Reference point

The project’s design considers both the current state of the area and its future development. In this direction, a distinctive, contemporary architectural language is created with the aim of establishing a point of reference in the growing district of Voula.

 

Design Philosophy

The main idea is to create a double shell that envelops the building, providing the necessary privacy for users. The irregular shape of the plot and the narrow frontage on the adjacent streets, with large sides located at the plot boundaries, determine a need for private spaces while preserving a sense of continuity with the uncovered neighboring areas. The shell is traversed by a sparse perforation, contributing to the natural lighting of the interior of the building while ensuring the necessary privacy where needed. The perforations are clad with robust semi-transparent glass elements that create interesting reflections inside. The curved slabs, with their slight rotation, give the impression of a not-so-compact volume, offering intriguing shadows and different visual perspectives from the balconies.

Bioclimatic Strategy

In pursuit of sustainable development, local climate features were incorporated into the design. Water surfaces and green areas play a central role in creating a microclimate for residents and the neighborhood. On the ground floor, the designed shallow pond, with irregular islands and a swimming tank, is part of the approach. This composition, combined with the planting of gardens with interesting varieties of tall trees, creates a harmonized natural climate of coolness and tranquility at the entrance level, which extends to the surrounding neighborhood.

 

 

Custom Elements

On the balconies, green spaces are created, adding to the aesthetic quality of the exterior arrangement, and contributing to bioclimatic design. The perforated pergola on the roof level, acting as a filter, serves as an additional architectural element that creates ideal conditions for shading and ventilation, enhancing the aesthetic and functional character of the space.

 

Inclined tower

The project is located along the coastline of Limassol, 9 km east of the city center. Rising to a height of 50m, it consists of luxury apartments offering a 180° sea view. The construction of the building required the study and supervision of specialized consultants and contractors due to its large cantilevers, which gradually shift and extend away from the building’s core on the ground floor.

 

Design Philosophy

Each floor is displaced by 1.5m to maximize the orientation and create expansive, both covered and uncovered, south-facing verandas with views of the sea. This displacement results in the building sloping at an angle of over 20°, presenting unique technical challenges regarding the structure, vertical circulation, mechanical and electrical systems, and security. At the same time, it defines the building’s key feature, transforming it into an iconic landmark.

 

 

Urban Integration

The building leans toward the road and the urban landscape. On this elevation, behind the parametric perforated sloped GRC shell, the mechanical spaces are located, functioning as a vertical buffer zone between the public and private realms.

Water Element

In the horizontal dimension of the building, at ground level and spanning 50m in length, a water element connects the interior to the surrounding environment, reaching the shore. The elongated swimming pool, entirely clad in green marble, accentuates the north-south axis that links the urban landscape with the natural one, guiding the user from the public to the private space. The pool also serves as an area for leisure, relaxation, and rejuvenation.

The design, along with the selection of natural materials, plantings, and water elements, creates a sense of balance and a deep connection to the earth, both inside and out.

 

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.

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.

 

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.

 

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.

 

Industrial Aesthetic

In the center of the city of Volos, a specialty coffee shop with a strong urban character is introduced to the public through its clearly defined design identity. The core concept focuses on the creation of a minimal and fresh space, enriched with discreet industrial elements that convey energy and an intense morning atmosphere.

 

Spatial Organization

Within a compact area of 35m2, which includes spatial units such as the bar, preparation area, customer circulation zone, seating area, as well as auxiliary spaces for storage and WC, particular emphasis is placed on the formation of a functional and ergonomic layout.

Inside, the centrally positioned bar operates both as the main functional production element and as a point of daily social interaction. Behind it, compositions of metal shelving structures arranged in a grid highlight the interior height of the space, while suspended circular metal elements add an additional industrial character.

 

 

Façade Design

The extroverted character of the space is largely defined by the design approach of the façades. Slender white metal frames open the interior towards the urban environment, transforming the coffee preparation process into a daily urban experience. In addition, the handmade pine wood entrance doors introduce a distinctive sense of warmth and a gentle contrast to the predominantly white composition.

 

 

Materials, Lighting & Constructions

Both externally and internally, white surfaces dominate, while characteristic metal elements in a vivid yellow color introduce a pop-like quality. In between, the use of oak textures adds a sense of calmness and balance. The material palette is completed by the targeted use of white square tiles.

Special emphasis is placed on construction details. From the laser-cut entrance handles to the rounded planters and fluid decorative forms, all elements are the result of deliberate design, aiming to shape a unified and coherent identity.

Finally, artificial lighting plays a significant role, following a laboratory-inspired approach through the use of suspended linear lighting above the bar, as well as neon-type signage and light boxes, completing the urban character of the project.

 

Functional Connection

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.

 

Urban Context and Institutional Role

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.

 

 

Design Philosophy

The objective, therefore, was for the extension to become the new architectural expression of the university and to shape its modernised identity, while retaining the fundamental lines of the existing buildings’ morphology. This connection was achieved through the design of the facades using customised aluminium frames that reference the earlier morphology of the openings, while simultaneously providing the necessary protection against constantly shifting climatic conditions. The specially designed profiles shade the interior without restricting views, creating an engaging interplay between closed and open, solid and transparent. Within the broader modernisation of the university facilities, both the facades and the existing buildings were renovated and upgraded. In parallel, a smart building management system was installed to optimise energy performance and operational efficiency.

