The project concerns the extension of an existing industrial unit in Attica. The brief also included production areas, offices, storage and auxiliary spaces.
Aiming to create an attractive working environment in the industrialised landscape, green areas were designed as filters to the surrounding area. Nature and building are in a constant choreography. They sometimes “move” in parallel, occasionally one penetrates the other with green islets and sometimes the building encloses the greenery, through atriums.
The connection of the two building complexes, old and new, was a focal point in the allocation of functions. Placing the lower height office spaces in front of the production areas allowed for a smooth transition from public to private, adding plasticity to the whole intervention.

Studio NL

The post Factory in Attica was originally published on ek magazine | Architectural Publications | ek magazine – Architectural Publications.

At the western end of the Limassol seafront, the terminal juts out to sea as a full-stop to the towns expansion. Constructed as a rhythmic and horizontal series of zinc clad shells, the oval forms travel 350m down the quayside, a conscious contrast with the vertical and angular structures of the tall cranes nearby.
Looking down from the decks of the ships is an undulating roofscape that changes in the dawn and dusk light of arrivals and departures.
The tall oval spaces inside are lined with wooden boards recalling the hulls of boats and vessels, an acoustic space, animated and coloured by the reflected and changing light from the sea and patterned with shadows from the huge ‘porthole’ windows that observe the docks.
Performing all the functions of a border control building that handles half a million passengers p/a, the terminal also welcomes the hosting of lectures, conferences and other events. A restaurant with decks east and west overviews both port and city, and a ‘skybar’ on the roof provides panoramic views mirroring those from the adjacent cruise ships.

irwin.kritioti architecture

The post New Limassol Passenger Terminal was originally published on ek magazine | Architectural Publications | ek magazine – Architectural Publications.

The project, part of a larger programme concerning the construction of the biggest railway and trade activities complex in the Balkans, introduces a functional architectural plasticity in the Thriasian Plain of Attica.
Building 8.0 – Administration and Control center of the Thriasian Plain complex – of 3,880m2 total surface area, is composed of two main volumes covered by a single metal “skin”, forming its characteristic shape.
Offices are allocated in two elongated linear levels, on the ground and first floors. Another part of the ground floor houses the communal areas and spaces for interaction between employees and third parties. This part includes reception lobbies, a café and a conference room.
The gates are designed so as to be readily identified. The spectacular canopy with undulating roof covers five entry and three exit lanes, as well as a small building volume that accommodates the traffic control room, a storeroom and sanitary facilities.

Βobotis+Bobotis Architects

The post Ergose Freight Center was originally published on ek magazine | Architectural Publications | ek magazine – Architectural Publications.

The two houses are located in the vernacular settlement of Firostefani, in Santorini Island. The project concerns the reconstruction and redesign of existing, undercut spaces carved into the Caldera’s volcanic rock, and their conversion to summer houses. The two adjoining buildings share an external court, which can function as a communal area or two independent open spaces divided by a sliding partition. There, two swimming pools are configured at a higher level than the entrance’s.
The two undercut houses present opposing compositions. In the elongated house (110m2), clean lines and geometrical shapes contradict the soft curves of its undercut form, creating a minimal and sculptural space. The second house (70m2) transforms into a futuristic prototype. The design of both houses fully integrates with Santorini’s volcanic landscape and cubist architecture, though through a contemporary approach.

Kapsimalis Architects

The post Houses in Firostefani was originally published on ek magazine | Architectural Publications | ek magazine – Architectural Publications.

The design uses Japanese architectural elements for the organisation of space, adapted to the aesthetics and functionality of modern dining facilities. The central idea is to create a space dedicated to the living experience of Asian food, excised from the city environment.
Access to the main area is via a wide staircase in black granite, surrounded by lush vegetation that creates a filter between the cityscape and the interior, marking the entrance through a “secret” garden.

Indoors, narrow beam lighting emphasises the dining tables and the bar, clad in marble permeable to light, illuminates the main space.
The dining area is on an elevated wooden ramp, where tables and chairs are carved into the floor.
The tables are separated by wooden frames, a reference to Japanese partitions, while velvet curtains offering seclusion and privacy.

