Shifting over Athens: A Deep Dive into the Inner Mechanics of CIAM IV

This study explores the Fourth International Congress of Modern Architecture (CIAM IV), focusing on Athens’ selection as the host city for the 1933 meeting. While recent research has uncovered complex frameworks and hidden narratives within CIAM’s inner circles, the reasons for holding the congress aboard a cruise ship traveling the Marseilles-Athens-Marseilles route remain enigmatic. Investigating the factors influencing CIAM IV’s planning and location choice, set against the backdrop of interwar modernity, reveals overlooked dynamics; Greece’s modernization efforts, which leveraged its diaspora to enhance cultural identity and tourism potential, played a crucial role in Athens’ selection — a perspective often neglected in post-CIAM IV narratives. An analysis of CIAM’s internal networks and power dynamics offers a reassessment of Greece’s position within the CIAM discourse, providing new insights into the decision-making processes of this influential architectural movement.