The historic Notos department store, has unveiled a striking new facade that pays homage to the building’s rich history while breathing new life into the city center.
Renowned Greek artist Yasonas Megoulas, known as Cacao Rocks for his innovative approach to art, has transformed the building’s exterior. With vibrant colors and playful shapes, the new facade reflects the optimism and contemporary character of Notos while injecting a fresh burst of energy into the city’s urban landscape.
A Journey into the World of Cacao Rocks
Yasonas Megoulas has been involved in street art since the age of 12. His work has been showcased in major museums and institutions such as the Benaki Museum, the Onassis Cultural Center, the Bouzianis Museum, the Antonis Komninos Foundation, and numerous galleries in Europe and America. He has represented Greece at the Mediterranea 18 Young Artists Biennale and has been honored with awards such as the “Artworks” from the Stavros Niarchos Foundation. His work has been featured in publications like the New York Times and the Guardian, and he has appeared on television shows such as France’s TV5, Britain’s BBC, and Germany’s 3SAT.
His artistic output encompasses painting, sculpture, installations, video art, performances, and of course, street art.
“I’m sure people will really enjoy the vibrant colors, the playful shapes, and everything that makes up the new aesthetic of Notos department stores, especially when they see it as street art! It’s in our nature to seek out the vibrant, the fresh, the colorful… Because even if a city is gray, as long as we have fashion and street art, we can add the color it’s missing!” – Cacao Rocks.
The Transformation of a Historic Building
The Notos department store building carries a history spanning over 100 years and has been a landmark for many Athenians, a place associated with shopping memories, appointments, and the broader development of commercial life in the city center. Now, the building is being transformed into a contemporary canvas that blends architectural heritage with modern art.
Cacao Rocks’ artistic intervention enhances Notos’ dynamism and extroversion while aesthetically upgrading the area, emphasizing the importance of art as part of everyday life. The new facade, with its vibrant colors and elements from Notos’ new identity as created through its recent 2023 rebranding, creates a welcoming and optimistic environment that captures attention and attracts visitors.
With this initiative, Notos once again demonstrates its commitment to innovation and cultural contribution, remaining a reference point for the commercial and social landscape of Athens.
“When we started planning the renovation of Notos department stores, our goal was to breathe new life into the historic building that has housed the department store for over 100 years. Today, with the valuable help of Cacao Rocks and with absolute respect for the area, our vision is being realized and completes the recent rebranding of the department stores. Yasonas is inspired by the colorful shapes and colors of our identity and brings a note of joy and optimism to this landmark building in the area.” – Valeria Taranto, CEO of Notos department stores
“Having already inaugurated a new dynamic era for Notos department stores through the recent rebranding, we are particularly proud and happy that such an ambitious project, as part of the dynamic renewal, is being completed through the wonderful work of Cacao Rocks, who has visually depicted the new image on the facade of a historic building, combining the vision with history and the new reality, at a geographical reference point of the center of Athens!” – Zoe Pytharouli, Marketing & Communications Director, Notos department stores