 

 

Functional Integration & Lighting

Beyond the aesthetic unification with the existing built complex, a key objective was the functional interconnection of the university buildings, which are developed on either side of a road axis. To ensure safe and comfortable movement between them, an elevated bridge was designed, organically integrated into the university’s internal circulation network. The architectural design was completed with a lighting study that discreetly highlights the lines and individual features of the facades. The exterior lighting lends depth and continuity to the complex’s presence, maintaining its identity and visibility even beyond operating hours.

 

 

Internal connection

The project concerns the reconfiguration and addition of a new building at the American Farm School, aiming to achieve environmental sustainability and the construction of infrastructure compatible with the existing school buildings, with a strong emphasis on accessibility.

 

Design Philosophy

Originally, the school complex consisted of two single-storey buildings constructed in two different phases. The first was set at an elevation of +0.60 m above ground level with a rectangular floor plan, while the second was located at +0.00 m. Communication between the two was provided via staircases, which hindered access for people with disabilities.

The project proposed the construction of an additional building, funded through a donation by the Panteliadis family, in order to create five additional classrooms, spaces for teaching staff, and an internal shared zone for breaks. The optimal solution involved replacing the building located at +0.60 m with a new two-storey linear building at ground level, allowing for an internal connection between the two units.

 

 

Functional Organization

Access to the new building is provided through its central section, marked by a large double-height opening. On either side of the entrance are two administrative offices, while along the rear elevation runs the main circulation axis, which distributes access to the classrooms and terminates at two staircases – one on each side – leading to the upper floor.

Along the extension of the entrance axis, the connection between the two buildings is established, forming an internal shared space for recreation. Classrooms and teachers’ rooms are arranged around this area, while auxiliary functions and restrooms are located at the junction of the two units.

The new two-storey building accommodates a total of eight classrooms—four on each level—arranged in sequence along the front façade so that all enjoy natural daylight and views towards the square in front of the building complex. On the upper floor, smaller-scale shared zones were created, along with a double-height void positioned directly above the entrance area.

 

 

Façade Design & Sustainability

The façade of the new building was designed to be compatible with the morphology of the adjacent volume. Openings are of limited width and positioned at regular intervals, in accordance with national building regulations.

Overall, the design aims to reduce the building’s energy footprint during both construction and operation. At the same time, the new addition ensures the preservation of the existing outdoor layout, maintaining extensive green areas.

The architectural study was awarded first prize in the architectural competition organized by the American Farm School.

 

 

Platonic solids

Cyprus Planetarium is composed of two buildings that house a Planetarium, exhibition zones, a conference center, an amphitheater–observatory, an astronomical observatory, a restaurant, and educational facilities. It is located in Episkopeio, in the Nicosia district, and stands as a landmark project for Cypriot society.

 

Design Philosophy

It is a pioneering complex that brings together high aesthetics, technology, sustainable development, economic viability, and social impact, contributing to research and innovation, academia, knowledge, and study. Access to the Planetarium is achieved through a transitional “threshold” and a route that passes between water features, planting, and light.

The composition of the project is based on Platonic solids such as the cube, the sphere, and the polyhedron. The design seeks to translate symbols into architectural choices: mystery, the unknown, and the universe are expressed through black, while white represents truth, purity, scientific thought, and the soul.

 

 

Functional Organization

The amphitheater building includes, on the ground floor, a restaurant, café, and sanitary facilities, while the upper level accommodates the amphitheater–observatory, ideal for outdoor music events and performances, as well as a state-of-the-art telescope and astronomical observatory.

The Planetarium building houses, on the ground floor, the planetarium hall with an 18-meter screen, 10 projectors, and 176 seats, a 360° VR room, a temporary exhibition space, a gift shop, and a café. The first floor contains the conference center, while the basement accommodates offices and an additional VR room.

 

 

Bioclimatic Design

Within the framework of sustainable construction, the project is environmentally friendly, bioclimatic, and technologically advanced. Materials, technologies, and techniques have been adopted to minimize environmental impact and to create a zero-energy building. A double ventilated façade system reduces the thermal mass of the walls, as natural ventilation is distributed through the two layers.

Optimal orientation was pursued to maximize beneficial solar heat gains, along with the careful design of openings to ensure ample natural daylight, views toward the planted exterior environment, and cross-ventilation of interior spaces. In the basement, both a light well for daylighting and an air shaft for natural ventilation were created. Water features were also integrated into the composition, contributing significantly to overall cooling.

The green roof, as part of the passive design strategy, improves thermal insulation and the microclimate. At the same time, the use of renewable energy sources – photovoltaic solar panels installed on the dome – ensures the building’s autonomous energy operation.

 

Structural consolidation

The project involves the renovation and extension of a farmhouse set within a courtyard on the crest of the hills in the Piedmont area of the Reggio Emilia Apennines. The original stone building, dating back to the early 1900s, had undergone several interventions over time, including structural consolidation works that introduced reinforced concrete terraces on the valley-facing sides, as well as more recent upgrades such as the refurbishment of the roof and the addition of a concrete-and-wood portico on the eastern elevation.

