Bioclimatic shell

The project, located next to a traffic junction in one of the busiest and noisiest areas on the outskirts of Nicosia, is a medical center that provides day-care services across multiple fields, featuring modern and specialized operating rooms.

Design Philosophy

The elongated plot along Tseriou Avenue, oriented north–south, made it crucial to protect the building’s spaces from western and eastern solar exposure, as well as from excessive noise. The building is organized across six levels, two of which are underground. The ground floor, aligned with the adjacent pedestrian pathways, accommodates reception and service areas, a café, various gathering spaces, and offices. Medical areas, such as operating rooms and recovery rooms, are located on the first and second floors. The basement levels include support spaces and parking, while the third level houses mechanical installations.

The ground floor maintains a direct visual connection with the surroundings, is easily and immediately accessible from the sidewalk, and is surrounded by planting and outdoor areas for rest and dining. In contrast, the first and second floors are more introverted, with selective openings designed in direct relation to the functions they serve.

Facade and Shading Strategies

On the first and second floors, the eastern, western, and southern façades incorporate large rotating shading devices integrated into the building envelope, allowing generous outward views. When closed, they block sunlight and provide near-complete blackout conditions. On the western side, fixed perforated shading elements protect two external balconies directly connected to the vertical circulation, which can be used as breakout spaces.

On the northern façade, where solar protection is not required, a green wall covers the entire surface. In the intermediate zone between the wall and the vegetation, two balconies are constructed for plant maintenance as well as for relaxation. Spaces with direct visual contact to the green wall mainly include operating rooms and recovery beds.

Spatial Organization

The internal organization of the building, while overall reflecting the need for efficiency in patient care, is enriched with internal green atria and rest areas with balconies overlooking the city. These features create a well-lit and pleasant environment for both visitors and staff.

Set within a valley at the foot of a wooded hillside, the house is embedded in a landscape often veiled in shadow, protected by both slope and vegetation. The project emerges from this chiaroscuro condition, proposing the restoration of the original structure alongside the addition of a suspended extension – an intervention defined by lightness, openness and a renewed relationship with the surrounding environment.

Restoration Strategy

The existing building, a construction of notable character, has been carefully restored through a process of subtraction rather than transformation. Interior partitions and superfluous finishes were removed, allowing the spatial continuity to re-emerge while revealing the integrity of the original timber framework. Plaster coatings were stripped away, exposing the tactile qualities of stone and embedded flint, while existing shutters were cleaned and reinstated.

This approach reestablishes the house’s primary material expression and reinforces its anchoring within the Vexin landscape. The architecture does not impose a new identity but instead clarifies and amplifies what was already present, allowing the structure to reconnect with its historical and material context.

Design Philosophy

In contrast to the grounded, mineral presence of the original volume, the extension adopts a distinctly lighter architectural language. Positioned perpendicular to the existing structure, it extends beyond the shaded footprint to capture optimal sunlight. Elevated three meters above the natural terrain, the new volume engages directly with the slope and surrounding vegetation, establishing a dynamic spatial dialogue between ground and canopy.

A slender footbridge, constructed in wood and clad in polished stainless steel, connects the two volumes, framing views toward the forest while reflecting the sky. This transitional element reinforces the experiential sequence between old and new, shadow and light, enclosure and openness.

Material Palette & Structure

The extension is anchored by foundations of exposed aggregate concrete incorporating flint, establishing continuity with local construction methods and materials. Above this base rises a triangulated pine structure, articulated through a fine and rhythmic framework that defines the project’s light and elevated silhouette.

This structural system, both precise and expressive, supports an architecture that balances stability and suspension. The interplay between the restored mass and the lightweight addition generates a cohesive composition that explores contrasts – between heaviness and lightness, opacity and transparency, shadow and illumination.

Between anchoring and elevation, the project articulates a nuanced architectural response to its environment, proposing a dwelling that is both embedded in its context and open to transformation over time.

Continuous dialogue

Set within a site of remarkable natural beauty and surrounded by a golf course, the residence is conceived as an architectural composition that seeks to integrate seamlessly with its landscape. Through a careful articulation of volumetry and material expression, the project balances an extensive program with a sense of spatial clarity and harmony. The L-shaped plan is positioned at a slightly elevated level relative to the street, allowing unobstructed panoramic views across the otherwise flat terrain. This gesture establishes a gradual spatial transition while encouraging a continuous dialogue between interior and exterior environments.

Design Philosophy

The formal language of the residence is defined by the interplay of strong horizontal lines and a series of nuanced geometric transformations. Corners are beveled, curved, or inclined, generating a dynamic architectural composition that combines precision with expressive fluidity. The material palette reinforces this relationship with the surrounding landscape, employing light and earthy tones that enhance visual continuity. Wood elements, applied in panels and ceilings, are paired with a metal structure, while exposed light concrete introduces a subtle contrast against the warmer textures of the ground floor. A large, slatted panel on the upper level further accentuates the sense of lightness, contributing to the layered articulation of the façade.

Spatial Organization

The architectural composition unfolds through a clear organizational strategy that divides the residence into two primary volumes. A longitudinal wing accommodates the private program, including three suites, a physiotherapy space, and a home office, while a transversal volume concentrates the social and service areas, such as the kitchen, dining space, and auxiliary functions. Upon entry, gently inclined and curved walls guide movement toward the main living area, establishing a fluid spatial sequence that connects directly with the leisure zones. The integration of amenities, including sauna, spa, gym, and children’s area, is enhanced by retractable glass panels, allowing for flexibility and continuity. This entire leisure front is illuminated by zenithal natural light, ensuring both privacy and spatial clarity.

Lighting Design & Materials

Large, glazed surfaces establish a constant visual connection with the surrounding landscape, framing views and reinforcing the contemplative character of the residence. Architectural elements such as pergolas and inclined planes modulate light and shadow across the façades, introducing temporal variation throughout the day. On the upper floor, the master suite and additional bedrooms are arranged along the axes of the L-shaped plan, complemented by workspaces that benefit from the tranquility of the setting. A metal slat screen filters natural light while preserving privacy, and a continuous metallic eave outlines the volume with refined subtlety. Internally, the design language mirrors the exterior, combining warm tones, natural light, curated artworks, and selected furniture pieces into a cohesive and elegant spatial experience.

Spatial symphony

Tucked within the dense urban fabric of Limassol, the project is conceived as a refined retreat that explores the expressive potential of materiality, light and spatial continuity. The interior unfolds as a carefully curated composition, where tactile surfaces, layered lighting and bespoke details generate an atmosphere that is both intimate and elevated. Each element contributes to a narrative of lived elegance, where design operates not only as a visual language but as an experiential medium.

Spatial Organization

The living area develops as a fluid, open-plan environment, where spatial boundaries dissolve in favor of continuity and visual cohesion. A backlit library wall acts as a central architectural gesture, emitting a soft, ambient glow reminiscent of sunset light, while simultaneously functioning as a display system for curated objects and books. This illuminated surface anchors the space, introducing a gallery-like quality to the domestic setting.

Furniture elements are positioned to enhance both comfort and contrast, with a saddle leather grey sofa paired with a vivid red armchair. Full-height glazing extends the interior toward the exterior balcony, establishing a direct visual connection with a vibrant courtyard mural and reinforcing the dialogue between interior and exterior expression.

Material Palette

The kitchen is conceived as the operational core of the residence, balancing everyday functionality with social interaction. Wood cabinetry introduces warmth, while grey stone countertops and integrated appliances articulate a contemporary aesthetic. The central island operates as both workspace and gathering point, seamlessly connecting kitchen, dining and living areas.

In the dining space, a sculptural rose gold chandelier defines the atmosphere, casting diffused light across the black dining table. Upholstered seating and layered table settings introduce a sense of refined informality, while sheer curtains modulate daylight, producing a calm and intimate environment.

Lighting Design

The bedroom is approached as a sensorial environment, where texture and material layering define spatial identity. Denim-textured wall coverings establish a soft, woven backdrop, framing a sculptural bed upholstered in green textile. Complementary green marble surfaces and leather-wrapped details introduce a nuanced material dialogue, balancing tactility with precision.

Lighting plays a critical role in shaping the atmosphere, with brass-detailed track systems highlighting artworks and surfaces, while a chandelier composed of golden leaf elements introduces a focal, almost scenographic quality. The resulting composition reinforces a sense of intimacy, transforming the bedroom into a contemplative and immersive space.

Overall, the interior design achieves a cohesive synthesis of function, craftsmanship and narrative, aligning seamlessly with the architectural framework of the residence while articulating a distinct and layered domestic experience.

Material coherence

Located in São Paulo, the project is conceived with materiality as the central axis of the design and spatial integration as the guiding principle of its architectural organization. The residence articulates a refined architectural language shaped by precision in detailing and a nuanced understanding of contemporary domestic life.

Material Palette

Concrete defines the structural and formal expression of the composition, lending the house a distinct urban character. In contrast, freijó wood veneer millwork unfolds continuously throughout the interiors, establishing a cohesive spatial narrative that connects diverse programmatic elements, from the home theater to the guest bedroom. Doors clad in natural banana leaf fibers introduce a layer of texture and tactility, reinforcing the project’s engagement with the expressive potential of materials. The resulting palette establishes a balanced dialogue between rustic references and a contemporary architectural language.

Spatial Organization

The spatial organization is structured through calibrated degrees of openness and enclosure, enabling a fluid and coherent reading of the house. The kitchen and dining area share a unified visual and material field, allowing for complete integration, while auxiliary functions, such as the wine cellar and support pantry, are accommodated in more contained spatial conditions. Circulation unfolds seamlessly, enhancing the continuity of movement and reinforcing the experiential quality of everyday living.

Design Philosophy

The relationship between architecture and nature plays a central role in the project’s conception. The gourmet area is organized around an existing tree, which is incorporated as an active spatial element within the design. The garden extends into the interior, operating as a natural continuation of the architectural framework and dissolving the boundary between inside and outside.

On the third floor, dedicated entirely to the couple, the primary suite establishes a direct connection with the exterior through expansive openings. The bathroom, enveloped by vegetation, extends outward to a terrace with a hot tub, amplifying the sensory experience of inhabitation. An adjacent office space is integrated into this level, connected through a custom-designed bookcase that combines storage, library and functional support, maintaining the overall spatial and material coherence.

Working laboratory

Taller Di Frenna Arquitectos has developed its own architecture studio in Colima, Mexico, conceived as both a functional workplace and a platform for creative exploration. The building accommodates workspaces, meeting areas, audiovisual facilities and interior courtyards, organized within a series of clearly articulated volumes. Through the use of exposed materials, textural experimentation and the integration of natural light and vegetation, the project reflects the studio’s broader architectural ethos.  

Design Philosophy

The headquarters is conceived as an environment where architectural production and research coexist. Beyond accommodating the daily operations of the practice, the building operates as a space for experimentation, collaboration and the development of ideas.

The program includes open-plan workspaces, meeting rooms, audiovisual areas and a dedicated model-making workshop. These functions are arranged to foster interaction between team members and to support the various stages of the design process, from conceptual exploration to final presentation.

Rather than functioning as a conventional office, the building acts as a working laboratory, embodying the studio’s design methodology while enabling the continuous testing and evolution of architectural ideas.

Construction Logic & Materials

The architectural composition is defined by a sequence of clean, well-proportioned volumes. Emphasis is placed on the use of exposed, honest materials, allowing construction elements to remain visible and to express their structural and tactile qualities.

Concrete, steel, charred wood and stone form the primary material palette. Their combination, through varied textures and finishes, generates a layered architectural language that negotiates between industrial precision and natural expression. This material strategy reinforces durability while foregrounding craftsmanship and construction techniques.

The approach aligns with a broader design philosophy rooted in clarity of form, authenticity of materials and the integration of artisanal knowledge within contemporary architectural practice.

Courtyards & Spatial Organization

A network of interior courtyards structures the spatial organization of the building. These voids introduce natural light and vegetation into the interior, while establishing visual and physical connections between different programmatic zones.

The interplay between interior and exterior conditions produces a gradual spatial transition, where built volumes and natural elements coexist in a continuous dialogue. Variations in light, shadow and level contribute to a dynamic spatial experience, mitigating the monotony typically associated with enclosed office environments. These intermediate spaces also function as areas of pause and informal gathering, supporting a working atmosphere that encourages reflection, exchange and collective engagement.

The realization of the building involved close collaboration with local builders and artisans, whose contribution is evident in the detailing, surface treatments and material finishes throughout the project.

Vechro Paints participated in the “Packages of Love” initiative, in collaboration with Hatzigakis Foundation, actively contributing to the support of vulnerable families across Greece.

The company fully covered the essential goods, while the Vechro team stepped away from their desks to become something more: a human chain of giving. Through their personal involvement, the company’s people undertook the collection, organization, and packaging of over 450 kilograms of food at the central facilities, as well as their transportation to the collection point.

This mobilization contributed to something truly significant: the creation of 1,200 support packages for more than 500 families across the country.

The initiative evolved into a powerful moment of teamwork. Hands working together, a rhythm built collectively, and a spirit transformed into tangible results with real impact. For us, this is what “together” truly means.

“Packages of Love” highlights something simple yet essential: when we mobilize together, the outcome multiplies. And in doing so, giving gains a real impact on people’s everyday lives.

Vechro continues to invest in initiatives with social purpose, supporting actions that connect people and create value that inspires.

#VechroMoments #PackagesOfLove #VechroPeople #TogetherWeCare #CSR

The participation of MARMOURIS S.A. in Medwood Plus 2026, held from March 27 to 30 at the Metropolitan Expo Athens, was completed with great success, once again confirming the company’s dynamic role in the field of modern furniture solutions and interior design. The exhibition brought together leading industry professionals from Greece and abroad.

During the event, MARMOURIS S.A. had the opportunity to present a wide range of innovative products and solutions, fully meeting the needs of today’s professionals.

Particular emphasis was placed on DTC furniture mechanisms, including drawer systems designed for enhanced functionality, as well as sliding wardrobe mechanisms. Advanced hinge solutions and cabinet lift systems also stood out for their innovation.

Visitors to the booth experienced firsthand modern kitchen and bathroom equipment solutions by STARAX & AMBOS, which combine functionality with contemporary aesthetics and high quality. Special attention was also drawn to the VOLPATO Stili Ellipse & Cyclos open-structure shelving systems, offering flexibility and adaptability for any space while following the latest design trends.

In the surfaces category, new shades and color proposals were presented, including HANEX acrylic surfaces, HANSTONE quartz surfaces, and INFINITY ceramic surfaces. These materials stand out for their durability, refined aesthetics, and suitability for demanding architectural and design projects. Notably, ceramic surfaces were showcased in kitchen applications not only for countertops but also for cabinets and drawers, creating a striking visual result.

Another highlight was the introduction of the company’s new partnership with KFA Armatura, a well-established manufacturer with extensive experience, specializing in modern solutions for bathroom and kitchen equipment such as faucets and shower systems. Additionally, proposals for knobs, handles, and pulls from the GEMAN and ORAMIS brands attracted significant interest, perfectly complementing any furniture construction.

