Apartment in Kallimarmaro

Built in the 1960’s, the apartment in Kallimarmaro was a typical sample of the Athenian reconstruction period, until recently. Its original layout was characterized by fragmented spaces, small rooms and long corridors that resulted in poor lighting and problematic circulation. The main idea of the project was to rearrange the plan of the apartment in a way that allows more light and softens the boundaries between the different uses of space. All partition walls between the living room, the kitchen, the dining room, the entrance hall and the study were demolished in order to create a bright unified space that accommodates all everyday activities. The proposed open-plan layout suggests a contemporary lifestyle, where the boundaries between the different uses of space are blurred. New, lighter boundaries, such as the freestanding bookcase, create a transparent filter between the public and private spaces of the apartment.

The idea of clarity is not only reflected in plan but also in the straightforward use of materials and textures that refer to modernist architecture and industrial design. The rough industrial character of the project is also enhanced by steel framed furniture such as the dining table and the freestanding bookcase that were specifically designed for this project by the architect.

The color palette is a game between calm and intensity, where soothing colors are used in the main living space where they reflect ambient light, while splashes of intense color are used to create a world of their own in the smaller rooms. Intense hues of blue and bright yellow are set against cement-plastered walls and timber surfaces in order to create a sense of contrast and warmth.

Panagiotis Papanikolaou

Panagiotis Papanikolaou