Red Façade

The residence is located in a quiet, central street in the city of Aveiro, opposite a natural park filled with local tree species. The design follows the refurbishment and expansion of an abandoned Art Nouveau building constructed in the 20th century.

 

Façade Design

On the façade, an array of decorative elements carved in limestone are preserved, guiding the materiality and formal character of the intervention. More specifically, the new façade references the building’s original skin and is made of carved stone, creating a visual narrative between interior and exterior space as well as a vivid interplay between light and shadow.

 

Spatial Organization

The residence is comprised of four floors. The ground floor includes a series of communal spaces that foster social gatherings. The two upper floors include four en-suite bedrooms, while the basement houses a garage and workspace area. Finally, the building terrace offers stunning views of the city.

 

Colour Palette

Cross Laminated Timber painted in vivid dark red becomes the dominant exterior cladding element, contrasting with the simple off-white tones used for the interior. Finally, subtle black elements such as window frames and lighting fixtures are chosen as accent features within the space.

Colorful displays

The project features a 90m2 apartment, located at the heart of the city, which was renovated to meet the everyday needs of its residents, while preserving and highlighting the original characteristics of the property.

 

Layout Organization

Apart from housing the traditional residential functions, the apartment had to become reconfigured to display and store the family’s records and books. An open-plan layout combined with a series of lightweight, open furniture -instead of traditional wooden cabinets- accommodate all the collections, while providing a more fluid and looser aesthetic.

 

Custom Furniture

Key parts of the wall are demolished, uniting two separate rooms and creating a nook for a new storage closet. In parallel, the master bedroom is integrated with the bathroom, providing a more efficient circulation route as well as ample space for the collection displays. Walls and dividers are interrupted by asymmetrical openings that serve as visual connections between the spaces, holding at the same time irregular display shelves.

 

Color & Material Palette

A series of natural materials such as exposed concrete and wood, are used throughout the space. At the same time, different colors and patterns define different accent features such as the metal orange frames and red shelves, creating vibrant moments within the apartment. Finally, the entrance and kitchen floors are cladded with a blue porcelain floor, which serves as a discrete boundary within the open floor plan.

Creative flexibility

The new 1000m² offices were designed from the ground up to ensure that every corner within the space encourages collaboration, ideation and brainstorming at any given moment.

 

Spatial Organization

The layout is organized in a rectangular shape with a 100m2 interior courtyard at its center. The reception’s design conveys the idea of an unconventional working environment, with minimal aesthetic and guided by the company’s brand colours. The ceiling is defined by an industrial blue sky, while the reception area offers additional space for short meetings or work. The concept of maximum flexibility is carried out throughout the office, where spaces are organized in different typologies.

 

Exclusive Designs

Marketing and sales are the first departments to be distinguished in the space. Specifically designed webnests, featuring custom metal structures, accommodate 6 to 8 cozy workstations, complete with TVs and whiteboards. This setup facilitates seamless problem-solving and brainstorming sessions and enables each team member to share information on the screens at any time.

Bar marketing is the first brainstorming area, consisting of a large table and a series of seats arranged in a bar layout. The first meeting room has whiteboards on the walls and a custom-made ping pong table seating 8 people. Several think tanks become ideal for isolated work, private calls or even as an alternative workspace.

 

Custom Elements

Drawing inspiration from the word “disrupt”, a term prevalent in cloud companies, the main meeting room’s design embodies innovation since half of the room seamlessly extends outwards towards the courtyard creating a dynamic space that blurs the boundaries between interior and exterior. The meeting room is clad with vertical panels and includes a 12-seat table as well as a 16-seat sofa. Its walls are lined with whiteboard as well as a custom-made structure with hidden lighting.

The brainstorming room is designed as a small theatre, with the opposite wall also covered in whiteboard. The theatre is constructed in such a way that allows space for stools, which can be used for large group meetings. Adjacent to the brainstorming room is another private office, a four-person meeting bar with a TV and the RnD area with an additional 8-seat webnest. Finally, there is an additional office space filled with workstations with a central sliding mechanism that allow employees to move their desks around.

 

Innovative Uses

TV screens are installed in all workspaces, allowing employees to share information via a wireless network. A series of tripod desks offer twelve additional seats for workers and have a special moving mechanism installed that serves as storage as well as a temporary seating for a colleague.