 

Renovation Strategy

The intervention was driven by two main objectives: to expand the ground floor – where the existing living and bedroom spaces were insufficient – and to redesign the extensive outdoor areas of the property. The first-floor sleeping quarters were left untouched, as they were already adequate in terms of size and functionality.

The reconfiguration of the living spaces began with the transformation of the existing sloped portico, which was converted into a new volume accommodating a living and dining area, along with a wellness extension connected to the ground-floor bedroom. The original wooden and tiled roof was removed, while the concrete pillars were retained. A new metal structure was introduced to support a flat roof slab, reusing the original wooden beams of the portico.

 

 

Layout & Materials

This new volume was enclosed with continuous glazing, articulated by staggered aluminum pilasters with a Corten finish, while the original stone wall was deliberately left exposed within the interior. The former living area was repurposed as a kitchen and connected to the new living space through a large sheet-metal-clad portal, created by reworking the existing wall openings. A similar intervention was carried out in the bedroom, where a new opening in the stone wall leads directly to the wellness area, which includes a sauna.

 

 

Landscape & Façade Design

Externally, the existing terraces were redefined through the introduction of an infinity pool projecting toward the ridge, with a basement level beneath it housing technical systems and storage spaces. The terracing system was further expanded through the use of reinforced and gabion-retained earthworks, creating new landscaped areas designed for outdoor use.

The areas in front of the building were cleared of walls and fences to enable the creation of a new main entrance to the house. Access is no longer aligned with the center of the portico but instead positioned along the short side of the extension, allowing for a reorganization of vehicular access from the main road, now separated from the rest of the courtyard.

The new main façade is marked by an entrance structure consisting of a metal pergola, partially covering the main doorway and designed to support climbing vegetation, reinforcing the dialogue between architecture and landscape.

 

Sculptural retreat

The study concerns a property located within the consolidated urban fabric of the town of the island of Chios, characterized by dense development. The specific plot adjoins a neighboring property to the northeast, while its remaining sides are free.

 

Design Philosophy

The aim of the composition was to seek an architectural expression that resists the mechanistic application of formal restrictions. The building’s massing is shaped by the interplay of different geometries that articulate the façades, achieving a sense of peripheral plasticity. The interlocking of volumes forms the compact core of the building, which is anchored to the stairwell nucleus, transferring movement from the basement to the roof terrace.

 

 

Functional Organization

The ground-floor apartment benefits from direct access to outdoor spaces on both sides: to the east, the living areas open onto an outdoor space, while to the west, the bedrooms connect to a small, privately defined garden. Large openings on the façades contribute to visual openness from the interior toward the landscaped exterior and enhance the extroverted character of the apartment, while privacy is ensured by a perimeter enclosure composed of a solid wall and latticework.

The upper-floor apartment is organized on two levels: the main level and a loft. All spaces have access to terraces at different points along the façades, offering varied geometries and visual perspectives. By positioning the loft above the bedrooms, a double-height space is achieved in the shared areas, which, in combination with the metal structure to the south and the large openings to the northwest, introduces diverse spatial qualities throughout the apartment. A defining element of the façade is the lattice screen, which provides solar protection without obstructing outward views from the interior. Conversely, the large, glazed opening to the south allows winter sunlight to penetrate through a system of internal blinds, enabling direct solar gain.

 

 

Materials & Vegetation

Along the main street, the curved form guiding access to the entrance simultaneously reinforces a sense of enclosure. The composition of different materials – colored renders, exposed concrete, metal structures, and glazing – highlights the geometries of the volumes. Finally, priority was given to surrounding the building with dense vegetation; for this reason, the areas paved with cast material in the open space are limited to what is strictly necessary to ensure access.

 

Dynamic facade

The project concerns the transformation of an existing shopping center on Pireos Street into a sustainable and pioneering office complex, complemented by the addition of a new, independent five-storey building. This new structure functions both as a landmark and as a catalyst for the revitalization and development of the wider area.

 

Renovation Strategy

The design is based on managing and upgrading the existing building stock, converting it into an energy-efficient structure with contemporary uses. The approach follows the principles of sustainability and the circular economy, incorporating the reuse of materials.

The existing building is characterized by pronounced contrasts -most notably the introverted external facades versus the extroverted interior. The redesign utilizes these contrasts as compositional elements, redefining the façade and generating a new architectural envelope. Through a process of subtraction and addition -two opposing yet complementary actions- the façade is reshaped, adopting the logic of the (bar)code as the central design reference. The final result resembles a linear code: a dynamic composition of voids and solids with varying dimensions.

 

New Construction Systems

This composition is formed by metal cylinders which, after a special color treatment, are repositioned in new configurations, enhancing the façade’s interaction with its environment. The system allows future adjustments to the façade based on evolving needs, making it adaptable and flexible. The arrangement of the cylindrical columns supporting the energy canopy defines the first layer of the new façade, following the rhythm and dynamism of the existing shell.

