On Monday, 1 July, the Cypriot Ministry of Labour, Social Security and Insurance announced an architectural competition for the renovation of the historic building that now houses the department's staff.
Bids must be submitted by 17 September 2024.
The Ministry will then summarise the results and select the winner, who will immediately be able to start renovating the important facility. It should be noted that the Ministry of Labour, Social Security and Insurance building is located on Byron Avenue in Nicosia. It was built before the independence of Cyprus in 1960.
The deplorable state of the premises has been a source of complaint for the employees working there for some time now. They say plaster is literally falling on their heads. Labour Minister Yannis Panayiotou has promised that the situation will soon be rectified. He also emphasised the importance of the building, which has historical, political and architectural significance for the city. Panayiotou said that the works will definitely preserve the external uniqueness of the building, as it is a monument of Cypriot heritage.
"We respect our history and are moving into the future with optimism for the sake of economic development and community cohesion. We are doing this in co-operation with our social partners, employers and employees," the minister said.
It is worth noting that the Ministry's employees were originally scheduled to be relocated to a commercial skyscraper called Metropolitan.
However, this idea has not been realised so far. The skyscraper is located next to the Eurobank headquarters, in the heart of the city on Spyros Kyprianou Avenue. The 8,984 m2 building has 19 floors with office space, a luxurious reception area, a mezzanine, an engineering floor and three spacious levels of underground parking. There is also a rooftop lounge area which can be utilised for corporate entertainment events. All offices offer unbeatable panoramic views of Nicosia.
The new skyscraper is a testament to exceptional architecture and luxurious contemporary design. Metropolitan is equipped with the latest technology to meet current and future business requirements, with the flexibility to reallocate workspace if required. The building boasts thermal and acoustic insulation, VRV air conditioning, excellent ventilation, lighting, security, fire protection and fire suppression systems.