Entertainment plays an important role in the office environment. Throughout the space there are several board and video games, including two large Score 4’s as well as a dedicated playroom illuminated with hidden lighting and clad with high-strength fabrics. The kitchen-dining room features 360o doors and small house-shaped structures with TV screens for enjoying a casual lunch break or impromptu work discussions. The courtyard becomes an extension of the dining room and includes indoor and outdoor seating to accommodate all employee needs.

Colorful functions

The project’s aim is the renovation of an apartment situated in an old 1980’s Athenian building, which faces a large park. The apartment’s linear organisation as well as its southwestern orientation, allows an abundance of natural light to enter the space.

 

Spatial Organization

The design objective is to create a multi-functional space that includes a kitchen, a dining and living area and an office, while maintaining an open central area. During the demolition works, the wall separating the kitchen and living room of the original layout is removed. Furthermore, the furniture is positioned along the edges of the reconfigured open space, becoming visually integrated with the walls, through similar colour tones.

 

Central Design Element

For the kitchen and office space, contrasting colour shades were carefully selected -deep red and dark green colours respectively- to distinguish between the two functions. The kitchen island is clad in black stone and birch wood and acts as the new divider in the living room as well as a versatile space for gathering, dining, meal prepping and office area.

 

Material Palette

The interior floor is clad with Ioannina marble and the exterior with Aliveri marble. The material’s high reflectivity, diffuses and enhances the natural light entering the apartment. In contrast, the wooden floors in the bedrooms exude a sense of warmth and relaxation. The use of pink marble tiles for the bathroom floor preserves the apartment’s material continuity, which, combined with grey metallic elements, gives the space a luxurious character.

Refined simplicity

An existing residence on the coast of Ornos was transformed into an elegant, luxury holiday home equipped with guest houses and a spa. It comprises of a series of successive terraces that reach down to the sea, maximizing the plot’s orientation and topographical features.

 

Open Layout

The main building, positioned at the plot’s highest level, boasts impressive flat roofs, white sculptural shapes, and wooden doors that evoke the traditional architecture of Mykonos. Its immediate outdoor space, featuring a carefully designed pergola that houses a dining table and seating benches, overlooks a large swimming pool situated above the guesthouses nestled into the hillside.

Wide steps and dry-stone walkways guide visitors from the main house to the lower level of the guest rooms and descending further down to an outdoor area adorned with a large table and bar beneath a reed bed canopy. This space is characterized by an outdoor kitchen and a series of dividers made of dark artificial rock. When reaching the lowest level, a final plateau emerges, leading to a pier at the shoreline. The in-between slopes are planted with cacti and other drought-resistant plants, shielding the exterior spaces from the heat.

 

Design & Materials

The exterior’s architectural style seamlessly transitions into the interior of the house, blending straight lines with soft curves in a contemporary, minimalist design. The main house is comprised of a kitchen, living room, master bedroom, and a children’s bedroom and playroom. Its walls are smooth and off-white, made of successive layers local stone, marble dust, and pigments, which are meticulously waxed and polished. Light-coloured wooden beams in the living and spa areas, along with exposed local stone from excavations, introduce additional textures and contrasts to the overall colour scheme.

The guesthouse wing is furnished with elegant, simple elements. Platform beds and wooden reclining chairs as well as a series of chairs are upholstered in off-white fabrics, reminiscent of Cycladic sculptures.  Positioned in front of mirrors the furniture’s forms are accentuated through thin, dark bronze frames. Bronze light fixtures and sculptural tables painted in gold and silver further complement the design aesthetic. Finally, the alcoves constructed behind the beds subtly reference the interiors of Mykonos’ famous dovecotes, adding a touch of architectural charm to the project.

The guesthouse bathrooms maintain an equally sophisticated ambiance: free-standing stone bathtubs and pedestal washbasins take centre stage, accented by bronze taps and rain-effect shower fixtures. The shapes of both the mirrors and the side wall recesses are harmoniously integrated with the bedroom’s style. Throughout all rooms, the seemingly simple yet meticulously considered colour palette is enhanced with wooden accents, dark leather, bronze, and gold details, as well as shades of grey and light brown stone.Αρχή φόρμας

 

Custom Furniture & Lighting

The minimally designed fixtures, furniture, and untreated linen colour fabrics, blend seamlessly with the interior architectural aesthetic. In the spa areas, pebbled floors offer a tactile roughness, while the bathrooms are clad with large, oval stones. A single piece of marble is used for the sink and countertop, while a series of shelves are embedded in the walls. A large opening offers views of a small, enclosed garden. In the massage room, instead of using traditional shelves, rectangular pockets are built into one wall. The sink, is crafted from grey stone, retaining its natural, rough texture, apart from its polished top.