The success of MARMOURIS S.A.’s presence at this year’s event is largely attributed to the excellent organization and professionalism of its team. The booth stood out for its aesthetic quality and thoughtful design, offering visitors a complete and engaging experience.

It is also worth noting the high-level organization of the exhibition by Medexpo S.A., which played a key role in the overall success of the event by ensuring optimal conditions for both exhibitors and visitors.

With a steady focus on innovation and quality, MARMOURIS S.A. continues to strengthen its position in the industry, serving as a reliable partner for professionals in furniture manufacturing and interior design.

Urban upgrade

Along the axis that, from antiquity to the present day, connects the port of Piraeus with the center of Athens, Pireos Street, a concrete building of approximately 10,000 m² has been constructed, accommodating a fashion company alongside office functions.

Design Philosophy

The design of the building seeks to address two critical issues of the contemporary city: the maximization of greenery in relation to the built environment and the optimization of its environmental performance. The architectural composition is articulated through the coexistence of two distinct volumes: a single-storey retail space of 1,300 m² and a five-storey office building in an L-shaped configuration that encloses it, forming a clear boundary towards the adjacent structures and Pireos Street.

The roof of the ground-level volume is transformed into an intensively planted green roof, functioning as an elevated urban garden for both employees and the city. In this way, the project introduces a new topography, where greenery extends vertically, redefining the user’s relationship with the environment.

Spatial Organization

Employees benefit from a direct visual and functional connection to the garden, ensuring privacy and distancing from the noise of the busy urban artery. At the same time, ramps leading to the planted roof, in combination with the geometry of the curved volume, establish a spatial continuity that connects the ground level with a higher, publicly accessible plane.

The façades is differentiated according to orientation through shading systems such as louvers and stainless-steel mesh, regulating solar exposure and reducing thermal loads without compromising outward views. Each surface is conceived as an active filter mediating between interior and exterior conditions.

Sustainability & Technology

The green roof is maintained year-round through an automated irrigation system that utilizes rainwater collection and reuse tanks. The storage of significant water volumes supports the survival of the vegetation even during the summer months.

In parallel, the use of air-to-ground heat exchangers – large underground ducts – allows the introduction of naturally tempered air, contributing to the building’s microclimatic performance. A Building Management System (BMS) controls lighting, ventilation, and air conditioning, as well as window operation and internal shading, ensuring optimal indoor comfort while achieving substantial energy savings.

The project embodies a holistic approach to sustainable design, where architecture, technology, and landscape converge into a cohesive system that redefines the contemporary workplace.

Introverted courtyard

The house is located in a suburban area of Nicosia and was designed to establish a strong connection between indoor and outdoor living, drawing references from the urban Cypriot houses of the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

Spatial Organization

This contemporary approach reinterprets the courtyard as the living core of the residence. The main spaces – living room, dining area, kitchen and two bedrooms – are arranged in an L-shaped layout around a central courtyard. At the heart of the composition, an elongated water element, the pool, acts as a natural extension of the living space.

The presence of water enhances the dialogue between inside and outside, while also contributing significantly to the formation of a favorable microclimate, providing natural cooling during the summer months. The courtyard thus becomes an intermediate space of everyday life, where the boundaries between private and open-air environments are softened.

Material Palette

The architectural proposal follows a strict minimalist logic, emphasizing geometric clarity and the elimination of any superfluous elements. The volumes are defined by clean lines, while the composition is structured around the balance between solid and void.

Exposed concrete is the dominant material, selected for both its structural properties and its restrained aesthetic. This unified materiality ensures coherence and durability, while the clean surfaces act as a canvas for the interplay of natural light and shifting shadows throughout the day.

Bioclimatic Strategy

The design carefully utilizes orientation and cross-ventilation to ensure optimal airflow and natural lighting. At the same time, the introverted organization of the residence guarantees a high level of privacy, in contrast to the surrounding urban context.

The result is a residence that engages with local architectural heritage, translating it into a contemporary language. Through the synthesis of space, material and climate, the project responds to current needs for quality of life, flexibility and a meaningful connection with the natural environment.

Architecture as a Pluralist Landscape

The project is conceived as a forward-looking architectural statement, aligning the company’s identity with its core values of innovation, technical expertise and long-term sustainability. Bringing together multiple entities with distinct fields of activity, the project articulates a sequence of spatial environments, each expressing an individual corporate character while remaining embedded within a unified architectural framework.

The design unfolds as a layered exploration of form, materiality and atmosphere. Rather than adopting a singular, monolithic identity, the headquarters is conceived as a constellation of environments, each defined by its own formal language, geometry and sensorial qualities, forming a cohesive yet plural spatial experience.

Design Philosophy

Within this framework, selected areas adopt a pop-art and postmodern vocabulary, drawing references from the expressive language of Ettore Sottsass and the Memphis School. Through the use of bold colors, graphic patterns and sculptural volumes, these spaces introduce a dynamic and playful spatial rhythm, fostering an environment of creativity and visual stimulation.

In contrast, other zones embrace a raw, industrial aesthetic, echoing contemporary workplace paradigms. Exposed structural elements, carefully calibrated lighting and a palette of honest materials define these environments, where functional clarity is balanced with atmospheric depth.

Spatial Organization

Complementing these expressive environments, several floors are conceived through a minimalist approach, where spatial restraint, controlled geometries and functional precision become the defining architectural principles. Here, the reduction of form allows for a clear reading of space, emphasizing proportion, light and the essential qualities of the built environment.

This juxtaposition of contrasting spatial languages establishes a dynamic internal landscape, where diversity becomes a key driver of the architectural experience, while coherence is maintained through careful compositional control.

Biophilic Integration

The project further incorporates biophilic environments, positioning nature and daylight at the core of the spatial composition. Generous planting, filtered natural light and the use of organic textures contribute to a sensorial connection with the natural environment, reflecting the company’s commitment to sustainability and corporate social responsibility.

Together, these distinct spatial conditions form a living, pluralistic headquarters – an architectural ecosystem where each entity inhabits a space aligned with its identity, while collectively contributing to a unified vision grounded in experimentation, innovation and the continuous redefinition of the contemporary workplace.

Renewed perspective

The project of Dexamenes matures gracefully over time, much like wine – a narrative defined by continuity, a gentle projection into the future, and a constant state of entropy. Quiet reinvention has become intrinsic to its character: the hotel evolves through modest gestures, extending itself layer by layer, season by season. Since its inception, it has consistently reactivated its existing components. The twin silos now pulse with wellness, art, and recurring culinary events, each iteration fostering an ongoing dialogue with the past.

Extension Strategy

In parallel, the building has sought its own modes of evolution, delicately emerging from its robust concrete base. A few years after its completion, as cultural and culinary programs continued to flourish, it became evident that the site could accommodate a new chapter in hospitality – an additional layer that would honor the original ethos while offering a renewed perspective. During the early stages of construction, when the interiors of the tanks remained inaccessible, time spent on their rooftops revealed a unique sensation of elevation. From this vantage point, the sky met the sea in a continuous, uninterrupted line. It was this immediate connection to the horizon that ultimately informed the addition of a new layer atop the concrete tanks.

Functional Organization

Eight new rooms now occupy this elevated structure. A lightweight framework of slender metal tubes and warm wooden planks hovers above the solid tanks, tracing the building’s geometry without imposing upon it. These refined elements dematerialize the presence of the new level, allowing a thin canopy to appear as though it floats effortlessly above the concrete volume. A linear water feature frames the horizon, visually merging the architecture with the sea. Sunlight reflecting off the wooden pergola animates the surfaces, reinforcing the nautical, raft-like character of the intervention. The new rooms extend the palette, aesthetic, and spatial logic of the existing accommodations. Each one opens toward the sea through a generous veranda, shaded beneath the pergola, while access from the rear courtyard integrates the upper level into the daily life of the hotel below.

Design Philosophy

From this elevated vantage point, guests engage with the silos, the cultivated vines of the garden, and the rhythm of activity below, now perceived from a distinctly different perspective. The addition does more than expand the hotel’s capacity; it encapsulates, activates, and extends the evolving narrative of Dexamenes. The rooftop of the rear tank remains intentionally open-ended, reserved as a space for experimentation and discovery. From here, the horizon stretches infinitely, uncharted and anticipatory, awaiting the next chapter in the life of the hotel.

Legible boundaries

The interior design of a 300 m² office space for an insurance company is conceived as a study in transparency, spatial continuity and organizational clarity. The proposal introduces the notion of the “capsule” as a primary morphological and functional device, structuring the workplace through a series of transparent volumes that articulate the program while preserving a continuous visual field throughout the interior.

Spatial Organization

Departing from conventional enclosed office typologies, the design employs glass volumes to accommodate private functions such as meeting rooms and executive offices. These “capsules” operate as lightweight architectural insertions within the open-plan layout, allowing natural light to permeate the entirety of the space while maintaining visual connections across departments. The workspace is thus conceived as a unified environment, where boundaries remain legible yet non-restrictive, supporting both collaboration and autonomy.

Material Palette

Materiality plays a decisive role in shaping the atmosphere of the interior. Exposed cable trays mounted on metal rails, perforated metal panels and glass block partitions foreground the infrastructural and technical dimension of the workspace. In contrast, neutral surfaces introduce a layer of warmth and balance, establishing a dialogue between industrial expression and a more domestic sensibility. This juxtaposition produces a spatial identity that is both precise and inviting.

Lighting Design

In the entrance, a large-scale perforated metal screen defines the first spatial threshold. Acting as a semi-transparent filter, it subtly delineates the reception area while maintaining visual permeability toward the open workspace beyond. Light and movement diffuse through its perforated surface, enabling a gradual transition from the entrance zone into the interior.

Lighting design further reinforces the spatial reading of the project. Linear fixtures trace the primary axes of circulation, while sculptural and directional lighting elements accentuate specific zones of work and interaction. Combined with the abundant daylight entering through large openings, the lighting strategy enhances the rhythm, depth and clarity of the interior environment.

The resulting workspace is defined by openness, adaptability and a coherent spatial language. Through the interplay of transparency, material contrasts and light, the project fosters a dynamic environment that encourages collaboration while accommodating moments of concentration and privacy within a unified architectural framework.

Radical material reuse

Trace is a transformative deep retrofit residential project located on Drummond Street in Euston, London, designed by Bureau de Change for HGG London. The scheme reinterprets a four-storey brick building from the 1980s, extending it with two additional levels and accommodating five contemporary, light-filled apartments, while preserving and repurposing the majority of the existing structure.

Circular Economy Principles

At the core of the project lies a rigorous commitment to circular economy principles. Rather than opting for demolition and reconstruction, the design retains the original foundations, primary structure and defining architectural elements, including the characteristic archway, thus conserving the embodied carbon of the site. A key innovation is the development of a site-specific glass reinforced concrete (GRC) composite for the façade, incorporating materials harvested directly from the existing building.

The original mid-brown bricks are crushed and reused as visible aggregate, forming a new textured cladding that reconstitutes the building envelope. This process generates a materially expressive façade that both preserves and reinterprets the building’s history, allowing traces of the past to remain legible within a contemporary architectural language.

Design Philosophy

The architectural language draws from the layered historical context of Drummond Street and Tolmer’s Square, referencing Georgian urban typologies, the legacy of Euston Station, and successive phases of 20th-century redevelopment. The façade composition is informed by Georgian proportions, rustication, and articulated arches, reinterpreted through a contemporary construction system.

Organized within a rational grid, the openings reinterpret traditional segmental arches, enabling larger window apertures that enhance daylight penetration, cross-ventilation, and spatial quality. The inclusion of winter gardens at the rear further extends the living spaces, establishing a dynamic relationship between interior and exterior environments.

Layout & Urban Integration

The completed development comprises three two-bedroom apartments across the lower levels and two one-bedroom units on the newly added upper floors, each offering skyline views and access to outdoor terraces. The internal layouts are structured around double-aspect living spaces arranged in a stepped configuration, subtly organizing kitchen, dining, and living areas without rigid partitioning.

Aligned with the ambitions of the Euston Area Plan, the project promotes sustainable urban intensification while enhancing the character of the surrounding area. By demonstrating how existing structures can be elevated through adaptive reuse and material innovation, Trace positions itself as a model for low-carbon residential development within the contemporary city.

Programmatic coexistence

“Just Don’t Call it a Lab”

The Warren Woods Ecological Field Station, designed for the University of Chicago’s Department of Ecology and Evolution, constitutes the first certified Passive House laboratory facility in North America. With a total surface area of 220m², the building demonstrates how research environments can meet rigorous energy-performance standards while simultaneously supporting scientific inquiry, education, and community engagement. Situated within a 42-acre site in southwest Michigan, it establishes a framework for addressing critical questions related to ecology and human adaptation in the Anthropocene.

Programmatic Integration

The facility accommodates a fully equipped laboratory, seminar space, bathrooms, and a compact kitchen. A second-floor loft and an accessible roof deck provide flexible areas for retreats and collective activities, while three adjacent bunkhouses and a wash house support seasonal programs. The interior spaces are carefully daylit, balancing the technical requirements of scientific equipment with occupant comfort. This duality allows advanced research processes to coexist with the stringent demands of Passive House performance.

Environmental Strategy

Energy efficiency and programmatic complexity inform every aspect of the design. Laboratory spaces are strategically located in the cooler northwest corner of the building to counterbalance the heat generated by plant-growth chambers, ultra-low-temperature freezers, and DNA extraction equipment. A deep roof overhang mitigates solar gain on west-facing glazing, while a comprehensive ventilation system captures and redistributes or exhausts waste heat according to seasonal needs, ensuring optimal indoor environmental conditions.

Material Palette

The building is articulated through a combination of a long shed roof, expansive south-facing glazing, and operable perforated-metal screens that regulate solar exposure throughout the year. A super-insulated concrete slab contributes to thermal stability, maintaining consistent interior temperatures. The exterior is clad in distressed cedar siding, wrapping a series of abstract geometric volumes that anchor the structure within its wooded context while simultaneously expressing its technological and scientific character.

As both a research infrastructure and a prototype for sustainable design, the Warren Woods Ecological Field Station establishes a new paradigm for high-performance laboratory architecture in remote environments, aligning technical precision with ecological responsibility.

Highlighting the grid

The OTE Headquarters in Athens is the realized architectural study of a multi-storey office building, star-shaped in plan, based on the proposal that was awarded second prize among twelve selected entries. The project concerns the renovation and reconstruction of office and communal spaces from the 2nd to the 13th floor; a decision made in 2019 within the framework of modernization and energy upgrading of the building envelope.

Building history and structure

The construction of the original volume began in 1974, with several modifications to the initial plans, while the building was ultimately put into operation in the 1980s, consolidating all services of the “Hellenic Telecommunications Organization.” On a plot of 52 stremmas, a building with a total floor area of 65,000m² was developed.