On a second level, a three-dimensional envelope made of fiber-reinforced cement board incorporates glazed surfaces within recesses, maintaining the autonomy of materials while contributing to the cohesion of the composition. The new building, located southwest of the existing one, is developed across a ground floor, four upper floors, and a green roof.

 

 

Vegetation & Sustainability

The surrounding landscape acts as a connective tissue between the two structures, while the energy canopy and supporting columns reinforce the overall unity of the complex. The intermediate outdoor space creates a transitional landscape that encourages user interaction and relaxation. Planting and carefully selected surface materials complete the architectural composition.

The green roof offers significant environmental and functional benefits: it contributes to air purification, stormwater management, reduction of ambient temperatures, and improved sound insulation. Additionally, it enhances biodiversity, boosts the efficiency of solar systems, protects surfaces from erosion, and promotes social interaction.

The project has achieved LEED Gold certification for both the existing and the new building -a distinction of particular importance in today’s context, where climate change underscores the need for sustainable, resilient, and healthy work environments.

 

Rhythmic exchange

In an area of the city with a distinctly industrial character, near the Athens-Lamia National Road, an unfinished pre-existing structure was reconstructed with the aim of preserving its load-bearing system while simultaneously accommodating an expanded building program, including a larger surface area of office spaces.

 

Design Philosophy

A central condition for the design was the development of a new construction system that would not only adapt to the existing structure but also organize it, forming a unified architectural identity while responding to the bioclimatic requirements of a contemporary work environment. The new envelope, conceived as a thickened skin, either touches or stands slightly apart from the existing structure, thereby unifying enclosed spaces with outdoor areas, terraces, and balconies.

 

 

Spatial Organization

This envelope is fragmented into individual components that create, through a rhythmic alternation of solid and void, a system of shading and openings that moderates daylight and shading conditions within the interior. Alternating wall and window elements wrap around all levels of the building, bringing coherence to the previously independent and somewhat disparate volumes, and establishing a cohesive overall perception of the structure.

Sustainable Design

The architectural proposal, combining bioclimatic and functional upgrading with the redesign of the envelope and the reconfiguration of interior spaces, creates a comfortable and sustainable, human-centered environment. At the same time, it establishes a new, coherent, and recognizable identity that transforms the building into a point of reference within its urban context.

 

 

Organic forms

The project’s location -along one of Limassol’s most important commercial corridors, near a major junction- set from the outset the ambition to create a landmark building for the Mesa Geitonia area.

 

Design Philosophy

This strategic position, coupled with the elongated geometry of the plot, informed the building’s distinctive massing from the very early design stages. To meet the project’s goal, the design adopts a linear, organically shaped volume that unfolds along the avenue, both asserting the presence of the complex and preserving the continuous flow and pulse of the commercial axis.

 

 

Functional Organization

The building is structured across five levels. The ground floor accommodates retail units, reflecting the commercial character of the street, while the four upper floors house office spaces that open toward the narrow façades through covered verandas. Although the primary pedestrian entry is located on Spyrou Kyprianou Avenue, the building also incorporates a two-level underground parking garage accessed via the internal road running parallel to the avenue. This underground structure provides all required parking spaces, mechanical rooms, and storage areas.

 

 

Architectural Language

The architectural expression merges a futuristic, dynamic aesthetic with fluid, organic forms. The façades alternate between metal panels and expansive glazing to maximize natural light. Cantilevers and projecting architectural elements reinforce the building’s horizontal character, while simultaneously functioning as shading devices that regulate solar exposure, enhance daylight performance, and reduce dependence on mechanical cooling.

On the narrow elevations, the shifting balance between interior space and covered verandas on each level creates a vertical, volumetric rhythm. This generates a parametric, organic pattern that imbues the building with a distinctive sense of movement, resulting in striking perspectives and visually compelling, theatrical façades.

 

Sincere geometry

The residence is conceived as an architectural gesture rooted deeply in its natural setting. Specifically, the building’s form merges from an interactive engagement with the landscape, resulting in a structure that both asserts its presence and remains open to the immediate context.

 

Design Philosophy

Simple lines and rigorous proportions carry a “sincere” visual geometry that is further enhanced through the material honesty of exposed concrete. The design rejects imitation and speaks to an architectural ethos that embraces authenticity. Material, form and space are all approached with profound architectural discipline, eventually producing a residence that feels both monolithic and porous.

 

 

Functional Organization

Organized on a steep hillside, the residence unfolds through a sequence of interlocking volumes and voids. Large rectangular openings break up the rigidness of the square, acting as apertures that connect the residence to the site, shifting between interior and exterior thresholds. The plan is comprised of layered planes and long horizontal spans that create double height spaces as well as sheltered outdoor rooms. In parallel, a series of structural elements, such as a concrete staircase leading to a sunken courtyard, celebrate the residence’s sculpted simplicity. The plan is straightforward yet spatially rich, offering a continuous dialogue between enclosure and openness.

 

 

Context Integration

The residence is positioned within the terrain with precision, rising from the forest canopy as a measured, geometric insertion. Rather than imitating the surrounding nature, the building becomes a dynamic counterpoint, where its rigid concrete form contrasts the organic densities of the surrounding nature.

