Incisions are few, and precise: one opening at the kitchen looks downwards; one light well at the end of the corridor accentuates a sculpture in space, and marks arrival. At the entrance prism, a vertical aperture is juxtaposed to the incision of the kitchen; as a result, each afternoon, a strip of light crosses through. Those elements are brought into a marked contrast with the other two faces of the volume, where the wall is expressed as absence. The shading device is also a mechanism, a filter in an environmental approach. The ample height of the spaces alludes to vernacular architecture, where the large air volume stabilizes interior temperature. The thermal mass of the walls adds to this effect. The tectonic shell of the project wraps this interior in an austere line, without any superficial gestures.

 

 

 

 

04. Ilios Beach Club and Nalu Surf Club | Elastic Architects

ek Issue: 304 | January – February 2026

Lighting Design: Archtube

 

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. 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. 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.

 

05. Saint Hotel | Kapsimalis Architects

ek Issue: 248 | June 2020

Lighting Design: HALO Architectural Lighting

 

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.

 

 

 

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. 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 artificial lighting scheme emphasizes clarity, orientation, and the public presence of the building within the city. Linear and recessed luminaires are carefully integrated into ceilings, circulation areas, and architectural elements, providing even illumination while preserving the clean architectural lines of the spaces. Externally, subtle façade lighting and the glow from the interior transform the town hall into a luminous urban landmark, reinforcing its role as an open and accessible civic institution within the historic center of Nicosia.

 

 

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.

 

 

The lighting design of the office building is conceived as an integral component of the architectural strategy, supporting both the workplace environment and the building’s contemporary identity within the urban fabric. Specifically, artificial lighting follows a restrained and highly integrated system of linear and recessed luminaires that emphasize clarity and spatial continuity. Even, glare-free illumination supports focused work while maintaining a calm and balanced atmosphere throughout the office interiors and shared spaces. At night, subtle exterior lighting accentuates the geometry of the façades and the transparency of the glazed surfaces, allowing the building to appear as a softly illuminated volume that contributes to the contemporary character of the business district.

Ateno Architecture Studio was founded in Athens in 2018 by architects Giorgos Fiorentinos and Ilias Theodorakis. Its initial ambition was to create a collaborative platform centered on architectural composition—one that would encourage dialogue and experimentation around form and the spatial relationships of the built environment. Over time, the team broadened its scope, undertaking a wide range of private and public commissions. Envisioned as an entity that integrates research, design and construction into a unified creative process, the practice continues to evolve, looking to the future with optimism.

 

ek: One of your first projects involved the renovation of a damaged restaurant in Mati, Attica, conceived through a narrative approach in which memory played a central role. Have you addressed subsequent renovations in a similar way? What is the primary challenge when changing the use of a space?

ATENO: Intervening in an existing building is a process of reading and reinterpretation. Every structure carries a narrative embedded in its form, layout and traces of use. These elements suggest ways of inhabiting; they carry memories and stories that often shape the framework of our work.

The greatest challenge in a change of use lies in the fact that we are sometimes required to intervene in this narrative in an almost violent manner. Through our work, we strive to preserve living fragments of history while simultaneously creating a fresh substratum capable of accommodating the stories of future occupants.

The balance between old and new, the decision to preserve or radically transform a space’s character, the safeguarding of craft traditions that may have faded, alongside the integration of new materials and technologies, constitute for us an ongoing and creative exercise.

 

 

ek: Among your unrealized projects, the proposals for the Eleneio Public Kindergarten and the Arts Building of Athens College stand out. Although formally distinct, was there a shared approach between the two? In your view, how does architecture contribute to supporting a contemporary educational experience?

ATENO: We regard architectural competitions as opportunities for experimentation, extroversion and collaboration. Indeed, our office was founded on the occasion of a competition for Public Utility Facilities in Thessaloniki. The projects you mention were developed in collaboration with colleagues and friends—Dimitris Zampopoulos, Nestor Skantzouris (Arts Building) and Studio Spacecraft (Eleneio).

Each design endeavor was shaped by multiple parameters – the site, the life scenario, and the collective references of each design team – with a shared aspiration to create timeless learning environments that move and inspire. We believe architecture can enhance the educational experience both functionally and experientially. Proportions, geometries, visual perspectives, the interplay of light and shadow, colors and textures encountered in school environments as children form our first perception of the world; they become embedded in memory and return, consciously or not, throughout our lives.