The new proposal for the interior layout of the office spaces followed the structural grid of the existing shell. The superstructure consists of three rectangular wings, connected through a central circular core of vertical circulation. Each of the 13-storey wings was designed on a vertical structural grid of 1.25×1.25 m, expressed on the façades through external, non-structural, horizontal and vertical reinforced concrete panels. A similar approach is applied to the circular core, where the panels are exclusively vertical and arranged in a radial configuration. Each wing was “divided” into three longitudinal zones, each corresponding to six openings of 1.25m, resulting in a total width of 7.50m per zone.

Functional organization

In this way, alternative work modules were developed in full correspondence with the building’s structural grid. In the two lateral zones of each wing, both open-plan and enclosed office spaces were arranged, along with dedicated meeting rooms. In these areas, which benefit from natural light and unobstructed views, the arrangement of workstations in two groups of four creates a maximum unit of eight workstations.

The four corner zones of each wing were enclosed with fixed partitions, accommodating special uses, alternating between executive offices, workspaces, collaboration areas, meeting rooms, relaxation zones, creative spaces, rest areas, and spaces for employee retreat.

Movable, flexible, or fixed partitions for integration, repetition, or separation can accommodate – with mechanical precision – all possible conditions of flexibility, functionality, and adaptability. In the central zone, aligned with the structural grid, meeting rooms, sanitary facilities, and support spaces are developed.

Design Interventions

These include meeting rooms and areas, WCs, a closed kitchen, printing and copying rooms, semi-open meeting booths for private discussions, and open communal spaces for gathering and relaxation. A significant portion is occupied by the existing central core, which houses MEP spaces and the emergency staircase, while a dedicated project/meeting room at the top level, along with the distinctive design and material selection of the entrance area, complete the central zone.

The primary function of the central circular core is circulation and communication, and secondarily, it accommodates auxiliary uses such as WCs and storage areas. Interventions were kept to a minimum, focusing on the refinement of existing material finishes or the localized addition of new ones, the redesign of lighting and ceilings, and the introduction of custom constructions and selected furniture pieces in the radial, curved areas for rest or breaks between the wings.

In one of these areas, the open food service space (cafeteria) was fully upgraded according to specifications, with new elements, lighting, and equipment. Similarly, the WCs were upgraded through the replacement of partitions, claddings, and sanitary fixtures.

Material Palette

Key parameters in the process of design, selection, and application methods of materials were compliance with the requirements of LEED and WELL Building Standard certification systems.

The construction materials follow the logic of a central design strategy, with consistent choices in flooring, acoustic ceilings, and lighting, combined with numerous variations in claddings, textures, colors, subtle tonalities, material qualities, and furniture equipment. In this way, each wing and floor forms a distinct yet unique visual identity, resulting in a cohesive compositional and aesthetic outcome aligned with the new concept of the study.

The architectural design of the new interior layouts of the headquarters, along with its subtle visual differentiation on the façade (through the replacement of aluminum frames), completes its aesthetic identity, fully implementing the requirements of certification systems, while respecting the existing shell and reinforcing the building’s established presence in the urban consciousness of a major organization.

Evolving environment

The interior architecture of the Brazilian headquarters of the global law firm White & Case, emerges from a refined exploration of how local identity can coexist with an international corporate framework. Rooted in a synthesis of tradition and contemporaneity, the project foregrounds the human experience while articulating a spatial narrative shaped by cultural, behavioral, and functional parameters.

Design Philosophy

The conceptual approach is grounded in a deep reading of place, where intangible cultural attributes and patterns of use inform the spatial composition. Every design decision, from the incorporation of Brazilian materials and artworks to the selection of furniture by local designers, operates as a deliberate gesture toward expressing identity without resorting to clichés. The result is an environment that is both welcoming and stimulating, fostering engagement through subtle yet meaningful references to locality.

Spatial Organization

The layout is structured around a continuous and fluid spatial sequence that connects communal areas, such as the reception, café, and landscaped terrace, with private workspaces and meeting rooms. Open-plan workstations are complemented by acoustic solutions, phone booths, and adaptable meeting spaces, supporting a range of working modes. Retractable partitions enable meeting rooms to shift between openness and enclosure, reinforcing a flexible and dynamic office environment. This adaptability extends to the reception area, conceived as a transformable space capable of hosting events or accommodating more formal, everyday functions.

Material Palette

The material palette draws from natural references, with wood and stone employed to evoke the textures and tones of the Brazilian landscape. A gradual chromatic transition from darker tones at the core to lighter hues toward the perimeter, enhances the perception of depth and spatial progression. Curvilinear elements in floors and partitions, inspired by the work of Roberto Burle Marx, introduce a sense of continuity and movement, reinforcing the project’s fluid spatial identity.

Finally, the project integrates structural and programmatic strategies that anticipate future change. By embedding adaptability into its core, the design responds to evolving workplace demands while addressing the broader issue of spatial obsolescence. The office thus becomes not only a place of work but an evolving environment, capable of renewal, responsive to context, and expressive of both corporate and cultural identity.

Alumotor is an innovative company operating in the field of specialized motorization for large-scale frameless systems across Greece. It is the only company in Greece that provides a fully integrated service, including the study, supply, and installation of the complete electronic and mechanical equipment required for the motorized operation of openings.

Alumotor’s engineers, with extensive experience in design and construction, deliver comprehensive study and design solutions tailored to the specific construction requirements of each project.

Applications & Customized Systems in Motorized Openings

The high-tech, specialized motorization systems adopt a holistic approach to the unique characteristics of each project, ensuring precision, safety, and cutting-edge aesthetics—even in the most demanding installations.

• Adaptable to all types of motorized systems, such as sliding, pocket sliding, corner systems, and complex movement configurations.
• Advanced automation allows the synchronization of two or more motorized systems (e.g. corner openings, curtain systems, etc.).
• Openings can be controlled individually or integrated into building automation systems.
• Obstacle detection systems and adjustable speed and force control are incorporated.
• Advanced system for precise travel distance measurement, eliminating the need for limit switches.
• High-spec electrical and mechanical equipment with industrial-grade drivers for absolute motor control, even in large and heavy systems.
• Flexible management solutions tailored to user needs and construction specifics (minimal structures, aluminum, wood, etc.).

Motorized systems can be seamlessly integrated with other technologies such as solar panels, sensors, security systems, and smart building management systems, enabling synchronization with lighting, heating, air conditioning, security, and remote control functions. The mechanism remains 100% concealed within the installation, ensuring a clean and minimal aesthetic result. Alumotor’s After Sales Service, including maintenance and warranty services, guarantees the uninterrupted operation of all systems.

Sculptural outline

The project, with a total area of 24,000 m², involves the creation of an office complex and Media Campus in Kifisia, incorporating state-of-the-art television and radio studios.

Design Philosophy

The design is driven by the concept of sculpting a monolithic volume, carving out cavities and introducing porosity within a solid structure. Within this interplay of mass and void, the program unfolds, reflecting the client’s core philosophy: the shaping of a continuous flow of information. Much like water gradually erodes stone, the architectural form emerges as a constructed “nature.” The result is a dynamic, sculptural building defined by its strong presence, articulated through the use of limestone, complemented by aluminum, bronze, and wood detailing.

Spatial Organization

At the main entrance, a three-story-high “cavity” clad in linear wooden elements creates a striking threshold that welcomes visitors. The concept of carving extends into the interior, where a central, light-filled “canyon” is formed. Through the subtraction of volume, bridges connect the opposing office wings, while vertical voids allow natural light to penetrate deep into the building via a glazed roof, reaching even the lower levels. In plan, the building is organized in a horseshoe configuration, with office zones facing the central atrium. This permeable space extends across five floors and incorporates smaller atria and sculptural bridges, establishing visual connections between levels and enhancing transparency throughout.

Due to the site’s elevation differences, a secondary entrance is located at the rear, combined with access to the underground parking. This entrance leads directly to the studio level, where all media-related functions such as the newsroom, control rooms, and support spaces, are arranged on a single plane, forming a unified and operationally efficient media hub with direct access to the surrounding environment.

Landscape Design & Sustainability

The television studios, designed according to the same principle of porosity, are clad externally with perforated aluminum panels that are internally illuminated. During the day, they appear as solid metallic volumes in dialogue with the central atrium, while at night, light filters through their perforated surfaces, revealing a lighter, more ethereal presence and expressing the activity within.

The surrounding landscape is organized to accommodate both vehicular and pedestrian flows, as well as the operational requirements of the studios. At the same time, a series of outdoor green areas is introduced, offering spaces for relaxation and extending the workplace environment. These gardens incorporate seating areas within diverse planting zones, forming an urban green enclave that enhances the local microclimate – both within the building and its surroundings, including the integration of sky gardens.

The project adheres to the highest environmental and acoustic standards. The careful integration of the complex technical requirements – particularly those associated with studio functions – into the architectural design ensures a seamless dialogue between technical performance and spatial quality. As a result, the building maintains a coherent architectural language and a distinct, unified identity.

Ritualistic process

LOULOU, an iconic boutique dedicated to rare and avant-garde eyewear, introduces its new space in Lyon, conceived as a spatial showcase that reflects both the exclusivity of its collections and the identity of the brand. Recognized internationally and ranked among the top five optical boutiques worldwide, the project articulates a synthesis of design, craftsmanship, and curated retail experience.

The boutique presents a carefully assembled selection of eyewear from international designers, emphasizing rarity, innovation, and the art of detail. Brands originating from diverse cultural contexts, including Japan, France, the United States, and Brazil, are brought together under a unified curatorial vision that foregrounds material precision and aesthetic clarity.

Retail Concept

Situated in a new address in Lyon, the store establishes itself as a destination for design-conscious audiences. The relocation marks a strategic evolution, transforming the boutique into a spatial narrative where objects are revealed progressively, fostering a sense of discovery. The retail experience departs from conventional optical environments, instead embracing a philosophy of “quiet luxury,” where discretion, refinement, and personal interaction define the product engagement.

This approach reframes the act of selection as an intimate and almost ritualistic process, where eyewear is introduced gradually, echoing gestures of hospitality and attentiveness. The boutique operates not only as a commercial space but also as a platform supporting independent design and local craftsmanship.

Spatial Organization

The proposal articulates a contemporary interior language through a restrained yet expressive palette of materials. Pink concrete, dark wood, and brushed metal are combined to construct a layered spatial environment that balances tactility with visual coherence.

The spatial organization unfolds as a sequence of intimate zones, culminating in a boudoir-like setting that enhances the experiential dimension of the visit. This configuration allows for both display and consultation, integrating functional requirements, such as eye testing, within a cohesive and refined architectural framework.

Material Palette

Materiality plays a central role in defining the identity of the space. The juxtaposition of raw and refined surfaces establishes a dialogue between permanence and precision, while the controlled use of color and texture contributes to an atmosphere of understated sophistication.

The detailing of the interior reinforces the brand’s commitment to craftsmanship, translating the qualities of the eyewear collections into spatial form. Through this approach, the boutique transcends its commercial function, becoming an architectural expression of curated design culture and sensory experience.

Shared core

The redesign of the Wealth Management department offices of a dynamic securities company in Athens presented an opportunity to upgrade employees’ everyday experience by improving the qualitative and functional aspects of their working environment. The offices occupy the ground floor of a six-story building dating back to the 1990s, where the existing condition served as the basis for a contemporary reinterpretation of the space.

Design Philosophy

A primary objective of the study was to provide sufficient workstations for a continuously expanding team, while also addressing needs for comfort, sound insulation, collaboration, and flexibility. The main challenge lay in accommodating a large number of users within a limited floor area, further complicated by the team’s hybrid working model.

The spatial organization is structured around an elongated, communal “core,” which functions as the main axis of circulation and activity. This core incorporates workstations, a lounge area, storage units, and auxiliary functions, while the more private workspaces are arranged around it. These include offices of varying capacity, an executive office, a meeting room, and supporting spaces such as a kitchenette and WC.

Material Palette

The dissolution of rigid boundaries is achieved through the use of glass partitions, enhancing visual continuity and reinforcing the perception of the space as a unified environment. At the same time, the “stripping back” of the building envelope – through the removal of suspended ceilings and the exposure of the structural and mechanical systems – introduces an aesthetic of honesty and industrial clarity.

In contrast to the exposed structural elements such as concrete, metal, and visible installations, the material palette is enriched with warm and tactile qualities: woven vinyl flooring in sandy tones, natural walnut veneer surfaces, upholstery fabrics with subtle color accents, and integrated greenery. The result is a balanced composition between technical austerity and spatial warmth.

Lighting & Acoustic Design

Lighting design played a crucial role, given the uneven distribution of natural light within the ground-floor space. Through a combination of direct and indirect artificial lighting, adjustable shading systems, and specialized window films, a balanced luminous environment is achieved while minimizing glare.

At the same time, acoustic comfort is ensured through the use of sound-absorbing materials, such as perforated surfaces, fabric shades, and specialized flooring, contributing to a calm and productive working atmosphere. Guided by the principles of clarity, transparency, and honesty, the project shapes a multifaceted and flexible workspace that encourages interaction, supports concentration, and enhances the overall daily experience of its users.

ELVIAL is entering a dynamic new phase of growth, announcing the implementation of a comprehensive investment program for the period 2026–2029, totaling more than €9 million. This investment plan has a clear development footprint and is accompanied by the creation of approximately 40 new jobs for scientific and specialized personnel, substantially strengthening the local economy and creating stable, high-quality employment prospects for the wider community.

The investment plan is structured around three key pillars: upgrading building facilities, modernizing and enhancing mechanical equipment, and accelerating digital transformation. Strategic objectives include a significant increase in productivity, strengthening capacity in processed products, and further improving overall operational efficiency.

In the production sector, the integration of modern technologies and the upgrading of equipment enhance the company’s ability to respond to projects with high technical requirements, delivering top quality, speed, and flexibility. At the same time, digital transformation acts as a catalyst for growth, with extensive ERP upgrades, strengthened cybersecurity, and expanded automation in critical operations.

Additionally, as part of the building interventions, the creation of the state-of-the-art ELVIAL Technology Centre is included. This Testing, Research, and Training Center functions as a core pillar of the company’s strategy to continuously strengthen expertise, innovation, and human capital development. The investment shapes a dynamic ecosystem of technological advancement, knowledge transfer, and continuous learning, substantially reinforcing the connection between education and the real needs of modern industry.

Investment in people remains a strategic priority. By strengthening its teams with specialized professionals, the company reinforces its expertise, accelerates the pace of innovation, and empowers its network of partners, shaping an even stronger and more competitive business ecosystem.

With the 2026–2029 investment program, ELVIAL lays the foundations for the next, even more ambitious phase of its growth trajectory. It enhances its industrial strength, accelerates its digital transformation, and leverages its human capital, with a steady focus on long-term value, sustainable development, and international competitiveness.

Biophilic design

The company’s offices, belonging to a global leader in the food industry, have been fully renovated, transitioning from a traditional layout to a biophilic, innovative work environment. Moving away from the conventional closed-office typology, the new space adopts a variety of scenarios. Centered around an open plan logic, the design introduces flexibility, enabling the creation of spaces that support diverse modes of collaboration.