 

Principles of enclosed space

The residence is positioned within the local scale of the Lakatamia area in Nicosia, in a neighborhood characterized by empty plots, limited vegetation, and an abandoned old shoe factory directly across the street.

 

Design Philosophy

The initial design objective, shaped by the conditions of the area, was to create a single-storey home that centres on inwardness and privacy, while maintaining a direct connection between the interior and surrounding greenery. At the same time, the aim is to provide a safe and comfortable Mediterranean interior environment defined by lived experience, through a contemporary local architectural approach supported by modern systems and materials.

From the early stages, the design principles, developed in relation to the inhabitants’ needs, focused primarily on forming transitional open-air spaces and placing a main protective filter at the façade, referencing the character of a traditional boundary wall.

 

 

Spatial Organization

The spatial configuration offers organic flexibility, with public and private areas arranged in relation to a workspace volume that “suspends” itself as a focal point within the residence, allowing multiple movement paths. The inward-looking, through-ventilated layout and its relationship with the outdoor space create a core of privacy and security for the residents. The external walls, together with the eastern gabion wall filled with local stone, form a protective diaphragm separating public from private space, while the interior spaces extend toward the courtyards, ensuring cross-ventilation and natural light.

A central architectural feature of the interior is the workspace, which hovers as a wooden volume above the kitchen and the everyday living area. It functions as the secondary main use of the home, meeting the need for book storage and providing a dedicated study area for the residents.

Its placement above the kitchen and living space creates an interesting dynamic in the spatial experience. On one hand, the workspace remains visually connected to the broader living area; on the other, it retains a degree of privacy for its users. This dual condition encourages a balance between shared and personal space.

 

 

Exterior Design & Vegetation

One of the main architectural elements expressing the adaptability of the interior as it opens to the exterior is the set of foldable perforated shading panels. These allow residents to adjust privacy levels and control sunlight according to their needs.

The courtyards, functioning as the key bioclimatic components of the residence, form the heart of the design. Positioned next to the communal areas and the bedrooms, they provide private outdoor zones for each room while allowing the flow of natural light and ventilation with privacy in mind. Planted with low-growing Cypriot vegetation, the courtyards create microclimates that bring natural greenery into the home. In this way, the residence “embraces” the natural environment, achieving an organic continuity with the landscape.

 

Dialogue of place & structure

The building design reflects Nikos Ktenàs’ belief that architecture emerges from a profound dialogue between place, structure, and human presence. Situated within one of Athens’ urban suburbs, the project explores the relationship between private living and the expansive cityscape.

 

Design Philosophy

The making of the building is regarded as an investigative process, where the design draws from the immediate site, eventually “returning” to the landscape a new scale and form. The composition is minimal and clear, celebrating the honesty of materials avoiding shallow, imitative gestures. Specifically, concrete – a rather popular, albeit misunderstood, material in Athens – becomes a medium of authenticity used for both structural stability and material texture.

 

Functional Layout

The project unfolds vertically, creating a sequence of shifting interior and exterior spaces. A transparent core, placed at the edge of the concrete façade, contains the central staircase that becomes the primary circulation route throughout the residence, allowing in parallel ample natural light to enter the space. Each level establishes a different visual connection with the city, reinforcing the relationship with urban space. The concrete blocks retreat at times, forming terraces, intermediate balconies and deep windows, crafting a residence that is both private and public, introspective and outward-looking.

 

 

Material Palette

Concrete is the material protagonist of the design, where its tactile presence is intentionally left visible. In contrast, the glass-clad staircase introduces lightness and a transparent quality that break up the building’s solidity. In the interior, metallic elements, shutters and railings add a layer of precision throughout the space, reinforcing the building’s modernist character.

 

Sculpted Skin

The building, through its structural logic, addresses the reinvention of the apartment-building typology, positioning the uncovered courtyard (akalyptos) as the central entrance space and as a transitional zone between the city and the private living areas.

 

Design Philosophy

The akalyptos becomes a spatial pause, a moment of shift from horizontal to vertical movement, from public domain to private realm. This reinterpretation restores to the akalyptos the spatial significance of a contemporary atrium: a central void through which visitors access the surrounding living areas, and which, in turn, projects outward to complete the urban façade.

 

 

 

Structural System & Façade

The load-bearing structure, composed of exposed reinforced concrete, frames only the central atrium, supporting the floor slabs as cantilevers. This arrangement provides maximum freedom in configuring both the apartment layouts and the exterior façades.

These façades are conceived as a self-supporting “sculpted skin,” incorporating essential functions of the residences through voids, projections, bay windows, and fully operable glazing. The result is a volume that appears monolithic yet permeable – transparent in selected fragments that frame views of the immediate urban context.

 

 

Urban Integration

The top floor is designed as a “hanging garden.” Toward the interior of the block, it is enclosed by a solid continuous wall of exposed concrete; toward the city, it is defined by the upper edge of the self-supporting façade. At this elevated level, the interplay between these two structural elements enables visitors to reorient themselves and reconsider the building’s relationship to the broader urban fabric.