 

 

ek: As your practice continues to grow, are there particular building types or categories of projects you hope to explore further?

ATENO: Undoubtedly, like the majority of architectural practices in Greece, we are primarily engaged in projects related to tourism, commerce and housing, within both new constructions and existing shells. Throughout our trajectory so far, we approach every commission with equal interest. Regardless of scale or typology, the distinct challenges accompanying each project stimulate us, expand our knowledge and strengthen the team’s creativity.

Ideally, we would like to engage with as many project categories as possible in the future, without focusing exclusively on a specific typology. At the same time, we observe a gap between private and public infrastructure – from sidewalks to hospitals, schools and administrative buildings. We recognize the urgent need for high-quality works of collective interest and would welcome the opportunity to contribute meaningfully to that direction.

The project involves the construction of a small preschool catering to children aged 0-6, as part of a larger initiative to revitalize a school complex in Macerata, in the district of Sforzacosta. With the aim of turning contextual constraints -such as a small plot of land and tight construction timelines -into opportunities, the project adheres to simple typological and construction characteristics. The new building takes shape through a system of seemingly disjointed solids and voids, connected by a large, pitched roof that defines the footprint of the school and creates a series of threshold spaces between indoor and outdoor environments. The arrangement of three small, independent, and separate volumes, housing classrooms, offices, and facilities, creates a sequence of spaces with varied forms and proportions. The result is a porous system that seamlessly integrates with the garden through oblique views facilitated by changes in the roof section. The articulation of spaces becomes evident at transitional junctures, where the seamless flow between environments is highlighted. Within these “intermediate” spaces bridging the classrooms, various architectural elements -such as a striking portal, a skylight illuminating a double-height area, and a solitary column- emerge as focal points, inviting exploration and discovery due to their deliberate placement and size.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Set within a garden in the Belgian countryside stands the newly constructed wooden volume of Pocket Nursery, a 120m² “pocket” kindergarten whose architecture seeks to support learning through action and physical engagement. In response to the programmatic requirements and the specific pedagogical approach, the creation of a space capable of cultivating design sensitivity in children was not simply desirable, but fundamental. The scope of spatial experimentation was largely determined by the thickness of the walls: their lower sections incorporate small steps for toddlers learning to stand, while their inclined surfaces double as drawing boards. Openings are positioned at the children’s eye level, establishing a direct visual connection with the garden, which functions as both a spatial extension and an integral component of the educational experience. An inclined table is also embedded within the walls, serving alternately as a pottery workstation or as a communal surface for shared meals.

 

 

 

The Flexman Library is located in the Sharp building, designed in 1902 by Holabird & Roche Architects. The project aim is to create an engaging environment and connect students from various art programs in a multi-level library. The new design reconfigures the school’s existing main and special collections library on the fifth and sixth floor and exposes the building’s original steel frame structure. A narrow 20cm by 2.5m atrium connects the two levels, establishing a visual and physical connection of the two floors. A new multi-use space named “Corridor+” is constructed to create better circulation and access to the library, while also providing semi-private reading nooks, becoming a flexible public space for meetings, study sessions, exhibitions, and performances.

07. European University Cyprus Medical School Building | J.A. Philippou Architects & Engineers

ek issue: 303 | December 2025

 

The recently completed addition to the campus of the European University Cyprus houses the Schools of Medicine, Dentistry and Veterinary Medicine. More specifically, the building comprises standard tertiary education classrooms along with their supporting facilities, as well as laboratories of various kinds in conjunction with a series of complementary communal spaces. Given the building’s significant institutional role within the university campus, the architecture was required to establish a connection with the existing facilities while preserving the distinctiveness of its character. The project site lies along one of Nicosia’s main traffic arteries (Agiou Prokopiou Avenue), an urban environment that remains largely under development. As such, the building seeks to respond with a restrained yet substantial presence within this context of extended distances and high-speed movement. The architecture of the area presents certain characteristics, which the project was called upon to respect.