Design Philosophy

Materials assume a defining role, shaping atmospheres that encourage a sense of engagement – an essential catalyst for fostering creativity. At the same time, sustainability is embedded as a key component, aligned with the company’s philosophy throughout the entire design process. Upon entry, the reception area conveys a welcoming character, with soft, curved wooden lines that gently embrace the Nestlé logo. Elements such as marble and an olive tree are incorporated to reinforce local identity, while the material and color palette subtly reference local brands. The company’s values are dynamically communicated through an LED wall that adjusts its lighting according to the time of day.

The overall design is organized around a layout accommodating approximately 50–60 workstations per floor, complemented by alternative work areas tailored to the needs of different departments. The workspace prioritizes the open plan concept and the diffusion of natural light through perimeter openings, minimizing visual barriers. At the center of the design lies the “core” – a closed, dynamic form that defines Nestlé’s new era while hosting a variety of functions across distinct zones.

Spatial Organization

Collaboration rooms, focus booths, pet corners, and recreational areas respond to the diverse needs of the workplace. The aesthetic of the core, linked to the motto “Growing Tree of Good Life,” aligns with the company’s work strategy, while relaxation areas and soft corners distributed throughout the layout promote a sense of comfort, facilitating dialogue and collaboration.

At the main entrance of each floor, a lounge meeting point welcomes visitors, functioning as a flexible space for waiting, relaxation, or informal meetings. Adjacent to it, the “Amphitheater” – inspired by Greek sculptural architecture – offers the possibility of large-scale open gatherings for idea exchange, combining physical presence with technology. Thematic leisure areas on each level act as landmarks that embrace the brand represented by each floor. The meeting room on the north side draws inspiration from the deep blue of the Aegean, symbolizing the dynamism of technology as a medium for next-generation communication and collaboration. Descending to the semi-basement level, users encounter the restaurant, which operates as a space for dining, meetings, or assemblies.

Materiality & Sustainability

Aiming to support this multifaceted narrative, the restaurant is equipped with flexible furniture that allows for alternative configurations, while plants, in combination with the surrounding outdoor environment, complete the design.

Across the project, 90% of the flooring consists of recyclable materials, wall claddings are made from natural materials such as wood and cork, and acoustic panels are constructed from recycled plastic bottles.

Sustainability lies at the core of the design, with each floor featuring dedicated recycling points for waste separation. The office is also pet-friendly, the first of its kind in Athens, featuring pet corners and a dedicated check-in/check-out system for companion animals.

Digital ecosystem

The Viva Wallet headquarters constitute a model working environment, with sustainability at the core of the architectural design. By maximizing natural light and introducing 2,234 plants from 35 different species, an artificial landscape is created that promotes wellbeing and team cohesion.

Brand Identity

Mediterranean gardens, lush with lavender, thyme, olive trees, and almond trees, articulate an architecture with a strong ecological consciousness, offering ideal conditions for creativity and innovation within the fast-paced context of the fintech world.

The twin-building complex, organized around a central atrium, operates as an administrative hub for the company’s European activities, accommodating 450 of its total 1,000 employees.

The architectural branding strategy developed for this project established the foundations for a unified corporate identity, applied across all 24 countries where Viva Wallet operates.

Spatial Organization

The transformation of the workplace model after the pandemic calls for new approaches to spatial design. The new headquarters is thus conceived not only as a place of work, but as a hub for interaction and creative exchange.

Flexible collaboration zones encourage communication and interaction, while areas for individual work provide conditions for focus and seclusion. Meeting rooms, defined by glass surfaces with varying degrees of transparency, maintain spatial continuity while ensuring privacy.

The working environment is further enriched through multifunctional configurations such as brainstorming caves, lounges, and a planted roof, offering alternative modes of working, coexisting, and relaxation. The atrium hosts the “Code Bites” restaurant, promoting gastronomic wellbeing as an integral aspect of corporate culture, while the rooftop café functions as an alternative social hub. Both facilities are designed to transform into amphitheatrical layouts for presentations and corporate events.

Materiality & Bioclimatic Design

The building’s aesthetic balances technology and nature, with a color palette that combines the deep blue of the corporate identity with earthy tones and natural materials. The bioclimatic design integrates a wide variety of plants, functioning as a living filter that purifies the air and reduces noise pollution. Large glass surfaces allow abundant natural light to penetrate the interior, significantly reducing energy consumption and enhancing indoor environmental quality.

The new Viva Wallet headquarters is not merely a workspace, but a complex ecosystem designed to respond to the evolving demands of the digital era. It reflects the transition from a static, linear model of work to a dynamic, sustainable, and adaptable environment, where physical presence acquires new meaning.

Its architecture serves not only productivity but equally wellbeing, creativity, and sustainable development, shaping a holistic model that supports contemporary professional life and anticipates the future of work.

Set within the Matosinhos Sul Urbanization Plan by Álvaro Siza, the former Brandão & Companhia canning factory occupies a privileged position near the coastline, retaining a strong connection to the industrial past and maritime identity of the area. The intervention reinterprets this legacy through a mixed-use development that consolidates healthcare, commercial, office, and residential functions within a unified architectural system, restoring the original envelope and chimney while introducing a contemporary layer. The proposal addresses the fragmentation of the existing structure by re-establishing continuity within the urban fabric. While the original volumetry occupied almost the entire plot, the project introduces permeable and green voids that allow natural light and circulation to penetrate the block.

04. Office Building in Attica | Georges Batzios Architects

ek Issue: 251 | October 2020

The existing building is one of the rare examples of the Brutalist architectural movement in Greece. It was constructed in 1972 and represents one of the most significant works by the Tombazis office. It served as a flagship for the company specializing in industrial concrete production. The revival of the historic building posed an ethical challenge in terms of the intervention limit on the existing structure. It is worth noting that over its 50 years of existence, the building had been covered in various hues and materials, with the most recent being an ochre shade, which obscured its original Brutalist texture. Therefore, the initial intervention focused on restoring the original (1972) composition of exposed concrete in all visible elements of the building (40,000 sqm).

05. Car Rental Hub | Veneris Architects

ek Issue: 276 | April 2023

The project concerns the creation of a car rental hub, located along the main road axis connecting the airport with the city of Chania. The central design concept is defined by the positioning of a pair of circular buildings along the imaginary extension of the nearby runway. The geometry of the buildings is based on simple geometric forms, aiming to produce a clear and legible architectural ensemble. The two volumes are arranged on a unified plaza, which operates as a transitional element between built and unbuilt space. Between the two building entities, a metal canopy is introduced, functioning both as a unifying compositional element and as a threshold zone mediating the transition of visitors from the exterior into the interior of the complex.

The company’s offices, belonging to a global leader in the food industry, have been fully renovated, transitioning from a traditional layout to a biophilic, innovative work environment. Moving away from the conventional closed-office typology, the new space adopts a variety of scenarios. Centered around an open plan logic, the design introduces flexibility, enabling the creation of spaces that support diverse modes of collaboration. Materials assume a defining role, shaping atmospheres that encourage a sense of engagement – an essential catalyst for fostering creativity. At the same time, sustainability is embedded as a key component, aligned with the company’s philosophy throughout the entire design process. Upon entry, the reception area conveys a welcoming character, with soft, curved wooden lines that gently embrace the Nestlé logo.

An existing 40-year-old office building is stripped back to its primary structure and comprehensively reinterpreted to respond to contemporary workplace demands. The initial massing logic is recovered and clarified, transforming what was once a fragmented and visually inconsistent assemblage into a cohesive composition. The building is rearticulated as a constellation of twelve distinct volumes, each defined by its own cladding strategy and spatial atmosphere, establishing a new architectural identity rooted in differentiation and clarity. The intervention operates through a process of subtraction and redefinition. By removing non-essential layers, the original structural framework is revealed and reorganized, allowing the building’s inherent geometry to be legible once again.

The OTE Headquarters in Athens is the realized architectural study of a multi-storey office building, star-shaped in plan, based on the proposal that was awarded second prize among twelve selected entries. The project concerns the renovation and reconstruction of office and communal spaces from the 2nd to the 13th floor; a decision made in 2019 within the framework of modernization and energy upgrading of the building envelope. The construction of the original volume began in 1974, with several modifications to the initial plans, while the building was ultimately put into operation in the 1980s, consolidating all services of the “Hellenic Telecommunications Organization.” On a plot of 52 stremmas, a building with a total floor area of 65,000m² was developed.

In 2019, the Dimnikcobau company organized an international competition to design the DCB business center in the Moste industrial zone of Ljubljana. The project transcends the building’s functional character as an office space turning it into an urban catalyst, adding value to this suburban area which is historically linked to generic spaces for business and logistics. The compact space of the new building, with the ground floor shaped like a rhomboid and 10 floors above ground level, is taller than neighboring buildings and dominates the landscape of the area. The diagonal displacement of the ground floor allows access to the central foyer consisting of a large atrium with a fluid shape and which goes up vertically to end in a skylight overhead. The atrium opens up to the exterior through two large windows that are the height of three levels, and which add a sculptural character to the space, allowing it to be bathed in natural light from two sides, as well as allowing views of the city’s outline and the mountainous Alpine scenery from its terraces.

Constellation of volumes

An existing 40-year-old office building is stripped back to its primary structure and comprehensively reinterpreted to respond to contemporary workplace demands. The initial massing logic is recovered and clarified, transforming what was once a fragmented and visually inconsistent assemblage into a cohesive composition. The building is rearticulated as a constellation of twelve distinct volumes, each defined by its own cladding strategy and spatial atmosphere, establishing a new architectural identity rooted in differentiation and clarity.

Intervention Strategy

The intervention operates through a process of subtraction and redefinition. By removing non-essential layers, the original structural framework is revealed and reorganized, allowing the building’s inherent geometry to be legible once again. The front façade adopts a restrained material palette, articulated through subtle tonal variations of white, grey, black, and gold. A newly introduced curtain wall defines the primary elevation, while a sequence of cast-in-place terrazzo steps establishes a clear and generous entrance gesture.

In contrast, the rear elevation embraces a more expressive and playful language. Individual volumes are distinguished through color and material differentiation: a pale turquoise-clad elevator core, a striped black-and-white staircase punctuated by yellow window frames, a pink-rendered service core, and blue metal-clad office spaces. This chromatic distribution extends throughout the building, generating a dynamic interplay between interior and exterior surfaces.

Spatial Organization & Environmental Strategy

The building is reoriented to engage more directly with its adjacent natural park, introducing new openings within previously opaque façades. These interventions enhance visual connectivity while significantly improving daylight penetration, addressing the limitations of the original low ceiling heights.

At roof level, a landscaped green roof is combined with a circular pergola, forming a sequence of outdoor workspaces and social areas. These elevated spaces accommodate informal gatherings, events, and moments of exchange, extending the program beyond the conventional office environment.  

Sustainability is integrated as a core design parameter. The project incorporates high-performance insulation systems, energy-efficient glazing, locally sourced materials, and low-energy mechanical systems. Additional features include photovoltaic panels, electric vehicle charging stations, and bicycle parking, contributing to the building’s A+ energy efficiency rating.

Material Palette

The interior design negotiates between preservation and transformation. Existing black marble flooring is restored, while suspended ceilings are removed to expose the raw concrete structure and its irregular formwork. This juxtaposition of refined and unfinished surfaces establishes a consistent material language across all levels.

Each floor is further differentiated through bespoke architectural elements and furniture interventions. These range from sculptural marble seating installations to a vivid red perforated metal library and expansive shared worktables. On the ground floor, a generous red terrazzo staircase operates simultaneously as circulation and as an amphitheatrical space for events, linking to a luminous mezzanine above.

Davide Groppi is an Italian lighting designer, born in Piacenza. In the late 1980s, after an initial training in drafting, he started a small workshop in the historic heart of the city, inventing and manufacturing lamps with the brand by his same name. Over time, creative independence and management have allowed him to develop his own brand of original and unique products, distributed the world over. In his work, simplicity, lightness, emotion, invention, and amazement are the fundamental elements. The things that inspire these ideas are works of art, ready-made objects, magic, the desire to make things with his hands or simply the urge to play and have fun with light.

S.M.: What drew you to lighting design in the first place? Which different aspects of design did your interest shift to during your activity?

D.G.: The need to communicate and do a job that belonged to me. Light has always fascinated me, and I have always liked the idea of telling stories with my lamps. Now I am mainly interested in the immaterial aspect of light, and therefore the possibility of inventing something new, never seen before.

S.M.: Your breakthrough design came through an encounter with Maddalena de Padova, from an already established company mostly centered around furniture; beyond image or typology, what do you think lay at the essence of this design to match with the sensibility of the brand?

D.G.: I believe that Maddalena De Padova felt my passion for light and lamps. And, also, a certain way of describing my work.

S.M.: Design and production are strictly linked. How early did you choose to become a producer of your own designs, and what have been the advantages and disadvantages of managing both fields?

D.G.: Immediately. I was too young to think about presenting my ideas to companies. So, I imagined self-producing what I invented. It was an adventure, but I had the opportunity to grow independently and free from the typical constraints of the industry.

Read the full interview in the annual issue Villas 2024.

Geometric accents

The project concerns the creation of a car rental hub, located along the main road axis connecting the airport with the city of Chania. The central design concept is defined by the positioning of a pair of circular buildings along the imaginary extension of the nearby runway.

Design Philosophy

The geometry of the buildings is based on simple geometric forms, aiming to produce a clear and legible architectural ensemble. The two volumes are arranged on a unified plaza, which operates as a transitional element between built and unbuilt space. Between the two building entities, a metal canopy is introduced, functioning both as a unifying compositional element and as a threshold zone mediating the transition of visitors from the exterior into the interior of the complex.

The initial concept proposed the creation of two circular, single-space halls, organized through a peripheral arrangement of counters or kiosks, following a spatial typology commonly found in airport environments. At the same time, the design needed to accommodate the potential subdivision of the buildings into independent offices and retail units with direct access from the exterior. The circular geometry proved particularly effective in supporting multiple usage scenarios.

Functional Organization

At ground level, the buildings host the offices of four car rental companies, while the upper floors accommodate independent office spaces available for lease. The basement levels include auxiliary functions serving the retail units, visitor sanitary facilities, a car wash, and additional electromechanical installations.

The outdoor space is carefully configured to support the continuous circulation of small vans transporting customers to and from the airport, while also maximizing the number of parking spaces and vehicle handover points.

Material Palette

The folded metal envelope, aluminum cladding, and the use of high-specification glazing and panel systems form a coherent architectural vocabulary that aims to establish a distinct identity for the development, while simultaneously providing a flexible design framework for future expansion.

