, and naturally along with its creators. At the same time, however, either by organising its own events or through important collaborations, such as with the Hellenic Institute of Architecture and other institutions and universities in Greece and abroad, the museum has been active in presenting and promoting local and international architectural activity. This is achieved through a program exhibitions, lectures and seminars, impressive in their quality, variety and extent.
Therefore, it was natural for the museum to include this presentation of Manolis Vourekas` work in its program, thus honouring one of the most important representatives of postwar architecture in Greece. Besides, his special ties both to the founder of the museum, Antonis Benakis, and to his daughter, Irene Kalliga, almost demand inclusion. The same applies for his collaboration with the museum on successive design and construction projects for additional spaces carried out on the original neoclassical building in 1965, 1968 and 1973 to enable the museum to accommodate large donated exhibits and to create lecture rooms, temporary exhibition spaces, and a cafe.
Manolis Vourekas was distinguished for his perfectionism, inventiveness and good taste, but even more precious was his respect and care for the people who would live and work in the buildings he created.
He was particularly interested in balance and simplicity when designing architectural volumes and in their subtle and harmonious integration into their surrounding environment. He held the fruitful collaboration with artists in high regard; this ensured many of his buildings a unique identity, the finest example of which being, of course, his collaboration with Yannis Moralis on the Athens Hilton.
He never sought self-promotion and always remained persistently faithful to his principles and opinions, even if this went against what was in his personal interest.
In short, today the Benaki Museum proudly hosts the architectural work of Manolis Vourekas, a creator who has honoured Greece and all of us.
I extend my heartfelt thanks to Andreas Vourecas-Petalas for entrusting the Archive of Manolis Vourekas to the Neohellenic Architecture Archives of the Benaki Museum. He has made invaluable contribution to the exhibition `The World of Emmanuel Vourekas`, curated by Natalia Boura, collaborator of the Archives, and to the book written by Maro Kardamitsi-Adami published under the same title -an enterprise that seeks not only to acquaint the wider public with the overall oeuvre of a major creator, but also to place his work within the social context of the period. Aimilia Yeroulanou, President of the Benaki Museum Board of Trustees

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