 

 

One of the greatest challenges in the design and construction of the Municipal Nursery School of Glyfada was to reassert the architect’s role as a key contributor in the creation of a new public building. A second challenge lay in foregrounding the prefabrication system selected for the building’s implementation. The entire structure was transported from the production factory, and the total construction time amounted to six months. The prefabrication system, defined by the competition’s prerequisites, significantly shaped the building’s form, as the basic module had to be transportable by truck.

 

On the northeastern edge of the University of Cyprus campus in Nicosia, an artificial hill rises from the terrain, completing the natural landscape shaped by Aronas Hill and the Kalogeros river. Seamlessly integrated into its surroundings, it appears less as an intervention and more as a quiet geological inevitability – an architectural gesture that feels as though it has always belonged there. Beneath this constructed topography lie the Information Center and the Library of the University of Cyprus, named after Stelios Ioannou in recognition of the decisive donation by his widow, Ellie Ioannou, which set the long-envisioned project into motion. What emerges is not merely a repository of knowledge, but a landmark that redefines the relationship between architecture and landscape.

 

 

 

The Tianjin Juilliard School serves as a dynamic center for performance, practice, research, and interactive exhibitions, with communal spaces intentionally designed to welcome the public into the creative and performative process of music. As the first performing arts institution in China to offer a U.S.-accredited Master of Music degree, it provides graduate programs in orchestral studies, chamber music, and collaborative piano. The school also offers a pre-college program for students ages 8–18, an instrumental training program, adult education courses, and a robust schedule of public performances.

Authentic character

In the heart of Patras, within a 1970s building, lies the new home of “Kseniastos Kosmos” -a learning center that breaks away from conventional norms, designed to spark positive and inspiring emotions in the children who visit.

 

Renovation Philosophy

The architectural study focused primarily on transforming the building’s interior to accommodate its new use, while respectfully preserving its original character. The existing spatial layout was maintained, with each former room reimagined as a distinct functional space. A central design move was the preservation and celebration of the original decorative mosaic floors. These were thoughtfully integrated into the new architectural language as elements of memory and aesthetic continuity. Each room’s color palette was carefully selected in dialogue with its respective floor, enhancing the individuality of each space and creating varied atmospheres for both students and educators.

 

Exterior shell & spatial organization

On the exterior, the design places emphasis on a sensitive color study aimed at preserving and highlighting the building’s original form and materiality. The existing window frames were retained, the stone-clad base visually emphasized as a distinct material layer, and the building’s typology reinforced through careful detailing.

The entrance is distinguished by the preserved original metal door, which now serves as a key architectural reference point. Its integration into the new design honors the building’s structure while enhancing the overall visual coherence. All rooms are accessed via a central corridor which, immediately following the entrance, assumes a secondary function as a waiting area for parents and visitors. A bold stroke of orange on the ceiling of both the entrance and corridor unifies these shared spaces and completes the chromatic composition of the interior.

 

 

Color Palette & Custom Elements

At the back of the building, the courtyard has been cleared and landscaped to offer a pleasant break area. Climbing plants now line the perimeter, while the existing metal staircase leading to the rooftop has been painted in a vibrant orange -highlighting its contemporary, additive presence and creating a visual anchor from within the interior. Through subtle yet impactful interventions, the center has been redefined both functionally and aesthetically  revitalized while honoring the unique identity of its architectural shell.

 

Contextual negotiation

The Boulder Public Library issued an open Request for Proposal in 2018 for a new branch library in North Boulder, a project the community had anticipated for over two decades. The proposed vision was to create a library whose iconic status would stem from its sustainability and its positive impact on the community and environment.

 

Context Integration

The North Boulder Library is situated within a diverse neighborhood that blends new developments for young professionals, art studios, galleries, and two manufactured home communities that include Boulder’s largest Spanish-speaking population. The chosen site is a triangular plot bordered by Broadway to the west and Three Mile Creek to the south, with stunning views to the Boulder Flatirons.

Boulder’s unique geographical position at the intersection of the Rocky Mountains and the Great Plains has historically shaped its rugged architectural vernacular. Consequently, the design celebrates this context, acknowledging the area’s complex relationship with the natural environment. Through its connections with the urban surroundings, the library not only reflects its environment but also enhances its visual and functional relationship with the local community.