Citadel Within the City

Set within the Matosinhos Sul Urbanization Plan by Álvaro Siza, the former Brandão & Companhia canning factory occupies a privileged position near the coastline, retaining a strong connection to the industrial past and maritime identity of the area. The intervention reinterprets this legacy through a mixed-use development that consolidates healthcare, commercial, office, and residential functions within a unified architectural system, restoring the original envelope and chimney while introducing a contemporary layer.

Urban Integration

The proposal addresses the fragmentation of the existing structure by re-establishing continuity within the urban fabric. While the original volumetry occupied almost the entire plot, the project introduces permeable and green voids that allow natural light and circulation to penetrate the block. These interstitial spaces generate visual and physical connections between programs, enhancing accessibility to upper levels and fostering interaction within a dense, multifunctional urban environment. The ground floor accommodates commercial and service functions, offices are positioned on the first level, and residential units are organized in elevated volumes.

Programmatic Organization

At the entrance to the residential areas, a reception space opens onto a patio that operates as the central node of circulation, linking communal zones and distributing movement across the complex. The spatial hierarchy is structured to balance privacy and collectivity, ensuring fluid transitions between different uses. The distribution of the building mass into distinct volumes creates a dynamic composition that responds both to the scale of the plot and to the surrounding urban context.

Material Palette

The architectural language is articulated through a juxtaposition of materials with varying densities, notably pigmented concrete and aluminum stretched mesh. This contrast reflects the dialogue between past and present, emphasizing both the solidity of the existing structure and the lightness of the newly inserted volumes. Suspended above the courtyard, these elements introduce a sense of elevation and permeability, with a material palette inspired by the proximity to the sea. The intervention ultimately establishes a balanced relationship with adjacent buildings and the public realm, contributing to the revitalization of the block and supporting a broader strategy of sustainable urban development.

LG Electronics (LG) introduces its new generation of professional monitors, designed to meet the increasing demands of modern professionals such as graphic designers, architects, video editors, and healthcare specialists. Combining advanced display technologies, high color accuracy, and versatile connectivity options, LG’s professional monitors provide a comprehensive working environment for creative and scientific fields that rely on visual precision.

LG’s professional monitor series are engineered with performance and reliability in mind. Featuring resolutions of up to 4K and 5K2K, along with Nano IPS technology, the monitors deliver vivid and accurate colors, covering a wide range of professional color spaces such as DCI-P3. This makes them ideal for graphic designers, photographers, and content creators who require faithful image reproduction and detailed editing of images and video. At the same time, high contrast and HDR support enable more accurate rendering of bright and dark areas, contributing to a more realistic result in multimedia production.

For professionals working in demanding design environments, such as architects and engineers, LG UltraWide monitors offer expanded workspace and advanced multitasking capabilities. With a large display area and features such as Screen Split and Picture-by-Picture, users can manage multiple applications and design files simultaneously, significantly improving workflow in CAD, 3D modeling, and architectural design applications.

At the same time, LG is developing specialized solutions for the medical sector, offering medical monitors designed for precise visualization of medical images. With high resolution, IPS technology, and compliance with the DICOM Part 14 standard for accurate grayscale rendering, these monitors support diagnosis and analysis of radiological examinations, contributing to the reliability of medical imaging.

Ergonomics is also a key element in LG monitor design. Adjustable stands allow for height, tilt, and pivot customization, while modern connectivity options such as USB-C and Thunderbolt facilitate seamless integration with contemporary workstations and laptops. This enables professionals to create a more efficient and organized working environment.

With a strong focus on innovation, image quality, and reliability, LG’s professional monitors represent a comprehensive solution for professionals who demand top-level visual accuracy and high productivity in their daily work.

The professional monitors are backed by a 3-year comprehensive warranty and a 3-year zero pixel defect warranty.

Discover more about LG’s professional monitor range: https://www.lg.com/gr/monitor

LG Electronics (LG) is presenting its full range of heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) solutions at the Mostra Convegno Expocomfort (MCE) 2026 exhibition in Milan, Italy, from March 24 to 27. LG’s latest residential and commercial solutions – including its iF Design Award 2026-winning air-to-water heat pump indoor units – are designed to meet Europe’s accelerating electrification trends and diverse installation environments.

Enhanced Domestic Hot Water Solutions Designed for European Homes

LG has strengthened its residential heating portfolio with an expanded range of solutions specifically designed for European households. This lineup includes the Therma V™ Monobloc S, an all-in-one system using R290 refrigerant, which can be combined with a buffer tank, domestic hot water tank, and controller to create a high-performance, integrated solution for space heating and hot water supply.

At MCE, LG is also showcasing its new indoor units for air-to-water heat pump systems. The Control, Hydro, and Combi Units feature refined, premium designs that blend seamlessly with most interiors and include a 6.8-inch color touchscreen for intuitive control. The Combi Unit supports space heating, cooling, and domestic hot water, while the Hydro Unit simplifies installation with front access and a bracket-type mounting system. The Control Unit features integrated heating control logic, reducing the need for additional components.

Each unit has a compact design for flexible placement and is equipped with Wi-Fi and LG ThinQ technology, enabling remote monitoring, simplified commissioning, and easy system management.

LG’s residential water heater range for Europe includes both heat pump and electric models, catering to various installation conditions and hot water needs. The heat pump water heater uses R290 – a refrigerant with a low global warming potential (GWP) – to reduce environmental impact, while LG’s electric water heaters deliver strong performance along with improved durability and hygiene.

In addition, MCE attendees can explore LG’s range of indoor units, including wall-mounted, console, and floor-standing models. The fan coil units (FCUs), adapted to local conditions, offer flexible solutions and support efficient integration into Europe’s diverse installation environments. For smart home connectivity, LG introduces a gateway compatible with the Electric Energy Bus (EEBUS) standard, enabling intelligent energy control and broader compatibility with smart grids.

Residential Air Conditioning: Comfort and Convenience Powered by AI

LG’s residential air conditioner lineup, including the DUALCOOL™ AI, ARTCOOL™ AI, and ARTCOOL™ Gallery models, delivers personalized comfort through intelligent AI-based control.

These advanced models utilize LG’s AI Air™ technology, which analyzes usage patterns and indoor conditions to precisely adjust airflow direction, speed, and temperature. Maintenance is made easier with accessible filter systems and efficient internal cleaning functions. LG ThinQ connectivity allows users to remotely control their air conditioners, manage energy consumption, and monitor indoor air quality.

Advanced HVAC Solutions for Commercial Applications

For the commercial sector, LG offers a complete portfolio of integrated solutions prioritizing efficiency, safety, and scalability. The redesigned Multi V™ i VRF system ensures intelligent and efficient operation using low-GWP R32 refrigerant. It also incorporates robust refrigerant safety measures, including sensors that trigger automatic protective responses in case of leaks, ensuring operational continuity and safety.

In collaboration with Hoval, a leading European manufacturer of air handling units (AHUs), LG will showcase the expanded connectivity capabilities of the Multi V i system. The combination of LG’s VRF system and Hoval’s AHUs delivers a high-performance solution suitable for a wide range of commercial environments.

Designed to simplify system management, the LG ACP i controller features an intuitive, AI-enhanced interface that facilitates efficient facility control and provides accurate energy consumption analysis.

LG’s Inverter Scroll Chillers / heat pumps offer modular scalability, making them ideal for large-scale applications. Multiple units can be combined for higher capacity, ensuring efficient coordination and stable performance across the system.

“LG is committed to delivering comprehensive HVAC solutions tailored to European installation environments, climate conditions, and energy standards,” said James Lee, President of LG ES Company. “Through continuous innovation, we are shaping excellence in HVAC systems in Europe—and worldwide—with solutions that are efficient, intelligent, and future-ready.”

LG welcomes visitors to MCE 2026 and invites them to explore its latest HVAC innovations for residential and commercial applications at booths #5U29 and #5Z22 at Fiera Milano.

Notes:

• The energy efficiency rating is A+++/A++ at temperatures of 35/55 degrees Celsius.
• The R290 refrigerant has a GWP of 0.02, while R32 has a GWP of 675, according to EU Regulation 2024/573 (IPCC 6th Assessment Report).
• The LG ARTCOOL AI is available in a range of matte and glossy finishes.
• LG Inverter Scroll Heat Pump Chillers feature a modular design with a 105 kW unit. Product configurations can consist of 105/210/315 kW and are expandable up to 1890 kW (6 units).

Extroverted geometry

Simple linear geometries, clarity of form, brightness, and a sense of freshness are combined with functionality and warmth to shape the design of the “Pick Up” all day coffee & brunch. Conceived through an extroverted spatial approach, the project emphasizes the relationship between interior and exterior, establishing an active dialogue with the street and the surrounding neighborhood. By employing a restrained palette of low-cost materials – terracotta brick, glossy white ceramic tiles, polished cement screed, and birch plywood – the space articulates a timeless aesthetic through a contemporary architectural lens.

Spatial Organization

The composition is structured into two primary zones: an open bar dedicated to coffee and food preparation, and a seating area for guests. This clear functional division enhances usability while maintaining visual continuity across the space. A linear built-in bench in terracotta, fixed constructions clad in ceramic tiles, and a custom-made installation composed of reused broken tiles contribute to a cohesive and adaptable interior environment. The arrangement prioritizes both efficiency and comfort, reinforcing the social character of the café.

Material Palette

White-painted interior surfaces operate as a neutral background, allowing the tactile presence of terracotta and the reflective quality of glossy ceramic tiles to emerge as dominant elements. The polished cement screed flooring, rendered in a concrete tone, introduces a sense of material density and continuity, grounding the interior composition. The integration of greenery further enhances spatial freshness, strengthening the connection between inside and outside while softening the mineral palette.

Brand Design

The design logic extends seamlessly to the exterior, where the façade becomes an active component of the project’s identity. A custom-made circular sign, crafted from terracotta and white ceramic tiles, serves as a focal point, visually anchoring the café within its urban context. This gesture consolidates the project’s material language and reinforces its presence in the streetscape, completing a unified architectural narrative that bridges interior atmosphere and public interface.

Consolidating functions

The Exeter Road Pavilion is an adaptive reuse of a modest Victorian garden outbuilding in northwest London, reimagined as a hybrid domestic and social space for an art collector and amateur DJ. Conceived as both a storage environment and a setting for leisure, the project consolidates diverse functions – archiving, display, gathering, and recreation – within a unified architectural gesture that extends from interior to landscape.

Design Philosophy

At the core of the proposal lies a continuous cabinet, operating as a contemporary cabinet of curiosities. Beginning within the refurbished structure and extending outward into the garden, this linear element accommodates an array of uses: art storage and display, shelving for books and vinyl records, a DJ station, a television, and personal artifacts. As it moves outdoors, it integrates recreational functions, including a ping-pong table, weights, and garden games, maintaining spatial continuity across interior and exterior domains.

Encased in a perforated stainless-steel screen, the cabinet oscillates between transparency and opacity. Its surface reflects and filters light, producing shifting visual conditions throughout the day. This duality allows the cabinet to simultaneously reveal and conceal its contents, reinforcing its role as both container and spatial mediator.

Structural Logic

The cabinet operates not only as storage but also as a structural system, supporting the canopy that extends over the outdoor space. The relationship between these elements introduces a deliberate tension, inspired by the precarious compositions of Fischli & Weiss. Rather than adhering to conventional structural logic, the design removes an expected column, redistributing forces through a counterbalancing system.

This equilibrium is achieved through a precisely milled marble mass embedded within a galvanized steel I-beam, paired with a tension rod anchored to a concealed concrete block below ground. The resulting configuration establishes a legible yet unconventional structural narrative, where balance is perceived as dynamic and contingent rather than fixed.

Materials & Sustainability

The canopy itself is composed of layered materials – marble, steel, and polycarbonate – articulated in a clear tectonic hierarchy. Stainless steel cladding on the cabinet mirrors the surrounding vegetation, while translucent roofing elements diffuse light into the space below. This material palette oscillates between raw and refined, grounding the project in both industrial precision and environmental responsiveness.

Through reflection, translucency, and spatial extension, the pavilion dissolves the boundary between interior and exterior. It becomes an instrument for observing seasonal and daily changes, where light, vegetation, and built form interact continuously. The project ultimately establishes a condition in which structure, storage, and landscape remain in constant and perceptible dialogue.

Cohesive framework

Conceived as a new architectural landmark for South Tyrol, the Museum Depot responds to the need for a centralized facility dedicated to the protection, conservation, and public accessibility of the region’s cultural assets. The project rethinks the fragmented system of existing depots, consolidating diverse collections into a unified structure that accommodates over one million objects, ranging from artworks and museum holdings to archaeological finds and audiovisual archives.

Programmatic Integration

The proposal addresses a dual objective: to operate as a highly efficient preservation facility while simultaneously engaging with the cultural and institutional demands of the region. Rather than functioning as a series of isolated storage units, the building establishes a cohesive framework that integrates research, conservation, and exhibition. Offices, laboratories, workshops, storage areas, and public galleries coexist within a single architectural system, fostering collaboration and exchange between institutions.

The spatial organization prioritizes relationships and workflows, structuring the program around a central courtyard that introduces natural light into the working environments while offering visual and physical access to a landscaped outdoor space. This arrangement enhances both functionality and user experience, positioning the depot as an active cultural infrastructure rather than a purely technical repository.

Spatial Strategy & Sustainability

A key aspect of the design lies in the careful distribution of functions across different levels. Storage and exhibition spaces are located underground, ensuring stable climatic conditions essential for the long-term preservation of sensitive artifacts. Above ground, administrative and research functions benefit from daylight and visual permeability, creating a balanced working environment.

Circulation is conceived as a continuous and legible system, connecting the various programmatic elements while reinforcing their interdependence. The interior is defined by clear spatial sequences and controlled transitions, allowing both staff and visitors to navigate seamlessly through the building.

Design Philosophy

The architectural form draws from the vernacular typologies of South Tyrol’s alpine and valley regions, translating traditional elements into a contemporary language. A raised, pitched roof defines the building’s silhouette, while the street-facing entrance opens into a transparent and welcoming foyer.

Partially embedded into the ground, the structure reduces its visual impact and establishes a sensitive relationship with the surrounding landscape. The green roof extends the natural terrain, reinforcing continuity between the built form and its environment. This integration is further emphasized by the material palette and the modulation of volumes, which echo local architectural references while maintaining a distinct contemporary identity.

The main entrance connects directly to the urban fabric and adjacent plaza, while additional access points through underground parking ensure functional efficiency. At the heart of the interior, a sculptural spiral staircase acts as both a spatial and symbolic element, linking the exhibition spaces below with the public and administrative areas above.

Upon completion, the Museum Depot will not only provide optimal conservation conditions for previously dispersed collections but will also reposition them as accessible and active components of the region’s cultural landscape, reinforcing their value within both local and broader contexts.

Core of everyday life

In the heart of the settlement of Pollonia in Milos, a polygonal plot is transformed into a complex spatial organism, where the notion of the courtyard is reinterpreted as the core of everyday life. The proposal reconstructs the atmosphere of the Cycladic village through a contemporary architectural language, creating an environment that balances between privacy and collectivity.

