A museum dedicated to the great Cypriot musician and composer Marios Tokas will be built in the Ipsonas district of Limassol.
On Wednesday 26 June, the municipality announced the end of the architectural competition for the design of the new cultural space. A total of 32 applications were received by the Mayor's Office. After reviewing the projects, the first place and a cash prize of 10,000 euros was awarded to FIORE Architects. Second place and 8,000 euros went to Apostolopoulos Tasoulis, and third place and 5,000 euros to AREA Architecture Research Athens. It should be noted that the jury consisted of the Mayor of Ipsonas Pantelis Georgiou, architects Marinos Marinou and Stelios Thomas on behalf of ETEK, Pavlos Feraios on behalf of the Union of Architects and the composer's son Angelos Tokas.
The new museum will be located in the centre of the Ipsonas district, next to the composer's square and the church of Panagia Chrysopolitissa. The budget for the project is €1.82 million plus VAT (this amount does not include special constructions and special electromechanical equipment for the museological design of the exhibition, as well as the demolition of existing buildings on the site).
According to the architectural design submitted by FIORE Architects, the museum building will consist of two floors. The permanent exhibition will occupy four halls. In the first, it will be possible to get to know the main milestones of the composer's career. The second will describe his first steps in the world of music, and the third will present interesting facts about his work: concerts, the music he wrote, etc. Finally, the fourth room will be dedicated to the creative process. Pedestrian paths will be laid out around the building, and the area will be landscaped. In the future, the municipality plans to create two small squares next to the museum.
It should be remembered that Marios Tokas is a musician who has made a great contribution to modern Cypriot and Greek culture.
He was born in Limassol in the family of the journalist and writer Kypros Tokas. From the age of eight he played guitar, mandolin and sang in the Limassol Municipal Philharmonic Orchestra. Later he learnt to play the piano. At the age of 15, while studying at the Lanitio Grammar School, he began to write music. A year later he gave his first concerts, performing songs of his own composition in theatres in Limassol and Nicosia. During the Turkish invasion of 1974, Tokas served in the army. Later he often referred to this memory: the vicissitudes of that year had a profound effect on him and became the source of material for several works.
In 1975, Tokas moved to Athens, where he studied at the Conservatory and at the same time at the Philosophy Department of the University of Athens. During his studies he met his future wife, Amalia Petsopoulou. Tokas has released several music albums. Much of Tokas' work is dedicated to Cyprus and the islanders' struggle for freedom and independence. In 2001, President Glafcos Cliridis awarded him a medal for services to his country. The composer died on Easter Day, 27 April 2008.