 

 

Nikos Ktenas became widely known through his project “Inside-Out” -one of the most iconic apartment buildings in Athens. The building not only transformed the urban landscape of Neo Psychiko, standing out as a radically contemporary proposal, but was also honored with the 2013-2017 Architecture Award of the Hellenic Institute of Architecture. As an architectural gesture, “Inside-Out” established itself as a landmark, offering a creative and timely reinterpretation of the apartment-building typology, with a distinct impact on both the building’s internal organization and its external form.

 

Well-being as design principle

The design of the pharmacy seeks to shape a spatial environment that surpasses the conventional association of pharmacies with clinical sterility. Its architectural approach is anchored in the concept of well-being, which serves as the project’s guiding design principle.

 

Design Philosophy

Inspired by the broader idea of living well, the composition develops through natural textures and warm tonalities, creating an atmosphere that is both inviting and human-oriented. This holistic view of health, embracing physical, psychological, and social dimensions, is translated into space through subtle references to nature, which act as the conceptual and aesthetic foundation of the project.

 

 

Spatial Layout

The 67 m² program is organized into two distinct zones: the main pharmacy and product-display area, and a sequence of auxiliary rooms including a workspace, kitchenette, restroom, and storage. At the core of the primary space, a low central island structures circulation while incorporating both display and storage functions. The service counter is aligned axially with the entrance, ensuring a direct visual connection and a seamless flow between interior and exterior. Perimeter shelving is arranged in precise geometric lines with integrated storage components, supporting both functional clarity and a clean visual identity.

 

 

Materials & Façade Design

The selected palette and color strategy aim to foster an atmosphere of warmth, familiarity, and calm. Soft green hues, neutral beige surfaces, transparent elements, and subtly textured finishes create a balanced dialogue throughout the space. Additional custom-designed furnishings – including the central island, the service counter, and seating pieces – follow a shared design language composed of a green base, a storage volume, and a wooden top, forming a cohesive functional ensemble.

The façade is defined by a green metal lattice divided into four panels that symbolically reference the form of herbal leaves, an aesthetic and conceptual nod to the natural origins of pharmaceutical products. Acting as both an expressive surface and a protective screen, the metal structure alludes to nature and the idea of wellness while providing the necessary security of the premises. By replacing the conventional shutter with a more organic gesture, the design allows the spatial narrative, one that connects health with balance, nature, and serenity, to be perceived even before entering the store.

 

Strict geometries

Lucky No 5 is an espresso and aperitivo bar housed within a two-story building. Situated in the heart of the city, the project reimagines the urban bar as a space that breaks from convention, merging industrial rawness with a vivid pop sensibility. The result is an interior that feels both authentic and playful – a setting where everyday ritual meets expressive design. The concept sought to create a venue with a distinctly urban character, defined by strict lines, essential geometries, and an absence of decorative excess. The aesthetic draws from industrial influences infused with pop-inspired energy, resulting in a space that is direct, structured, and visually engaging.

 

Design Philosophy

Within the 38m² ground floor, the layout was carefully organized to accommodate the main bar, the product preparation zone, and a compact support area for production. The first floor, spanning 25m², houses the restroom and an additional open space. Located at the corner of a narrow urban arcade, the bar fully embraces its distinctive position. Large window frames and a continuous counter dissolve the boundary between interior and exterior, inviting guests to sit comfortably both inside and along the façade. This gesture transforms the small footprint into an open, fluid environment, extending the café-bar’s atmosphere into the public realm and creating a lively interaction between the sheltered arcade and the vibrant interior.

 

 

Spatial Organization

At the heart of the composition lies the bar, the social and visual nucleus of the space. Its green metal base and crisp, minimal surfaces convey strength and precision, while slender blue stools with circular seats introduce a light, playful rhythm. Behind the counter, open deep-blue shelving integrates functional elements – glasses, tools, ingredients – into the visual identity of the bar, blending utility and design.

Lighting defines the atmosphere and transitions of the space. Linear fixtures accentuate the exposed industrial ceiling, while spherical wall lamps soften the mood with a theatrical note. A violet LED strip behind the bar adds depth and a subtle club-like character, allowing the ambiance to evolve fluidly from daytime espresso bar to nighttime aperitivo lounge.

 

 

Branding & Materials

Light blue metal chairs and tables echo the cheerful tones of the interior, while a striped orange-and-blue awning lends the façade a recognizable, upbeat identity. Illuminated signage above the entrance and the violet glow emanating from within draw attention to the energy of the space. Upon entry, the eye is immediately caught by the bold three-dimensional signage on the mezzanine; more than a branding element, it serves as an architectural centerpiece and a defining visual landmark.

The material palette is guided by contrast. Exposed concrete and worn plaster reveal the building’s history, forming a raw, industrial backdrop that lets color and light take prominence. The terrazzo-style flooring introduces subtle texture and resilience, balancing the intensity of the surrounding hues. Together, these elements establish a dialogue between permanence and playfulness.

Green, blue, and orange dominate the space’s chromatic identity. These vibrant tones infuse the space with pop dynamism, while the neutral terrazzo flooring and raw architectural surfaces maintain visual balance. This interplay of opposites – industrial honesty and pop exuberance – shapes a bar that is more than a place for coffee or cocktails. It becomes a design experience: a microcosm where structure meets spontaneity, precision meets play, and urban authenticity finds expression in color and light.