Design Philosophy

The plan unfolds along the perimeter of the plot, with independent rooms arranged as volumes tracing its boundary. Within, a network of courtyards and pathways is formed, composing a sequence of open and semi-open spaces. The visitor is invited to navigate this system, discovering hidden corners and inner gardens, and choosing between moments of seclusion or social interaction.

The architectural experience is structured as a succession of spatial transitions, where movement becomes a key tool for understanding the project. The routes are non-linear, gradually revealing the whole and reinforcing the sense of a village at a micro scale.

Materiality & Architectural Language

The volumes develop across two levels, forming a clear dual material expression. A grounded base of exposed stone anchors the composition, while the white upper level appears to hover lightly above it, separated by a subtle shadow gap. This contrast enhances the plasticity of the composition and articulates the relationship between heaviness and lightness.

The architectural language of projections, corners, and openings generates a dynamic interplay of light and shadow, constantly shifting throughout the day. Light operates as an active design element, revealing material textures and intensifying spatial perception.

Finally, a third layer of materiality is introduced through metal elements. Pergolas and vertical corten features define the boundaries of the gardens, filter light, and create intermediate zones of privacy.

Spatial Organization

The six suites, featuring double-height interiors, are conceived as minimal and luminous spaces of accommodation. The architecture avoids unnecessary decoration, allowing the contrasts between materials and light to shape the atmosphere.

The courtyard, as a fundamental element of Cycladic typology, re-emerges as a place of gathering and social interaction. Sheltered from the wind, it functions as an inner garden where guests form a temporary community. Through this gesture, the architecture establishes the conditions for shared experiences, conversation, and exchange.

The project constitutes a contemporary interpretation of the traditional settlement, where respect for place is combined with the creation of new modes of inhabitation. It is an environment that balances individuality and collectivity, offering a refuge of simplicity and authenticity within the landscape of Milos.

Spatial mediator

Set within the tall perimeter walls of a disused factory, the project unfolds as a carefully orchestrated intervention that redefines the relationship between domestic life, industrial memory, and landscape. Rather than demolishing the existing structure, the proposal preserves its masonry enclosure, transforming constraints into spatial opportunities. Hidden behind a modest entrance, the residence reveals itself gradually, structured around a central open-air garden that becomes the core of the architectural composition.

Renovation Strategy

Facing a public square in Lendinara, the project presents a restrained and almost opaque exterior. A tall wall, marked by an irregular profile, recalls the layered history of industrial constructions in the area. The only visible opening – a small iron door – conceals the spatial richness beyond. Once inside, the perception shifts dramatically, revealing a lush, enclosed garden defined by high walls and climbing vegetation.

Located in a context where traces of past industrial activity coexist with residential fabric and green spaces, the project engages directly with its surroundings. The proximity to the public park and the historic garden of Ca’ Dolfin-Marchiori informs the architectural strategy, introducing landscape as an essential component of the dwelling experience.

Landscape Design

At the heart of the project lies the garden, conceived as an open-air room that organizes the entire domestic program. Created through the partial demolition of the factory roof and the repositioning of the new volume, this green courtyard introduces light, air, and visual continuity into an otherwise introverted structure.

The house develops as a compact, two-level volume inserted within the preserved perimeter walls. Its spatial configuration establishes a continuous dialogue with the garden, most notably through a double-height living space that opens fully onto it via a large, glazed façade. Framed by a timber lattice structure, this transparent surface mediates between interior and exterior, reinforcing the vertical rhythm of the composition and extending into the roof geometry.

Design Philosophy

The project is defined by a deliberate interplay between openness and enclosure, visibility and concealment. From the street, the house remains entirely hidden, while internally it unfolds through carefully framed views toward greenery. This sequence of spatial transitions constructs a controlled yet dynamic experience of movement and perception.

Materially and structurally, the intervention balances timber, steel, and glass within the existing masonry framework. The new construction echoes the industrial profile of the former building, while introducing a refined architectural language that emphasizes lightness and spatial continuity.

Guided by the notion of landscape as an architectural device, the design moves beyond nostalgic references to industrial heritage. Instead, it repositions the garden as a fundamental condition of contemporary dwelling – not as a decorative element, but as a necessary spatial and environmental mediator that defines the identity of the house.

Lighting compositions

In mid-July, the new architectural lighting installation for the Hellenic Parliament Building and the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier was completed, accompanied by the energy upgrade of the underground parking areas and the complex’s nursery facility. The new lighting design seeks to redefine the nocturnal presence of the building and its surrounding space, situating the intervention within a contemporary framework of environmental responsibility and sustainability.

Lighting Philosophy & LED Technology

The new lighting scheme was implemented exclusively using advanced LED technology, with particular emphasis on chromatic consistency and precise control of the light sources. Each luminaire is digitally controlled in terms of both intensity and operating duration, allowing the creation of dynamic lighting scenarios with a high degree of accuracy.

The combined use of energy-efficient light sources and an automated high-precision control system ensures optimal energy performance. From sunset onwards, the luminous composition of the façades evolves subtly, with smooth transitions in intensity that respond to the time of day, the day of the week, and the season, forming a dynamic yet refined nocturnal image.

Technical Characteristics

A central focus of the study was the mitigation of light pollution. For this reason, the lighting system allows for the automatic adjustment of colour temperature, shifting from cooler white tones to warmer light. The warmer spectrum, characterised by reduced blue light content, significantly limits the impact on the night sky.

This transition takes place daily from midnight until dawn, ensuring that the lighting remains compatible with the city’s natural nocturnal environment. At the same time, the luminaires are equipped with precision optical systems, lockable aiming mechanisms and anti-glare accessories, minimizing light spill toward the sky.

At the compositional level, the lighting highlights the façades of both the Parliament Building and the Monument, emphasizing the rhythm and plasticity of architectural elements such as pediments, cornices, pilasters and porticoes, as well as individual features including the monument’s central relief, shields and inscriptions. In parallel, light sources with a high colour rendering index revive the texture and colour of the materials, as well as the sculptures of Eleftherios Venizelos, Charilaos Trikoupis and the figure of the Mother.

Energy Upgrade

The integration of the new lighting equipment was carried out with particular care, ensuring that the morphological characteristics of the listed historic building were preserved. The luminaires installed on the façades underwent special colour treatment to match the surface of installation, allowing them to remain almost invisible during the daytime. In addition, the historic lamp posts and decorative lanterns of the Parliament complex were restored and upgraded.

Over the 15-month construction period, the project presented significant technical challenges, as all works were carried out while the building remained in full operation. The age of the building, combined with the numerous interventions that have taken place over the past 180 years, made the management of electrical routes particularly demanding, while the hybrid nature of the lighting management system required the extensive installation of fibre-optic networks.

Specially designed luminaires were also developed for specific architectural elements, such as the coffers of the porticoes, ensuring that the final result responded fully to the particular spatial requirements. The interventions were carried out with the contribution of a specialized conservation team, ensuring the protection of the building’s aesthetic and historical integrity.

The project’s energy upgrade is particularly significant. In the five-level underground parking facility and the nursery building, nominal energy consumption was reduced from 137KW in the previous installation to 41KW. Furthermore, thanks to the intelligent lighting management system, the final energy consumption is limited to just 29KW. This substantial reduction enhances the overall energy efficiency of the complex while contributing to the sustainable operation of one of the country’s most emblematic public buildings.

Relief continuation

The hotel is located at the edge of the traditional settlement of Oia, at the top of the volcanic cliffs of the Caldera. The site has a steep slope, a south-western orientation and unobstructed views toward the sea and the volcano.

Restoration Strategy

Within the plot there were ruined cave structures previously used as storage spaces, stables and cellars, as well as an old cubic house located at the northeastern corner. The objective of the project was the reconstruction of the pre-existing buildings and the addition of new cave rooms and communal areas, forming a hotel complex.

As a result, the hotel includes a small reception area, sixteen rooms, a restaurant, a shared swimming pool and a gym-spa. These functions are arranged gradually across the six levels of the complex. The entrance, accessed from the main pedestrian path of the settlement, is located at the upper level together with the reception and an outdoor seating area.

Spatial Organization

A central outdoor staircase leads from the upper level to the restaurant and the pool, connecting the three intermediate levels that accommodate the guest rooms with their private courtyards and pools. The lowest level includes the spa reception, a small gym, massage rooms, hammam, sauna, sanitary facilities and storage areas, as well as a sheltered relaxation courtyard at the edge of the cliff.

The proposal aimed both at the faithful restoration of the pre-existing buildings and the construction of new cave structures in the spirit of a contemporary and subtle reinterpretation of the cubic morphology of the old settlement, while maintaining a continuous relationship with the natural topography of the Caldera. The form of the new cave spaces preserves the structure of the traditional ones, along with their geometric shapes, materiality and white color.

The typologies of the floor plans, as well as the openings, are oriented so as to frame the view toward the sea. As a result, the façades follow the natural contour lines as broken geometries, resembling folded retaining walls that integrate gently into the landscape. The layering of these compositional strategies ultimately defines the final form of the building and its strong spatial dynamism. The descending movement of the central outdoor staircase, from the hotel entrance to the lowest level, resembles a “crack” in the “body” of the building, guiding movement and directing visitors toward the various private and communal areas.

Materials & Lighting

The interior design follows a strict minimalist approach based on the principles of Cycladic architecture. In the pre-existing cave spaces, a “total white” atmosphere prevails, with subtle touches of iridescent gold and green, while soft curves and freestanding furniture with organic forms highlight and enrich their natural plasticity.

The aesthetic of the new cave rooms is characterized by more intense colors, in the spirit of a “vie en bleu”, with abstract references to the cosmopolitan resorts of the Mediterranean south. These references become more geometric, linking the shapes and volumes of the interior with the forms of the exterior composition.

The lighting of the complex operates in a discreet manner, enhancing the sculptural quality of the white volumes and the experience of movement through the landscape. Along the outdoor pathways and staircases, low-intensity linear luminaires are integrated into the architecture, emphasizing the geometry of the walls and guiding visitors during nighttime circulation. The illuminated pools act as diffused luminous surfaces within the composition, creating soft reflections across the cave volumes. Inside the rooms, lighting remains subtle and integrated into the curved surfaces, highlighting the minimalist aesthetic and the sculptural qualities of Cycladic architecture.

Flow and Tranquility

On Hudayriyat Island in Abu Dhabi, between the desert and the sea, the Ilios Beach Club and the Nalu Surf Club redefine the experience of surf culture and hospitality. The two luxury venues are located at the heart of Surf Abu Dhabi, the largest and most advanced artificial wave facility in the world.

Design Philosophy

The conceptual starting point was the dynamic moment when the surfer meets the wave – immersion, resistance, flow and the eventual return to calm. This sequence of intensity and release is translated into an architectural narrative, where rhythm, pause and movement organize the transition between the two venues and guide the visitor’s spatial experience.

Spatial Organization

Ilios Beach Club expresses the harmony and elegance of surf culture. The ground floor opens visually towards the surrounding landscape, while the first-floor lounge functions as a point of pause, offering panoramic views of the setting. Throughout the day, lighting and atmosphere gradually shift, creating a transition from daylight conditions to a more theatrical nighttime environment.

In contrast, the Nalu Surf Club embodies the vibrant and unpretentious energy of the surf lifestyle. Warm tones and textures reminiscent of sand, salt and weathered wood create a more grounded atmosphere. The ground floor remains active throughout the day, while the first-floor VIP lounge provides a more private and inward-looking experience.

At the center of the complex lies the striking wave pool, measuring 65m in length and 14m in width, which defines the scale, rhythm and intensity of the architectural composition. The curves of the waves are translated into undulating ceilings, fluid lines, multiple levels and axial pathways that shape movement throughout the complex.

Materials & Lighting

The material palette reinforces this sense of flow and continuity. Travertine, oak timber, teak and iroko, ribbed glass, sculptural details and finishes made from natural fibers create a warm and tactile environment.

Natural lighting and cross ventilation are maximized, strengthening the connection between the space and the elements of wind and sun – essential aspects of the surfing experience. At the same time, a multilayered artificial lighting scheme highlights the curves and geometries of the architecture, emphasizing the spatial composition during nighttime hours.

Through Ilios and Nalu, a unified architectural ensemble emerges, balancing flow and stillness. The result is a multisensory hospitality experience rooted in rhythm, equilibrium and the authenticity of surf culture.

Spatial scenography

The aim of the project was the complete conversion of a residence originally designed in the early 1980s by architect N. Valsamakis. Located in Panorama, Thessaloniki, the building now accommodates the Siskou Derma Clinic, a contemporary dermatology center that seeks to redefine the typology of the medical space in Greece, creating an environment of refined familiarity, far removed from the conventions of the typical medical office.

Design Philosophy

The original residence is a characteristic example of the modern movement in the city, defined by clear geometric compositions, balanced volumes and a striking white plaster finish that emphasizes the plasticity of its form. The intervention sought to preserve the architectural identity of the initial design while introducing new elements that ensure functional upgrading and spatial coherence.

The design strategy focused on reinterpreting the experience of a medical environment, drawing references from contemporary European clinic architecture. Through subtle interventions and a careful management of materials and proportions, the project achieves a balance between respecting the existing building and accommodating a new functional program.

Spatial Organization & Materials

The interior environment is organized around the idea of domestic comfort, creating spaces that convey calmness and trust to visitors. The spatial atmosphere draws inspiration from refined modernism and the aesthetics of mid-century design, with materials and objects acting as key carriers of the overall ambiance.

Oak wall paneling, velvet armchairs and carefully selected lighting fixtures compose a palette of materials and textures that expresses understated luxury. The composition remains strictly minimal, allowing the materials to stand out through their texture and natural presence without unnecessary formal gestures. Each object is carefully placed within the space, contributing to a coherent spatial experience defined by clean lines and balanced aesthetics.

Lighting Design

The scenography of the interior unfolds through subtle shifts of light, textures and visual focal points that guide the visitor’s movement through the space. Lighting operates as a primary tool for shaping the atmosphere.

The lighting design enhances the sense of privacy and comfort while simultaneously highlighting architectural surfaces and interior details. Through discreet lighting interventions, a balance is achieved between functionality and spatial experience.

The final spatial composition is complemented by selected artworks that are integrated into the architectural narrative of the project.

Horizontal form

Located in Agios Tychonas, Cyprus, this private residence is conceived as a clear architectural composition of horizontal and vertical volumes that respond to the natural slope of the site. The building rests on an exposed concrete structural frame that establishes a solid base, while the white-rendered upper level introduces a sense of visual lightness. Continuous south-facing glazing and wooden louvers reinforce the relationship between interior space and landscape, creating transparency and warmth. The overall composition emphasizes horizontality, directing views toward the horizon and the infinity pool, which operates as a spatial extension of the interior living areas. The project’s architectural identity balances the raw texture of concrete with warm wooden surfaces and glass, establishing a contemporary dialogue with the surrounding natural environment.

