The architecture & design practice K-studio received a series of distinctions for Metaxa Liknon, an out-of-the-box wine and spirits museum situated in the village Vourliotes of Samos, which made it to the list of the 40 best architecture works in Europe for the period 2022-2024, according to the top-notch European awards Mies van der Rohe, supported by the European Union.

“It is a highly valued distinction due to the institution’s prestige and the recognition given by a distinguished jury and local nominators. To us it is a mark of reward for the completion of such a work,” points out Dimitris Karampatakis, K-studio co-founder alongside his brother, Konstantinos.

Liknon aspires to carry the visitors away, into a journey of senses and emotions. The starting-off point of the work, the reconnection of Metaxa with its roots, the place where it all began, with the elements that give the grape and by extension the liquor its unique character, becomes an narrative and experience for the visitors, who are not mere viewers but active participants in the brand’s history and the maturing process.

The visitors are invited to wander around the vineyards of the estate, taste the distillates, smell the barrels and take delight in a refined yet unpretentious meal with local viands. “It’s a return to the fundamentals of savoring,” stresses D. Karampatakis.

This museum serves as a bridge between yesterday and tomorrow, reconnecting the brand with its roots, weaving a thread that starts from way back and stretches to present day, as in the course of years only few things have changed in Metaxa’s production process.

“This timelessness and endurance of the techniques over time, from the cultivation in terraces to the maturing of the ingredients inspired us to such a deep extent so as to convey an optimistic message for the future both of the company and of this land’s legacy, honoring a longstanding tradition in the production of high quality goods.”

The K-studio people consider themselves especially lucky that Liknon gave them the chance to know in depth Samos, with its well-kept secrets, villages, wineries and impressive gastronomic culture, an island which has become like a homeland to them. “We are proud to have contributed on our part with a work that will allow a larger audience to get acquainted with a part of this island’s rich tradition.”

They plan to return to the island soon enough, for the Mies van der Rohe awards’ parallel actions, which include all-day events offering the visitors the chance to delve into Liknon’s design and construction process. In the meanwhile, they are working on several projects, which they always view as an opportunity to meet new places, people and traditions both in Greece and in other parts of the world.

The K-studio team is steadily growing, maturing and reshaping, with the aim of meeting the needs raised by more sophisticated works and an era that is growing more and more demanding. Its founders believe in the value of a multidisciplinary vision, which enables them to approach the works with more thoroughness thanks to the broader horizons opened by a range of different specialties. At the same time,
they consistently invest on skills and qualities that would add even greater functionality to their ever-evolving team.