Bronze taps and pendant wall lights introduce a contrasting touch of luxury. Large sliding openings oriented towards the sea allow an ample amount of natural light and ventilation to enter the gym. Furnished with dark brown leather and wooden equipment, the gym features a few distinct sculptural tables in the same dark wood tone. The hammam’s design draws inspiration from the local cave dwellings in the Cyclades, nestled within the island hills, forming a semi-circular enclosed space with a dome made of irregular curves. Finally, the residence’s technological infrastructure and architectural lighting are subtly integrated into the design, resulting to a serene yet striking visual effect.

Composing contrasts

The new coffee shop, situated in a central area of Athens, is characterized by a harmonious synthesis of strong contrasts: geometric shapes, materials, textures, and colors. The design aim is to cultivate an elegant yet avant-garde atmosphere.

 

Design Philosophy

The store consists of a ground floor indoor and outdoor seating area. The first floor houses a hybrid seating and seminar area, centred around the theme of coffee. At the heart of the composition are two monolithic counters crafted from handmade coloured mosaic and positioned centrally within the shop to oversee the process of production and supply of products. The coffee station and open kitchen harmoniously coexist in the space. Organized around them are the staff and customer circulation areas. The horizontal flow of the composition is disrupted by a void at the centre of the space and a metal circular staircase ascending to the floor above. These elements are accentuated in colour, splitting the space in two segments.

 

Morphological elements

The central aperture fosters a visual link between the levels, offering an element of surprise through hanging fixtures and vertical plants. The façade is made of metallic black frames, a sunshade cloth, and vibrant plants that attract passing pedestrians, immersing them in a diverse experience.

 

Natural Materials

Incorporating Art Deco elements and materials reminiscent of an Athens’s “other era”, the space exudes a welcoming ambiance. Polished dark green floor tiles serve a dual purpose by unifying the various functions of the space while also infusing a playful dynamic with their reflective properties, which vary depending on the viewing angle. The walls feature either lime paint or ceramic cladding adorned with geometric patterns and designs, providing an ideal backdrop for artwork, wall light fixtures, and indoor planting. Brass paired with glass, mosaic, and ceramics with unique geometry and texture, along with wood combined with Venetian wicker, collectively imbue the entire composition with a rich materiality.

Linear interaction

A former commercial space in Kerameikos, designed in 1938 by Aristomenes Provelengios, is transformed into a modern restaurant.

 

Functional Organization

The restaurant occupies the elevated ground floor and includes the main hall, bar, and part of the kitchen. The basement houses part of the preparation area, along with a loft space. The relationship between these successive levels is defined by the positioning of the reception area and its view of the public space. Central to the design composition is a monolithic bench, which serves as a pivotal feature. Spanning over a total length of 11m, the monolithic bench seamlessly connects the bar and kitchen areas, joining them within a single volume that extends along the ground floor plan. Chefs and guests interact, while the process of food preparation and consumption coexist in the same space. In the basement, a blue glass wall defines the boundary of the secondary kitchen.

 

Architectural elements

Transparent materials are strategically employed to create a distinct atmosphere that complements the architectural design and aesthetic. The main façade balances the relationship between solid and void. The load-bearing elements contribute to the building’s structural integrity, while the large openings and double-height ground floor space allow abundant natural light to enter the space, fostering a visual connection between the interior and exterior environments.

Featuring a minimal and simple geometry, devoid of any decorative design, the façade serves as a filter between the public and private space. The exterior mural -a carefully composed artwork that incorporates street art elements- becomes the façade’s main feature, adding vibrancy to the exterior aesthetic. During the renovation process, materials were thoroughly selected to accentuate the existing elements of the space.

 

Material Palette

The interior space showcases a blend of perforated metal, blue glass, and plaster finishes, extending the robustness of the façade seamlessly inside the building. Metal emerges as the primary material across the restaurant, retaining the building’s original aesthetic as a toy manufacturing workshop and reinforcing its industrial identity.

The exterior coating, treated with the artifice technique, sets the stage for crafting a textured ambiance within the building’s interior. The plaster finish, alternating between coarse and rough texture, serves as a contemporary interpretation of the façade’s coating. Introducing blue hues on the interior glass adds depth to the space’s ambiance, subtly referencing the modernist movement, of which architect and urban planner Aristomenes Proveleggios was a notable member.

