On the occasion of its 101st anniversary, Sirigos presented the commemorative exhibition A Century and a Year, offering a fresh perspective on the history of Greek mid-century design through an unexpected creative collaboration.
Twenty-two contemporary creators—designers, architects, visual artists and jewelry makers—“leafed through” the historical archive of Sirigos Furnishings from the 1950s and 1960s and produced new works that reinterpret the past while shaping the future of design.
At Amalias 36, in the heart of Athens, the impressive pieces by 22 contemporary names in design and the arts—including Agis Mourelatos, Antigone Tsivanidou, Apollon Papatheoharis, Atalanti Martinou, Giannis Varelas, Katerina Papanagiotou, KK Interiors, Lucy Savanis, Melina Xenaki, Myrsini Alexandridi, Sirigos, Sofia Xanthakou, Sotiris Hainis Architecture, ST Architects, Stones and Walls, Theodore Psychoyos, Tina Komninou Interiors, Vana Krimnioti, Vangelis Bonios, Void Studio, Yannis Sergakis, and Zoumboulakis Architects—were presented to the public.
The aim was to tune into the echo of an ongoing creative conversation, where the craftsmanship legacy of Sirigos finds new life through the lens of contemporary creation, offering a renewed interpretation of a “yesterday” that continues to shape the design of tomorrow.
The third generation of the family, Anastasia and Nikos Sirigos, share their perspective…
In an era when everything feels industrialised and identical, the value of the handmade has become even more rare and significant. Is it harder today to find people who appreciate these values—or are more and more individuals returning to the authentic?
Anastasia Sirigou:
It’s true—it has become more difficult. Our era moves fast, offering condensed solutions for everything: quick, inexpensive, identical. Within this climate, the quality and care behind a crafted object often don’t get the space they deserve.
The positive side is that, despite trends, there are always people who refuse to settle for the mass-produced. They may not be the majority, but they are the ones with whom we can genuinely connect and share common values.
Nikos Sirigos:
It has indeed become more demanding to reach those who actively seek authenticity. Still, the audience and collectors who truly appreciate quality never disappeared. In a time dominated by industrial products and globalisation, I believe it is essential to invest in companies like ours—companies that create objects bringing back the essence of quality and uniqueness into everyday aesthetics.
How did you choose to celebrate your 100 years of creative history? What did you ask of the creators, and how satisfied were you with the result?
A.S.:
For us, celebrating 100 years was an opportunity to look back and honour our founder, our grandfather Iakovos Sirigos. That’s how the idea was born—to redesign his original furniture pieces.
On this foundation, we invited friends and collaborators from the fields of design and the arts—people who value tradition but speak the language of today. Their response was moving. Everyone participated with genuine enthusiasm and love.
The result exceeded our expectations. The quality and level of work that emerged justified every minute of effort invested during the past year.
N.S.:
We are celebrating 100 years of continuous creation with an exhibition that is both a tribute to memory and an open invitation to the future. We invited 22 designers and architects to interpret eight historical pieces made by our grandfather in the ’50s and ’60s. We asked them to respect the original spirit of the pieces, but also to dare to evolve them through their own perspective.
The outcome fully validated this decision. Their proposals brought forth a rich dialogue between past and present, proving that tradition remains alive only when it transforms.
What are the most iconic pieces of this collection? Which stand out to you and why?
A.S.:
Honestly, it’s like asking me to pick a favourite child. Every creation clearly reflects the designer’s identity—their character, temperament, aesthetic. This diversity is precisely what makes the collection unique. I can’t choose one, because each represents the person who conceived it.
N.S.:
I love the entire collection, but one piece will always hold special meaning for me: the stool designed by the Sirigos team. It’s inspired by the small stool our grandfather used to make by hand and gift to friends and relatives. All of us grandchildren have one.
The contemporary version was created by my sister Anastasia. This piece symbolises our story and its projection into the future—a bridge between the two generations that shaped the identity of our company and our name.
Carrying the weight and responsibility of continuing a historic name, which values do you feel must remain unchanged?
A.S.:
Our name and history guide us on their own. High quality, commitment to the right outcome, continuous evolution—these are non-negotiable values. With respect for traditional craftsmanship and the possibilities of modern production, we aim to remain at the forefront of our field. It is both a responsibility and an honour.
N.S.:
The values passed down through generations, beginning with our grandfather, are non-negotiable for us. Quality grounded in honest and meaningful work, respect toward our collaborators, love for the objects we create, and attentiveness to our clients’ needs.
Never losing our identity is a fundamental principle. These values must remain indelible in our company’s imprint and the name it carries.
What does the public seek most today, and how do you manage to align with this?
A.S.:
People who resonate with us seek quality, timelessness and a clean aesthetic. For us, these are not just characteristics—they are a commitment, a way of creating. In a demanding industry, this consistency keeps us at the forefront.
N.S.:
Our audience comes to us primarily for the quality and uniqueness of our product. People increasingly look for objects with personality—objects with a story. We continue to offer exactly that: furniture that is handmade, authentic and deeply connected to our tradition.
What do you consider the greatest achievement of your company’s century-long journey?
A.S.:
Our greatest achievement is that we have maintained a stable position in the market throughout all these years, and that our name has become synonymous with quality. Public recognition is our greatest reward. With our latest exhibition, we feel we have taken a significant step into a new creative direction—one we are only now beginning to explore. I believe it marks a milestone in our history.
N.S.:
Our greatest achievement is that we have endured through time. Despite technological changes and shifts in our field, we remained faithful to our roots. This consistency rewards us—both in the quality of our work and in the human relationships we maintain with our collaborators.
Respect for wood, materials and the art of furniture-making remains a core value—and perhaps the most essential part of our creative journey.
The history of Sirigos Furnishings begins in 1924, when Iakovos Sirigos opened his ground-floor workshop in a two-storey neoclassical building on Patission Street. Over the decades, his creations came to acquire a symbolic place in the urban history of Athens.
Today, the legacy of Iakovos Sirigos—passed down to his son Georgios and his grandchildren, Nikos and Anastasia—centres on interior design, renovation, and the creation of bespoke furniture and specialised carpentry.
The passion of Iakovos Sirigos became the starting point for a new, open dialogue. One year ago, on the company’s centenary, an open invitation was extended to twenty-two contemporary creators from the fields of design and the arts. Sculptors, ceramists, visual artists, architects and interior designers—above all friends and collaborators—were invited to engage with the company’s history and draw inspiration from the most iconic designs of Iakovos Sirigos. Eight mid-century pieces from the 1950s and 1960s were brought out of the archive to serve as the foundation for new interpretations.
The enthusiastic response to this invitation sparked a creative dialogue between past and present, taking shape inside the workshops of Sirigos. Creators from across the spectrum—jewellery, architecture, ceramics, scenography—were given carte blanche to explore the concepts, forms and symbolism of the classic designs that resurfaced. What emerged was a gesture of memory and rebirth, bridging yesterday and today. A sideboard, gossip chair, dressing table, armchair, coffee table, stool and nightstands—eight archival pieces that map an era defined not only by its aesthetics but also by its way of life—are reintroduced through their contemporary reinterpretations, underscoring both the strength of quality and the boldness of evolution.
Each creator was encouraged to explore the history, proportions, materiality, essence and emotional resonance of the original furniture and to propose a new reading. The invited designers challenged, deconstructed and re-examined forms that once shaped the identity of Greek domestic interiors. Some responded with subtle variations, others with radical transformations.
Yet, taken together, the results demonstrate how historical design can act as a catalyst for contemporary creativity.