Spatial Organization

The functional layout is structured around an open-plan ground floor where living, dining and kitchen spaces unfold seamlessly toward the outdoor terrace and swimming pool. This arrangement strengthens the connection between interior and exterior while extending everyday living into the garden.

The upper level accommodates the private areas of the house. Bedrooms and bathrooms are organized along a linear circulation corridor and are complemented by perimeter balconies that enhance privacy while encouraging cross-ventilation. The clarity of the plan establishes strong visual axes that guide the gaze toward the surrounding landscape, while allowing flexibility of use and a comfortable everyday spatial experience.

Bioclimatic Strategy

Environmental considerations are integrated into the project from the earliest stages of design. The building’s orientation and form respond directly to the climatic characteristics of the site, enabling passive regulation of temperature and daylight.

Carefully positioned overhangs and cantilevered elements, combined with adjustable wooden louvers, mitigate solar exposure during the summer months while allowing the lower winter sun to penetrate the interior spaces. Large openings facilitate natural cross-ventilation and passive cooling, while the exposed concrete structure operates as thermal mass, storing and gradually releasing heat to maintain stable indoor conditions.

Materials & Landscape Design

The architectural expression of the residence emerges from the dialogue between its material palette and the surrounding landscape. Concrete, wood, glass and white render are employed with restraint, establishing a balanced composition that reflects both modernist clarity and sensitivity to place.

Strategic planting around the perimeter contributes to the improvement of the microclimate, while the presence of the pool and landscaped surfaces enhances evaporative cooling. The overall form of the building adapts to the topography of the site, minimizing environmental impact while shaping a calm and open living environment.

Through this approach, the residence functions as a contemporary retreat where interior and exterior spaces merge seamlessly. Each volume, opening and material choice contributes to a spatial experience that prioritizes sustainability, clarity and a strong relationship with the natural landscape.

Reflection of the City

The new National Gallery building, now incorporating a major expansion and museological upgrade of its exhibition spaces, constitutes an important landmark in the contemporary urban landscape of Athens: to the pre-existing building of 9,720 m², which is listed as a modern monument, an additional 11,040 m² was added, more than doubling the functional spaces to a total of 20,760 m².

Design Philosophy

Through the new proposal, additions were implemented between the two units of the historic building (“Building A” facing Vasilissis Sofias Avenue and “Building B” facing Michalakopoulou Street), at the point where they are connected by a bridge above the location of the Ilissos riverbed, while underground spaces (“Building C”) were also opened where the groundwater level permits. The interior of the complex was completely redesigned.

The new building volumes, characterized by large glass surfaces, clearly stand apart from the architecture of the preserved building, with its exposed reinforced concrete structure and white marble infill elements. On the Michalakopoulou Street side, the new National Gallery gained an additional floor, while in the void between the two old wings an additional depth of three levels was added.

In the garden created south of the historic main entrance, the Gallery acquires an independent entrance, while the configuration of the surrounding landscape recalls the presence of the Ilissos river, through the creation of a water channel and the extension of greenery. The museum also features visitor circulation ramps with views toward the city skyline, elevators and staircases, full accessibility for people with disabilities, and modern security systems.

Spatial Organization

The entrance to the building complex takes place through a multifunctional space of 910 m², where in addition to control, information and visitor services, multiple digital information systems provide access to content about the building, the collections and the activities of the Gallery.

The main Gallery shop is also located there, equipped with versatile display cases. From the reception area visitors can move either towards the exhibition spaces of the permanent collections or towards the temporary exhibition areas, as well as to the 350-seat amphitheater or the café.

The interior architecture and the museographic study shaped the spaces accessible along the visitor routes. The museological core of the National Gallery consists of the permanent exhibition halls on the first and second floors of Building B, where the permanent collection of Greek painting and printmaking of the 19th and 20th centuries is presented, the permanent exhibition hall on the second basement level of Building C, where the permanent collection of Western European painting and printmaking is displayed, as well as the halls for rotating exhibitions on the third floor of Building B, where the continuously expanding collections of Contemporary Art (20th and 21st centuries) are presented through a rotating program.

In the permanent exhibition halls, spatial organization is mainly achieved through the placement of fixed exhibition panels that extend across the full height of the space, contributing to the narrative continuity of the exhibits. Through the use of these panels, the path of the gaze is designed through the revelation and concealment of spatial depth, while directions and visual perspectives are created, encouraging multiple associations and readings of the exhibits and forming central configurations as thematic focal points.

Museography and Exhibition Strategy

In these halls, suspended ceilings with general and accent lighting have been installed, incorporating a translucent elastic sound-absorbing membrane, while the exhibition walls and panels with a final fiber gypsum board surface allow for the hanging of artworks.

The exhibition panels are supported by the floor and the structure of the translucent ceiling, allowing cable routing inside them from the ceiling wiring system. Similarly, cable routes along the perimeter walls are placed at their upper termination. The exhibition space, beyond the exhibition surfaces, is equipped with display cases that enrich the exhibited material with drawings, watercolors and prints, while the artwork security systems allow the identification of each work individually and the immediate monitoring of any change in its condition.

In the halls for rotating exhibitions, in order to address special requirements, a suspended ceiling system was implemented that ensures uniform general lighting, isotropic distribution of accent lighting for the exhibits, as well as the possibility of supporting exhibition panels and hanging exhibits or projection systems. In addition to the permanent collection exhibition halls, the second basement of Building C hosts the temporary exhibition hall, where the suspended ceiling–lighting–display system used in the rotating exhibitions of the permanent collection has been extended in order to provide a suitable supporting background.

At the junctions between exhibition halls and the horizontal and vertical circulation areas of the building, circulation, signage and information nodes are defined and marked by wood cladding on the walls and ceilings. The visitor route is structured as a sequence of exhibition halls and circulation nodes where visitors can orient themselves and redesign their route, obtain digital information about the content of each exhibition hall and view additional exhibition material related to the content of the halls in specially designed display cases.

Overall, the extensions and reconstructions include new exhibition spaces of 2,230 m², modern art storage facilities of 1,645 m² and a space dedicated to educational programs. The new museum is equipped with state-of-the-art conservation laboratories, administrative offices, as well as a library that develops across two floors. It also includes two café-restaurants, with the second, located on the top level of the building, offering panoramic views toward the Acropolis, Mount Lycabettus and the Saronic Gulf.

In the new building, 1,000 works can be displayed as part of the permanent collection, whereas previously the old building could accommodate no more than 400 works. The new temporary exhibition hall approaches 2,000 m², while the storage spaces can house up to 10,000 artworks.

Corrugated form

The proposal concerns the reconstruction of a seven-storey office building on Syngrou Avenue and seeks to assign a central role to the building’s architectural identity, shaping the surrounding urban and cultural landscape while serving as the primary means of presenting the building as a contemporary landmark within the city.

Design Philosophy

Through an analysis of the building’s relationship with its wider urban context, the design proposes the relocation of the main axis of movement onto the façade facing Syngrou Avenue. This gesture became the geometric foundation for the development of the new architectural expression of the building envelope.

Drawing on the experience of movement along the urban axis, a system reminiscent of chronophotography was conceived – an image that condenses the perception of sequential motion into a single, legible form. In this way, movement is translated into architectural language, granting the building a dynamic and recognizable presence within the urban fabric.

The composition is articulated through a system of vertical elements consisting of sixty-four custom-made, wave-shaped louvers, each with a unique geometric development. Their repetition and variation generate a rhythmic surface that changes according to the observer’s viewpoint and the trajectory of natural light.

Sustainable Design

A central objective of the project was the integration of sustainable design principles. The building was designed and constructed with the aim of achieving LEED Gold certification, incorporating strategies that enhance both energy efficiency and environmental performance.

Within this framework, a specialized parametric study was carried out for the façade louver system to ensure optimal penetration of natural light into the interior spaces while simultaneously providing thermal and visual comfort. The dynamic form of the façade therefore operates not only as an aesthetic feature but also as an active filtering system for daylight and shading, contributing to the regulation of the microclimate and the overall environmental performance of the building.

Façade Lighting Design

The sense of movement created by the wave-like louvers is intensified by the interplay of light and shadow throughout the day. Continuous variations in illumination transform the appearance of the façade, giving it a shifting character that responds to the movement of the sun.

During the evening hours, the building’s architectural identity is further emphasized through a permanent lighting installation designed specifically for each point, angle and element of the façade. A carefully calibrated sequence of subtle variations in white light runs along the building envelope, establishing a quiet dialogue with the city’s nocturnal landscape.

Particular emphasis was placed on minimizing light pollution. The lighting fixtures are controlled through specialized systems that allow them to operate at very low luminance levels, thereby protecting the surrounding urban environment.

At roof level, a recreational terrace with views towards the Acropolis is created, framed by planting. This space offers a moment of release for the building’s users, introducing an element of greenery and relaxation within the dense urban fabric of central Athens.

Kerakoll acquires strategically significant industrial property in Schimatari for the development of a new production hub for Southeast Europe

Kerakoll Group, an international leader in sustainable building and a certified B Corp company, is strengthening its presence in Greece through the acquisition of an industrial and logistics facility in the Schimatari area.

With a total surface area of 12,500 sq.m. and 4,300 sq.m. of built facilities, the new property will be transformed into a modern production unit and will serve as the core of an integrated Kerakoll industrial hub for Southeast Europe.

The investment forms part of the Group’s long-term strategy to develop advanced industrial, research, and supply chain infrastructures in Greece. Following its full upgrade, the facility will support new product lines, increase production capacity, and optimize logistics operations, improving delivery times, operational flexibility, and overall business continuity.

The new hub will further strengthen the role of Kerakoll Hellas as a strategic partner for construction companies, industry professionals, and technically demanding projects. At the same time, it will create high-quality local employment opportunities and contribute to the development of technical expertise in the region. Sustainability remains a core priority, with interventions focused on energy efficiency, smart resource management, and practices aimed at reducing environmental impact, fully aligned with the Group’s B Corp commitment to generating positive impact for communities, society, and the environment.

“This strategic move reinforces the future growth of Kerakoll Hellas and confirms Greece’s role as a hub for Southeast Europe. Guided by our purpose — ‘to bring together people with passion and creativity to build better places to live’ — we continue to invest, creating long-term value for society, the economy, and the environment,” stated Zisis Koulaxidis, Regional Director South East Europe.

The 7th event in ek magazine’s Material Matters architecture series will take place on 16 June 2026 at the Athens Concert Hall (Megaron Mousikis Athinon), Banquet Hall.

Material Matters explores the importance of both contemporary and traditional materials -and their architectural applications- through the theoretical perspectives and built work of Greek architects. Starting from each material’s history and its constructional or expressive qualities, the presentations focus on how it can be reinterpreted in today’s context, shaped by ongoing economic and technological change.

Material Matters vol. 7 is dedicated to a family of materials and applications encountered at the very first level of a building’s “reading”: the facade. This year’s edition focuses specifically on building envelopes where metal, wood and glass are the dominant construction materials. As the threshold between interior organisation and the external environment, the facade operates within complex relationships -of meaning and symbolism, but also of engineering performance. In addressing functional demands while enhancing the presence and identity of a building, it often gains a degree of autonomy as a distinct design object in its own right.

A line-up of ten speakers from the fields of architecture and design will discuss the role of the facade in architecture -through their own work as well as selected projects by other architects- in a series of engaging 10-minute presentations.

Speakers:

– Nikolaos Siapkaras & Anna Assana | A&S Architects
– Mathilda Beraha | ARID
– Lukas Bobotis | Bobotis + Bobotis Architects
– Demetra Katsota | Buerger Katsota Architects
– Nikolas Travasaros | Divercity Architects
– Anargyros Mougiakos | ISV Architects
– Natassa Lianou & Ermis Chalvatzis | LC Architects
– Ivy Nanopoulou & Eri Nikoloudi | Thymio Papayannis & Associates
– Eraclis Papachristou | Eraclis Papachristou Architects

Keynote Speaker:

– Massimiliano Fuksas | Studio Fuksas

The event is under the auspices of the Hellenic Institute of Architecture, the Hellenic-Italian Chamber of Commerce of Thessaloniki and the Hellenic-Italian Chamber of Commerce of Athens.

Platinum Sponsor: Elval Colour

Gold Sponsor: F|Nous

Silver Sponsor: Voutsadakis S.A.

Bronze Sponsor: e-dreams

Stage Design Sponsor: Rouchotas

Cocktail Event Sponsor: DIPO – INTERWOOD

Sponsors: AkzoNobel, Alumil, ETEM, Europa, ilicon, MIPECO, Nolte Kitchens, Vitex

Supporters:  Diodos, Domiki Papanikolaou, Koligas Wood Essence, Saint-Gobain Glass,  TEXTURE AND TILES

Hospitality Sponsors: Electra Rhythm Athens, in[n]Athens

Wine Sponsor: Zacharias Wines

The Pritzker Architecture Prize announces Smiljan Radić Clarke, of Santiago, Chile, as the 2026 Laureate of the Pritzker Architecture Prize, the award that is regarded internationally as architecture’s highest distinction.

“Architecture exists between large, massive, and enduring forms—structures that stand under the sun for centuries, waiting for our visit—and smaller, fragile constructions—fleeting as the life of a fly, often without a clear destiny under conventional light. Within this tension of disparate times, we strive to create experiences that carry emotional presence, encouraging people to pause and reconsider a world that so often passes them by with indifference,” expresses Radić.

Radić refuses a repeatable architectural language; instead, each project is approached as a singular inquiry, grounded in first principles and informed by noncontinuous history. Context, use and anthropological awareness take precedence. Site is understood not only in physical terms, but also as a convergence of history, social practice, and political circumstance.

Serpentine Gallery Pavilion, photo courtesy of Iwan Baan

The 2026 Jury Citation states, in part, “Through a body of work positioned at the crossroads of uncertainty, material experimentation, and cultural memory, Smiljan Radić favours fragility over any unwarranted claim to certainty. His buildings appear temporary, unstable, or deliberately unfinished—almost on the point of disappearance—yet they provide a structured, optimistic and quietly joyful shelter, embracing vulnerability as an intrinsic condition of lived experience.”

Across his work, site-specific strategies recur in varied forms, allowing each building to emerge from its particular conditions rather than a signature formula.Buildings may be partially embedded in the ground rather than placed upon it as at Restaurant Mestizo (Santiago, Chile 2006), oriented to shelter from prevailing winds or harsh light such as in Pite House (Papudo, Chile, 2005), or shaped through adaptive reuse rather than replacement as with Chile Antes de Chile, the extension of the Chilean Museum of Pre-Columbian Art (Santiago, Chile, 2013).

“In every work, he is able to answer with radical originality, making the unobvious obvious. He reverts back to the most irreducible basic foundations of architecture, exploring at the same time, limits that have not yet been touched. Developed in a context of unforgiving circumstances, from the edge of the world, with a practice of just a few collaborators, he is capable of bringing us to the innermost core of the built environment and the human condition,” comments Alejandro Aravena, Chair of the Jury and 2016 Pritzker Prize Laureate.