 

Eco-emotional living

The complex, covering a total area of 5,500m2, is the first residential building in Greece with an international BREEAM sustainability certification. It consists of 27 apartments with one, two, or three bedrooms, each one developed across one or two levels.

 

Design Philosophy

The building’s form is inspired by fundamental elements of nature, such as water, earth, and sky. Undulating surfaces on the facades create green spaces while simultaneously providing privacy to the residences. Y-shaped columns evoke tree trunks, emphasizing the building’s sustainable character.

 

 

Project Aim

Oxygen, after which the complex is named, represents the most essential element of nature, defining the quality of our lives. Similarly, the study aimed to apply architectural design that would offer holistic solutions in areas such as health and well-being, bioclimatic innovation through ecological materials and construction methods, and water and waste management.

 

 

Sustainable Design

Large window openings, private gardens on the ground floor, and spacious balconies with planters on upper levels enhance the quality of life and highlight the sustainable design, perceptible to residents not only through low energy consumption but also experientially. Features like awnings on the balconies, electric charging stations in each parking space, composting, and easy monitoring of home consumption through smart home systems and applications are some of the sustainability strategies encouraging residents to adopt a modern, ecological lifestyle.

 

Spiral volume

The project was conceived as a contemporary office building that redefines the character of the Bonfim district. The project establishes a new urban presence while maintaining dialogue with the surrounding context, balancing modernity with continuity.

 

Spatial Organization

The building’s volumes are arranged to generate permeability and interaction with the city. A sequence of spaces, including internal courtyards and terraces, creates visual continuity and fosters a sense of community among occupants. Connections to public streets and open areas reinforce accessibility and integration with the urban fabric.

The layout accommodates flexible office spaces designed for adaptability to different user requirements. Ground-floor areas open toward the public realm, inviting interaction between the building and the city. Circulation cores are strategically positioned to optimize efficiency while maintaining clarity of orientation.

 

 

Material Palette & Sustainability

The façade combines stone and glass surfaces, ensuring durability and transparency. Natural light penetrates deep into interior spaces, reducing reliance on artificial illumination. Sustainability measures guided the selection of construction systems and finishes, integrating both performance and aesthetic goals. The project achieved BREEAM EXCELLENT certification for design and a VERY GOOD rating for construction, highlighting its environmental responsibility.

 

 

Context Integration

Situated in Porto’s Bonfim area, the project contributes to the regeneration of a historic district. The design enhances the urban landscape by creating a landmark that anchors the area while respecting its scale and character. The office building stands as a catalyst for contemporary workplace culture and sustainable urban growth.

 

The project employs artificial intelligence not as a postproduction tool but as a catalyst for design discovery

 

Conceptual Approach

From the earliest stages of material research, custom diffusion models generate high-resolution studies of ceramic glazes -testing how color, porosity, and surface texture respond to Stuttgart’s humidity and shifting light throughout the year. These AI-driven images serve as analytical sketches, expanding the scope of experimentation.

The visuals also structure the design narrative. The most evocative frames are carefully curated, annotated with environmental data, and assembled into storyboard sheets that trace a resident’s journey from street to sky court. Each storyboard then acts as a directive for the parametric model: balcony depths, façade perforations, and communal terraces are dimensioned directly from the atmospheres depicted in the imagery. This iterative loop -generate, narrate, parametrize- transforms abstract research into spatial sequences that can be costed, constructed, and lived in.

To move from still frames to immersive previews, the workflow integrates a hybrid pipeline: diffusion models for rapid variation and enhance-focused AI for precise upscaling, ensuring clarity at every stage. The outcome is an architecture that is simultaneously data-driven and story-infused, where every ceramic tile and each corner loggia emerge from a dialogue between human intuition and machine imagination.

 

 

Prompts & Software

An apartment made of a green ceramics’ façade. Contemporary architectural style.

Created with Freepik, Topaz Labs and Photo AI.

 

Interactive shell

The mixed-use building extends across sixteen levels in the heart of Nicosia, located on one of the city’s most important arterial roads, Themistokli Dervi Avenue, on a plot with distinctive geometric characteristics.

 

Functional Organization

The program includes retail spaces on the ground floor and mezzanine, six levels of office spaces, one level dedicated to communal leisure areas with a café and gym, six residential levels, and a semi-covered roof garden level with a rooftop pool. Parking requirements are met by four underground levels, with entrance from Nikokreontos Street and exit onto Themistokli Dervi Avenue.

The mixed-use concept responds to contemporary urban needs, particularly in city centers, where buildings are no longer strictly defined by a single use but instead become multifunctional cells within the urban fabric. As a result, the project maintains a constant interaction with its urban environment. Unlike the typical case of commercial buildings that remain closed at night and residential buildings that remain inactive during the day, Nice Dream sustains an uninterrupted relationship and activity with the city.

Façade Design

This relationship is reinforced by the detailed design of the envelope: an external mediating layer between the building and its surroundings, which constantly changes depending on the occupants’ activities, turning each façade into an active, interactive communication membrane. The envelope employs gradations of transparency and contrasts of materials to create a subtle and ever-shifting sense of space, movement, and light. The aim is to generate a distinctive atmosphere for both workspaces and living spaces.