 

 

Design Philosophy

The design of the North Boulder Library was directly informed by the community’s input, leading to the inclusion of key programs such as Boulder Reads, which supports literacy development for children and adults, and a “Maker Kitchen,” which evolved from the community’s desire for a maker space together with ideas for a community garden and kitchen area.

The building negotiates the triangular site that includes a seasonal creek running diagonally through it with a building that respects the scale of its residential neighbors to the north while opening up to views of the Flatiron Mountains and Rocky Mountain foothills to the south and west. The library is designed with the major community spaces on the second floor. The lower northern side integrates a shallow, fully- accessible ramp that allows these second-floor community and ESL classrooms to open at night when the library is closed, reinforcing the library’s role as a community hub. The building’s design is both intriguing and unexpected. Its irregular geometry, a convergence of triangular forms, mirrors and influences the internal layout. This interplay of shapes creates a series of surprising spatial experiences.

 

 

Spatial Organization

The main public floor is divided into a large reading room for adult patrons and a children’s area with a private nook for story-reading and windows on to a slide that can be accessed through a rope climbing structure, allowing kids to climb up through the building and slide down into the library’s new playground. Other key areas on the ground floor include the Maker Kitchen, which connects to an edible garden and playground, and large windows that offer breathtaking views of the mountains. The interior design incorporates custom elements like a wallpaper by graphic designer Andrew Freeman, principal at afreeman, featuring historical photos from Boulder’s archives, celebrating the region’s indigenous heritage. The building’s exposed ceiling structure adds to the space’s acoustic performance and aesthetic richness.

 

 

Sustainability Approach

Sustainability is a central focus of the project, with initial plans aiming for net-zero energy. Although some features were scaled back due to the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent economic challenges, Boulder’s stringent sustainability regulations ensured that the library maintained its high green building standards. A rooftop solar array supplies a significant portion of the building’s energy, while the site includes a rainwater garden planted with native, butterfly-attracting flowers and shrubs to protect the seasonal creek from runoff.

 

Disjointed architecture

The project involves the construction of a small preschool catering to children aged 0-6, as part of a larger initiative to revitalize a school complex in Macerata, in the district of Sforzacosta. With the aim of turning contextual constraints -such as a small plot of land and tight construction timelines -into opportunities, the project adheres to simple typological and construction characteristics.

 

Design Philosophy

The new building takes shape through a system of seemingly disjointed solids and voids, connected by a large, pitched roof that defines the footprint of the school and creates a series of threshold spaces between indoor and outdoor environments. The arrangement of three small, independent, and separate volumes, housing classrooms, offices, and facilities, creates a sequence of spaces with varied forms and proportions. The result is a porous system that seamlessly integrates with the garden through oblique views facilitated by changes in the roof section. The articulation of spaces becomes evident at transitional junctures, where the seamless flow between environments is highlighted. Within these “intermediate” spaces bridging the classrooms, various architectural elements -such as a striking portal, a skylight illuminating a double-height area, and a solitary column- emerge as focal points, inviting exploration and discovery due to their deliberate placement and size.

 

 

Spatial Layout

The building accommodates spaces for welcoming families, children, teachers, and educators, along with a music workshop, a sensory workshop for exploring smells and tastes, and a library. Within the same area, children can also share mealtime, as the facility is equipped with a fully functional kitchen. The structure is made entirely of wood. The walls of the internal volumes, as well as the entire façade perimeter, constitute the vertical structures constructed using the platform frame system. The transparency of the facades allows for the regular rhythm of the vertical supports to be visible from the outside. The setback of the facade, resulting from the rotation of the volumes, creates generous covered spaces that also contribute to the passive functioning of the building. Constructed with entirely recyclable materials, the project has a near-zero energy impact.

 

 

Social Impact

The new preschool is part of the school redevelopment project in Sforzacosta, stemming from a competition held in 2022. It’s a facet of an initiative led by the ABF Andrea Bocelli Foundation in collaboration with the Municipality of Macerata, aimed at addressing the shortage of educational spaces in the area. The project, comprising several phases, witnessed the completion of the preschool in 2023. The next phase involves the completion of the Educational Hub, which includes the renovation of primary school buildings and the gymnasium in 2024.