Pite House, photo courtesy of Cristobal Palma

Radić’s architecture reveals its rigor not through formal assertion, but through the discipline of its construction. His work often appears austere or elemental, yet this impression conceals precise engineering and construction. Materials such as concrete, stone, timber, and glass are deployed in deliberate relation to one another to shape weight, light, sound, and enclosure. At the Serpentine Gallery Pavilion (London, United Kingdom, 2014), a translucent fiberglass shell rests on immense load-bearing, locally-sourced stones. Light is filtered rather than displayed and enclosure remains partial, allowing visitors to experience shelter without complete separation from the surrounding park. At Teatro Regional del Bío-Bío (Concepción, Chile, 2018), a carefully engineered semi-translucent envelope modulates light and supports acoustic performance through restraint.Construction becomes a kind of storytelling, where texture and mass carry as much meaning as form.

As the Jury Citation further notes, “To render the qualities of his architectural work in spoken language is intrinsically difficult, for in his designs he works with dimensions of experience that are immediately palpable but escape verbalization—like the perception of time itself: immediately recognizable, yet conceptually evasive. His buildings are not conceived simply as visual artifacts; rather, they demand embodied presence.”

His works are marked by a quiet emotional intelligence, informed by empathy for the human experience and calibrated to shape how architecture is felt over time. His buildings feel protective, inwardly focused, and attentive to human fragility. House for the Poem of the Right Angle (Vilches, Chile, 2013) signifies contemplative retreat, with thoughtfully placed openings, oriented upward to capture light and time, encouraging stillness and introspection.

At his home studio, Pequeño Edificio Burgués (Santiago, Chile, 2023), the residence provides shelter and privacy while maintaining an expansive relationship to the city below. From within, residents overlook urban landscape below, while from the outside, the interior remains concealed behind chain-link curtains. Single-pane glass walls invite rain, sound, and shifting light into the space, allowing daily weather to be felt as much as seen. Below, the subterranean studio occupies a quieter register, as the same walls are tempered by an earthen berm that filters sunlight, brings nature into view, and creates a protected environment for work.

Teatro Regional del Bío-Bío, photo courtesy of Iwan Baan

Interventions are neither restoration nor replacement, rather intentional calculations of scale and use. At NAVE (Santiago, Chile, 2015), Radić reframes an early-twentieth-century residential heritage building damaged by natural disaster, retaining the existing structure while inserting new volumes dedicated to open-ended performance, rehearsal, and workshop spaces. Above, a rooftop terrace capped by a circus tent introduces an unexpected lightness and an atmosphere of provisional celebration programmed with community events, that contrasts with the grounded intimacy below. Previous layers remain visible, treating adaptation as continuity rather than compromise.

This attentiveness to layers extends beyond construction. In 2017, Radić established Fundación de Arquitectura Frágil in Santiago, conceived as both a platform for public exchange and a working archive. The foundation’s collection, comprised of experimental works, studies, and references from other architects, forms a body of inquiry that often informs his own projects. The work of others becomes another layer through which architecture continues to evolve.

Developed over more than three decades, Radić’s practice spans cultural institutions, civic spaces, commercial buildings, private residences, and installations throughout Albania, Austria, Chile, Croatia, France, Italy, Spain, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom, with additional defining works including Guatero, for the XXII Chilean Architecture Biennial (Santiago, Chile, 2023); London Sky Bubble (London, United Kingdom, 2021); Chanchera House (Puerto Octay, Chile, 2022); Prism House (Conguillío, Chile, 2020); Vik Millahue Winery (Millahue, Chile, 2013); The Boy Hidden in a Fish, with Marcela Correa, for the 12th International Architecture Biennale of Venice (Venice, Italy, 2010); and CR House (Santiago, Chile, 2003).

Smiljan Radić Clarke is the 55th Laureate of the Pritzker Architecture Prize and the founder of the practice, Smiljan Radić Clarke, established in 1995. Born in Santiago, Chile, he resides and works in his native city with upcoming projects in Albania, Spain, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom.

All images are copyright of the respective photographers and artists cited, and courtesy of the Pritzker Architecture Prize.

New connections

Eleftheria Square lies adjacent to the Venetian walls and the dry moat that surrounds Nicosia. These distinctive defensive fortifications, originally built during the Middle Ages and extensively restored by the Venetians in the 16th century, define the historic core of the capital, separating the old city from the newer districts that developed beyond the walls.

Urban Design Strategy

The transformation of the square into the city’s primary gathering space is based on the creation of new connections intended to contribute to the reunification of the divided capital. The design secures unobstructed views toward the historic walls, establishing them as an integral component of Nicosia’s identity, while simultaneously opening the moat to public uses, allowing it to host festivals and outdoor events.

The project elevates the level of the moat to form a bridge that connects organically with the surrounding urban fabric, creating a new civic square at the heart of the city. Within this framework, extensive archaeological excavations were carried out, alongside conservation and protection works for the historic Venetian fortifications. The project also includes the creation of two cafés within the square and the construction of a new underground parking facility, accessed from Omirou Avenue.

Elements of Circulation

Staircases and elevators directly link the square with the Solomos Square bus terminal, reinforcing the functionality and permeability of the area. The transformation of previously inaccessible areas within the moat into plazas, gardens, and palm-lined pedestrian paths establishes a new “green belt” around the city.

This belt has the potential to extend along the historic fortifications, forming a continuous network of public spaces that encircle Nicosia and reconnect the communities of the divided capital. In this way, the square acts as a catalyst for the activation of public space, offering new opportunities for social interaction and urban life.

Materiality & Lighting Design

Within the broader vision of transforming the moat into an urban park, the project’s fluid geometries emerge from the triangulation of the irregular forms of the fortification perimeter. Points of spatial intensity are transformed into seating areas, planting beds, or water elements, shaping a dynamic urban landscape. Granite paving introduces a sense of timeless solidity, while the open joints between the slabs function as a passive system for stormwater drainage. Newly planted trees contribute to the natural regulation of water levels, reducing erosion around the foundations of the medieval walls.

The upper-level bridge and its supports are constructed from sculptural concrete forms that ensure seismic stability, while the bases of the columns are shaped to function as integrated seating elements. Through this transformation, Eleftheria Square emerges as the largest urban public space in Nicosia. By bridging the Venetian walls and the moat, the square becomes a significant gateway to the old city, while the underground parking facility removes vehicular traffic from the historic center, facilitating its future pedestrianization. In this way, the project enriches the urban landscape of this historic district while simultaneously creating new public gardens and gathering spaces for residents and visitors alike.

Finally, the lighting design reinforces the square’s fluid geometry and acts as a spatial guidance system during the evening hours. Linear lighting elements are discreetly integrated along the contours of the curved surfaces and bridges, emphasizing the dynamic morphology of the composition and enhancing the legibility of the structure within the urban landscape. At the same time, low-intensity lighting fixtures embedded within the paving create a subtle “field of light” that follows the geometry of the circulation paths and areas of pause. This approach highlights the plasticity of the concrete surfaces, enhances the sense of safety, and transforms the public space into a nocturnal landscape where light operates both functionally and atmospherically.

Domestic landscape

The redesign of this compact urban apartment emerged through close and meaningful collaboration with its users, aiming to create an environment that responds to contemporary needs for living, working, and everyday flexibility. The project is grounded in the idea that spatial quality is not determined by size, but by clarity of organization, the flow of natural light, and the conscious integration of functions.

Spatial Organization

The original layout was reconsidered through a process of spatial reprogramming, with the primary strategy focusing on the creation of a unified open-plan environment. The selective removal of walls allowed new visual connections and spatial relationships to emerge, enhancing both the penetration of natural light and the continuity of movement throughout the apartment.

A key element of the composition is the custom-designed opening between the entrance and the dining area. This architectural gesture functions simultaneously as a light filter, a transitional threshold, and a spatial organizer, introducing clarity to the spatial sequence while reinforcing the perception of depth within the interior.

Material Palette

The material identity of the project is defined through a restrained yet expressive palette of natural materials. Wood and marble are combined in specially designed built-in constructions that accommodate storage, work surfaces, and everyday functions.

Furniture is approached as an architectural component rather than as independent objects. In this way, it becomes organically integrated into the spatial composition, reinforcing the sense of coherence and visual clarity within the interior. These integrated solutions enable the efficient use of space without visually overwhelming the environment.

Custom Elements

Particular emphasis was placed on flexibility and multifunctionality. Office furniture, storage units, and adaptable surfaces are carefully integrated so that the space can easily transform to accommodate different scenarios of use – from working from home to everyday living and social gatherings.

The final result is a bright and balanced domestic environment, where the clarity of the design, the consistency of the material palette, and the careful detailing transform a small apartment into a flexible and contemporary living landscape. Through targeted architectural interventions, the project demonstrates how compact living can be reimagined as a refined and cohesive spatial experience.

Layered continuity

Located in the heart of Jingdezhen’s Imperial Kiln Historic District, the regeneration of a former porcelain factory complex proposes a contemporary strategy for historic preservation through what the architects describe as a “Plugin Architecture” approach. Rather than replacing the existing structures, the intervention introduces new architectural insertions within and around the historic fabric, revitalizing the site while maintaining its cultural and spatial continuity. Jingdezhen – renowned as China’s “Porcelain Capital” – has been associated with porcelain production for more than a millennium, making the careful integration of new architectural elements within this context particularly significant.

Design Philosophy

The core concept of the project is based on a system of architectural “plugins”— new spatial modules inserted into existing buildings to enhance functionality while preserving their historic character. These contemporary interventions upgrade the aging workshops and support structures to accommodate new programs such as offices, meeting rooms and guest accommodations.

Rather than imitating historical forms, the inserted modules are intentionally expressed as modern architectural elements. Their clear visual distinction establishes a dialogue between old and new, reinforcing the layered history of the site while enabling the complex to function as a contemporary cultural destination. Circulation elements such as staircases and walkways are introduced both inside and outside the structures, improving connectivity and enabling the adaptive reuse of previously fragmented spaces.

Glass Pavilion & Lighting

At the center of the site stands a three-story glass pavilion that functions as a new architectural landmark within the historic district. Designed as a transparent volume topped with a traditional double-pitched roof clad in clay tiles, the structure houses exhibition spaces and a café while acting as a focal point for the main public square.

The contrast between the transparent glass enclosure and the surrounding masonry buildings establishes a clear architectural dialogue between contemporary design and historic context. The roof appears to float above the glazed structure, reinforcing the sense of openness and creating a spatial extension of the public square into the building interior. From a distance, the pitched roof emerges among the surrounding tiled rooftops, subtly referencing the traditional architectural language of Jingdezhen.

Carefully integrated lighting design plays a crucial role in reinforcing the pavilion’s architectural presence, particularly after sunset. Warm recessed luminaires embedded within the timber soffit of the roof evenly illuminate the glass envelope, transforming the pavilion into a softly glowing lantern within the historic courtyard. Inside, discreet linear and point lighting accentuate the brick core and the vivid orange circulation elements, highlighting the layered spatial composition while maintaining a restrained and atmospheric ambiance. The transparency of the façade allows interior light to spill into the surrounding public square, strengthening the visual connection between interior activity and the historic urban fabric.

Materials & Urban Circulation

The project reinforces the relationship between interior and exterior space through the careful treatment of the courtyard landscape. Brick paving extends from the public square directly into the interior of the glass building, dissolving the boundary between inside and outside.

Within the courtyard, the paving transforms into stepped surfaces that accommodate changes in elevation while simultaneously functioning as informal seating areas. On the opposite side of the square, a series of barrel-vaulted brick rooms form the building’s base, anchoring the new structure within the historical material language of the site.

To improve accessibility and spatial continuity across the complex, one of the existing buildings was rotated, merging two separate courtyards into a single shared public space. This reconfiguration allows visitors to move fluidly between the public square, the glass pavilion and the surrounding workshops, effectively transforming the former industrial compound into a cohesive cultural environment.

Located adjacent to Chimney Square, the project sits within a dense historical landscape that includes the Imperial Kiln Museum and the archaeological remains of the Imperial Porcelain Factory to the west, while the historic Xu Family Kiln – the oldest and most complete preserved wood-fired kiln site in Jingdezhen – lies to the north. Within this historically layered setting, the project establishes a careful balance between preservation and contemporary intervention, transforming the former industrial site into a vibrant public destination that celebrates both the legacy and the future of porcelain culture.

Unified narrative

Located within Asia Pacific’s tallest tower, Merdeka 118, the newly opened Park Hyatt Kuala Lumpur introduces the first Park Hyatt hotel in Malaysia. The project forms a spatial narrative that merges contemporary luxury with references to the traditional Malay kampung house. Through a carefully articulated lighting strategy, the interiors highlight texture, colour and materiality while framing expansive panoramic views of Kuala Lumpur’s skyline.

Spatial Organization

From the moment guests arrive on the lobby ground mezzanine, the spatial experience is shaped by a sequence of warm, timber-clad surfaces illuminated through discreet recessed uplighting. Backlit panels silhouette a series of pivoting screens, introducing a subtle theatricality that establishes the atmosphere of the hotel.

The main public spaces are situated on Level 75 and include the Lobby, Merdeka Grill, Park Lounge and Cacao Mixology & Chocolate Bar. Within these double-height interiors, accent lighting highlights key architectural features such as perforated brass screens engraved with intricate batik canting patterns. Bespoke ceiling pendants anchor each space and reinforce the rhythm of the interior composition.

Materials & Furnishings

Throughout the hotel, lighting functions as a primary design instrument, emphasizing the tactile qualities of materials and enhancing the layered interior palette. Brass, timber and textured surfaces are revealed through carefully controlled illumination that produces depth and warmth.

The hotel’s 252 guestrooms and suites are conceived as intimate spaces framing the surrounding cityscape. Lighting is carefully integrated within joinery elements to maintain visual clarity and avoid clutter. Discreet downlights illuminate artwork and architectural surfaces, while decorative fixtures inspired by woven fabrics introduce a softer, residential warmth to the interiors.

Lighting Strategy

The lighting strategy also strengthens the spatial hierarchy of the public areas. Feature lighting directs attention to architectural focal points, while softer ambient layers ensure visual comfort and reinforce the calm, refined character associated with the Park Hyatt brand.

On Level 99, the Wellness Floor transitions from the openness of daylight-filled spaces to a tranquil and immersive retreat. A sequence of softly illuminated arches references the traditional Malaysian five-foot ways, guiding guests through the spa environment while generating a calm and contemplative atmosphere that evolves throughout the day.

Together, the lighting and interior architecture establish a cohesive environment in which every element contributes to the guest experience. The result is a luminous architectural composition – one that transforms materials, spatial sequences, and panoramic views into a unified narrative reflecting the cultural spirit and contemporary identity of Malaysia.

Client: PNB Merdeka Ventures
Operator: Hyatt
Project Managers: Turner International
Art Consultants:  ArtLink
General Contractor:  Samsung C&T Corporation UEM Construction JV Sdn Bhd (SUJV)