ACRM Design Team

The post Red Door was originally published on ek magazine | Architectural Publications | ek magazine – Architectural Publications.

The project unfolds in three levels of an existing building in the heart of Athens, comprising a total surface area of 790m2 and an enclosed green courtyard. The design is a contemporary take on traditional hammam baths, with interior design consultation by Lakis Gavalas. Thus, the main premises extend to the first basement, while rooms are placed in order from dry and cold areas to the wet and warm.
From the changing rooms and wet areas, curved corridors in wood lead to the main hall with a central octagonal marble base and smaller more private niches. The VIP hall with a smaller orthogonal marble base, has direct access to the central space and the VIP changing rooms. A relaxation area is located next to the garden; the final stage to the ultimate hammam experience.
The second basement accommodates the spa facilities, with massage rooms, sauna, changing rooms, auxiliary and storage spaces, as well as staff offices.

Makridis Associates

The post Polis Hammam was originally published on ek magazine | Architectural Publications | ek magazine – Architectural Publications.

The step complex develops along the slope of a hill on Zakynthos Island.
The design aimed to highlight the natural environment via free tracings throughout the landscape, including elements of water, planting and structures in natural materials. The limits between interior and exterior areas are blurred, in the constant flow of the liquid element.
The building volumes develop around the central pond feature, in which islets are formed with resting points, a bar and a restaurant. Crossing a bridge over water, the visitor encounters the main building, characterised by clean surfaces framed by bamboo constructions, both on the external and internal elevations. The restaurant opens out to the outer terrace and the views. The sunset bar is west-facing, unlike the majority of the other buildings, which are oriented towards the sea, while on the rim of the hill the spa provides unobstructed views to the southern part of the island, completing the majestic 360° views offered by the hotel.

Block722 architects+

The post Olea All Suite Hotel was originally published on ek magazine | Architectural Publications | ek magazine – Architectural Publications.

The hotel is located in a listed ensemble of the Old Town of Chania, Crete, in a building that was originally the mansion of a Venetian noble 16th century.
The building’s Venetian physiognomy is evident in the appearance and structure, while elements such as the hammam indicate the operations it suffered from Turkocracy.
Given the history of the building, the main objective of the architects was the highlight of the current shell and its maximum utilisation. Upon restoration, interventions were performed with minute discrete components to highlight the original inner casing and the historical stratification of the different construction periods.
In order to showcase the Roman archaeological finds, glass floors with metal beams were installed in the lobby and the basement communal WCs.
The coupling of the existing robust structure and modern, light and permeable elements led to the emergence of a new architectural quality with new functionalities. The property has a total area of 615m2 and comprises 11 rooms and suites.

Kyriaki Kastrinaki, Anda Tiganus Kokolaki

The post Monastery Estate Venetian Harbor was originally published on ek magazine | Architectural Publications | ek magazine – Architectural Publications.

The aim of the project was to take advantage of local conditions, offering a special microclimate with the use of continuous planting and the strong presence of the water element.
A network of primary, secondary and private pools is entwined by the two-storey accommodation units, which are organised into neighbourhoods, redefining the scale of modern hotel facilities in relation to the environment and the visitor. Simultaneously, a corresponding planting network upgrades the quality of public spaces, expands on the roof of the host Roof and climbs the pergolas of the rooms, ensuring the privacy of journeys.
The infrastructure of services is completed by the multi-level central building that houses the food departments and entertainment areas. Transverse to it, a “green” canopy balances the height difference between the road and provides a covered open space, filtering the visitor’s transition from the dry environment of Gennadi to the provided recreational services of the facility.
The accommodation unit is characterised by the dynamic circulation flow from public to private, with tiered access through a planted courtyard, a semi-open space and the room space, culminating in a private swimming pool.

Melenos Architects,  Klimis Katogas, Giannis Maroullakis

The post Gennadi Grand Resort was originally published on ek magazine | Architectural Publications | ek magazine – Architectural Publications.