 

 

Contemporary identity

The project focuses on renovating and redefining a 400m² former school building, now home to the Practica Learning Centre. Blending architectural sensitivity with modern functionality, the redesign enhances both the space’s usability and the center’s new corporate identity.

 

Corporate Identity

The company’s logo is redesigned, accompanied by a refreshed visual communication strategy applied both internally and externally. To enhance the training experience and assist visitors, comprehensive signage was installed throughout the building, clearly indicating the purpose of each space. These signs, along with other graphic elements, seamlessly integrate with the building’s aesthetics, ensuring a cohesive and professional image.

 

Spatial Layout

The building is structured across two levels, organized in a T-shaped footprint. The ground floor seamlessly connects to a redesigned 130m² courtyard, aimed at restoring its natural character and enhancing functionality. This new outdoor space blends aesthetics with practicality, offering an elegant and functional area for breaks and educational gatherings. Additionally, greenery is reintroduced, featuring six beds of aromatic plants and trees inspired by the local flora. A pergola, along with monolithic tables and benches, is also installed, creating a welcoming and comfortable environment for users.

 

Existing Building

The building’s outer shell remains largely intact, preserving its architectural identity. However, selective structural modifications enhance both functionality and aesthetic coherence. The volumes have been distinguished to emphasize the building’s core and reception area, while additional decorative elements have been incorporated into the façades for a more refined finish. The chosen color palette aligns with the new corporate identity, embodying a dynamic and contemporary vision.

Dynamic grid

The new Metropolitan College building, spanning a total of 2,000m2 with an additional 1,000m2 of basement space, is the fourth facility added to the existing campus in Maroussi. This expansion addresses the organization’s growing educational demands.

 

Functional Organization

It is a mixed-use building, housing the Centre for Interdisciplinary Education and Research in Rehabilitation on the ground floor. The basement and first floor contain student training rooms, while the second floor consolidates administrative offices previously spread across other buildings.

 

 

Façade Design & Materials

The new building is situated in the southeast corner of the plot, maximizing the open space in-between the existing buildings and the new addition, while allowing an abundance natural light to enter the interior spaces. Even though the new structure is designed to complement the configuration and style of the surrounding buildings, it establishes its own identity through a unique facade. Instead of a continuous horizontal arrangement of louvers, the facade shifts in angles, directions, and density, forming a dynamic, broken line around the perimeter.

The thoughtful use and variation of materials, along with the striking grid organization and color contrasts, create a contemporary interior. This design moves beyond a typical workspace or educational setting, inviting users into an inspiring environment that encourages creativity and growth.

 

 

Sustainable Design

Aligned with modern energy efficiency standards, the building has a zero-energy footprint and is classified as energy class A+, marking it as an innovative structure. It is fully automated with a KNX system and can be operated and monitored remotely. The lighting system detects human presence, adjusting its intensity based on natural light entering through the windows. The building utilizes VRV inverter systems for air conditioning, has a green roof, and uses solar systems to supply hot water. Additionally, plans to achieve zero energy consumption are realized through the installation of photovoltaic panels.

 

 

Colorful shell

The key idea behind the architectural design of the two school units was the prism through which children perceive reality.

 

Design Philosophy

This is achieved through the creation of a colored transparent shell, which becomes the visual filter between the interior and the exterior spaces through which children experience a world of color and light. The primary role of this colorful shell is that of the “marker that colors” the -mainly white- shell of the building, which metaphorically represents a blank “canvas”.

 

An Interplay with Light

The innovative feature of this specific architectural design is the constant change of the form of the building through refraction, depending on the time of day and thus the position of the sun. The different designs of the two buildings are based on the children’s age and create a distinct architectural language.

 

Functional Design

The nursery, which accommodates particularly young ages of babies and toddlers, consists of a transparent colorful shell where the primary colors arranged in a random position, thus enhancing an interplay with the natural sunlight. The more recent structure, the kindergarten, which is intended for older children, is based on the colors of the rainbow. This has been translated into an even more complex shell, incorporating more colors to achieve a smooth transition from one to the next, imitating the rainbow phenomenon. The colored sections occupy the minimum possible surfaces, i.e. those of three points – triangles – so that the transition of the color alternations takes place at a 45-degree angle. Both structures are considered exemplary spaces for their use and have been designed and built according to the most modern and rigorous protocols.