Oxygen in Athens

Oxygen, with its singular, contemporary architectural design, and noted environmental awareness, will be the first BREEAM-certified housing development in Greece. Being the first development of such a scale in the post-pandemic era, it will showcase the changes brought about in the way we live and work, as an innovation.

Holistic, Sustainable Architectural Design

Oxygen, with a view over Athens’ Olympic Sports Complex, comprises 32 one, two, or three-bedroom apartments, developing on one or two levels. Oxygen is the most vital element in nature, defining our quality of life. In that spirit, the design features an architecture that addresses health and wellness, sustainable innovation, eco-friendly materials and construction methods, water and waste treatment, in a holistic manner, beside a robust, aesthetic result.

BREEAM International Certification

The project has already been awarded with a BREEAM Certification from the construction stage, and it will further be evaluated in post-construction. Control by the British independent organization BRE, which has already granted certification to several projects in 89 countries, guarantees quantifiable results, both during design and construction as well as during the operation time of the building. Close collaboration between the architects, the engineers, the developer and environmental consultants, the local community, the city authorities, and the tenants, has been a prerequisite and an innovation in the local framework.

Contemporary Architecture and Quality of Life

The design of the building is inspired by the elements of nature, such as water, soil, and the sky. The undulating façade on the balconies creates green spaces and separates the apartments. The Y-shaped columns allude to tree trunks and underline the sustainable character of the building. Large openings, private gardens on the ground level, and generous balconies equipped with planters, provide quality of life, and make sustainable design immediately perceptible by the tenants, beside low energy consumption.

Entrance Design

The entrance to the building is given particular attention: The double-height pilotis features circular steppingstones which float on a water surface, dotted by an eclectic selection of plants. More than creating a spectacular setting, such gestures are substantial: they mark the symbolic and functional threshold between the bustling exterior and the intimacy of domestic space.

Planted balconies and sustainable strategies

Small orchards on the balconies allow the tenants to cultivate their own herbs. Electric charging, available in all parking slots, recycling and composting infrastructure, as well as a special system for monitoring each apartment’s consumption by digital application, count among the sustainable strategies that encourage the tenants to adopt a contemporary, eco-friendly lifestyle. All apartments are equipped with a smart home system, smart lighting, security shutters, wakeup/sleep and arrival/departure scenarios, voice commands, and smart switches.

Private and Public Outdoor Spaces

Private and public outdoor spaces were given particular attention. An open-air sheltered gym surrounded by greenery is available for the tenants only, year-round. Further, an enthralling open-air sheltered space with vertical gardens was designed for socializing. WiFi and plugs are available in this area, creating a suitable environment for outdoor home office use, which supplements the fully equipped home offices in each private apartment.

Architecture After the Pandemic

The design was carried out during the pandemic, therefore Pieris Architects focused on reinventing the typology of the Greek apartment building to confront the present and future lifestyle requirements. Having spent long days inside due to lockdowns and working from home, all have realized the importance of every corner of the house. Pieris Architects created functional spaces with warm colors and textures, ample storage, and ergonomic kitchens. The lighting design maximizes the use of natural light and secures optimal thermal comfort for the tenants.

The collaboration between Pieris Architects and Sustain developers aims to make a landmark of Oxygen, and to provide a model design for sustainable contemporary housing developments in the post-pandemic era.

Pieris Architects

Sustain

Sane Industries