Spaceship Earth

On 3 November 1957, a stray from the streets of Moscow became the first living organism to orbit the Earth. Laika, the pioneering cosmonaut, although rather unnecessarily sacrificed -looking at the scientific impact of her hasty journey- on the altar of the competition between the two space superpowers of that time, can, today, be glorified again as the sub-object-symbol of a new era, that of the Anthropocene.

“No! We are in the Anthropocene era.”

Eugene F. Stoermer

Starting from the famous Trinity Experiment at the American nuclear test site, geologists, biologists, and other experts place the milestone of this new geological period, molded by the dominant participation of human activity in the formation of the planet’s geology and ecosystems, on 16 July 1945 in New Mexico. The atomic bomb is the point of no return, which has given man the ability to annihilate himself, in a few seconds, according to Buckminster Fuller’s “Spaceship Earth”.

Several decades later, Eva and Carlos, two Belgian Malinois dogs, Harris the cuckoo, five families of terns and six falcons and twenty sparrows, live and learn together in a new building, located thirty kilometers west of Madrid. Situated amidst rural fields that have been altered in recent decades by urban development and intensive agriculture, the architecture of the Educan School represents an integrated experiment in restoring the local ecosystem and reversing the negative impacts of human activity.

Educan’s architecture is a design for multiple types of “users”, including but not limited to humans. In the two classrooms, dogs and trainers practice sports that require dexterity, timing, and precision, such as Schutzhund. Meanwhile, birds gather in nests formed by the facade, enjoying the view and orientation as well as other benefits that particularly attract them. Small birds feed on rodents, contributing to the ecological balance of the neighboring fields. Smaller species and bats – which inhabit the south façade sign – feed on insects, such as mosquitoes, which can carry certain dog diseases, while also participating in the pollination cycles of flowers and plants in the area. Sparrows made an impromptu appearance in this self-regulating ecosystem, uninvitedly settling in the circular holes of the structure’s containers.

 

 

Non-humans (not as the opposite of humans, but as all species beyond humans) are at the center of the design. Ηas this, then, sparked a third architectural revolution following the theocentrism of the ancient and medieval periods and the anthropocentrism of the Renaissance and modernity? Form, an awkward yet fundamental criterion for determining the architectural identity of a new project, does not provide the answer. Educan is not necessarily different from a (well-designed) rural warehouse or an ordinary productive infrastructure for people and machines. Typologically and functionally, the differences in this new architecture are subtle. However, what is critical is the scale of the animals themselves, in what is usually called “detail.” The floors, typically designed for humans and their shoes, are adapted for the paws and joints of dogs’ feet. The training rooms feature removable rolls of PTE synthetic turf approved for dog training, while the theory rooms are covered with semi-polished, exposed, inert concrete made from river pebbles.

The average height of the architectural space drops from the typical 1.60 meters (the eye level of the average standing person) to just half a meter. Internal openings are raised to over one meter to avoid distracting trained dogs. Blinds shadow the south-facing openings, allowing enough space for the dogs to move. Rainwater is collected from the roof into large troughs for dogs and birds, while interior surfaces are lined with sound-absorbing foam insulation to minimize noise and reverberation.

The building employs a wide range of materials and construction practices, both conventional and digital, integrating various techniques, scientific knowledge, and production systems. This approach connects the building, from its production to its eventual demolition, to the natural environment and neighboring human activities. The materials used are either recycled or fully recyclable, while paying special attention to minimizing waste during their production, life cycle, and disposal.

The thermal capacity of the in-situ concrete mass contributes significantly to the energy efficiency and behavior of the structure, while the wavy sheets of the formwork are produced from recycled trusses. The optimization and standardization of the industrial metal sheets and the precise cutting and joining of the glued timber on the CNC, together with the reuse of HC 40 containers and the handmade iron construction with customized joints, follow a philosophy of minimal resource management for achieving the maximum result.

Unique elements such as the legs of specific furniture, light fixtures, and large sliding doors, as well as manual bioclimatic features like perforated shutters and blinds, have been designed, commissioned, and assembled. From the weight of the foundations and reinforced concrete walls to the lightness of the dry-structure elements, everything is conceptualized with two primary considerations: the behavior and perception of non-humans and environmental sustainability. This approach influences both the tectonic adequacy and morphology of the structure.

Educan is the tangible proof of a new architecture that responds to the demands of the Anthropocene. The basic components of architecture (of people for people) are reformulated based on a new, universal method, motivated by a totally innovative purpose: life on Earth beyond our own species.