 

 

Material Palette

The envelope is constructed of vertical aluminum panels, integrated within the structural grid and building levels -some solid, others perforated and operable- opening and closing according to the users’ needs. During the day, it can be fully closed, shielding against strong sunlight without losing visual connection thanks to its perforated surfaces. Externally, depending on the position of the louvers, the façade transforms, producing a play of transparency and permeability. At night, as light diffuses outward, the volume appears as if it almost loses its materiality.

 

Reference point

The project’s design considers both the current state of the area and its future development. A distinctive, contemporary architectural language is created with the aim of establishing a point of reference in Voula.

 

Design Philosophy

The main idea is to create a double shell that envelops the building, providing the necessary privacy for users. The irregular shape of the plot and the narrow frontage on the adjacent streets, with large sides located at the plot boundaries, determine a need for private spaces while preserving a sense of continuity with the uncovered neighboring areas. The shell is traversed by a sparse perforation, contributing to the natural lighting of the interior of the building while ensuring the necessary privacy where needed. The perforations are clad with robust semi-transparent glass elements that create interesting reflections inside. The curved slabs, with their slight rotation, give the impression of a not-so-compact volume, offering intriguing shadows and different visual perspectives from the balconies.

 

Context Integration

In pursuit of sustainable development, local climate features were incorporated into the design. Water surfaces and green areas play a central role in creating a microclimate for residents and the neighborhood. On the ground floor, the designed shallow pond, with irregular islands and a swimming tank, is part of the approach. This composition, combined with the planting of gardens with interesting varieties of tall trees, creates a harmonized natural climate of coolness and tranquility at the entrance level, which extends to the surrounding neighborhood.

 

 

Custom Structures

On the balconies, green spaces are created, adding to the aesthetic quality of the exterior arrangement, and contributing to bioclimatic design. The perforated pergola on the roof level, acting as a filter, serves as an additional architectural element that creates ideal conditions for shading and ventilation, enhancing the aesthetic and functional character of the space.

 

 

Spatial fluidity

The development site frames Cerro del Vigía, a spectacular property with a southwest-facing view of Zihuatanejo Bay.

 

Project Aim

Towers A and B of the complex each consist of seven villas, along with a base structure that compensates for the site’s uneven terrain. The villas, ranging in size from 140 m² to 260 m², are arranged to maximize views and integrate seamlessly with the landscape.

 

 

Architectural Morphology

The most interesting aspect of the project was how, starting from two initial rectangles, the volumes were shaped through strategic sections and breaks, aiming for spatial fluidity and lightness that responded both to functionality and the relationship with the surroundings. These interventions allowed the spaces to open up and transform, creating an organic circulation that fluidly connects different areas.

 

 

Landscape Integration

Breaking up these volumes not only improved circulation but also helped frame the landscape, offering panoramic views at every moment and from every corner, maximizing the visual connection with the sea one of the project s main design goals. The relationship with the landscape is crucial in this project, with the ocean view being an essential visual focal point. To achieve a more seamless integration with the natural surroundings, a curve was introduced on both floors of each tower an approach that not only lightens the buildings’ volumetry but also prevents them from appearing intrusive within the landscape. This curvature, in addition to adding dynamism and softness to the facade, enhances the sense of lightness and continuity with the surroundings, allowing the towers to visually merge with the horizon.

 

Morphological enhancement

The project involves refurbishing an existing building and transforming it into an office space, with the primary design focus on creating a modern, sustainable complex that has a minimal ecological footprint.

 

Design Philosophy

Internally, the spaces were reconfigured to meet the needs of the new occupants, with modern living conditions ensured through the installation of heating and cooling systems, as well as heat pumps, which provide optimal comfort with minimal energy consumption. Special attention was given to the lighting design, both inside and outside the building. Externally, the structure features post-modernist morphological elements commonly seen in buildings along the main thoroughfares of the capital, such as rectangular moldings and expansive glass surfaces. The top floor features curved openings and balconies along with a projecting solid roof, and was designed to give the building a distinctive presence. However, these elements did not integrate harmoniously into the urban fabric.

 

 

Sustainable Design

The glazing and masonry that defined the facades were deemed inadequate in providing adequate thermal and visual comfort inside. The design prioritized reconfiguring the building’s external envelope to ensure optimal living conditions for the occupants. To achieve this, external thermal insulation was added, and the existing windows were replaced with new, thermally insulated ones, featuring A+ energy classification and high sound insulation glazing. Additionally, a series of perforated white panels was installed 80 cm from the existing facade, reinterpreting the overall geometry of the building.

 

 

Exterior Shell

The new “shell” establishes a modern identity for the building, serving a crucial function as a sunshade that does not obstruct the view, while also providing sound insulation. A lightweight metal structure was added to the roof, visually altering its height and creating an interesting counterbalance, forming a harmonious “crown” atop the solid building volume. The surrounding microclimate was enhanced through thoughtful landscaping and the use of panels designed to reduce glare -a common issue for buildings with large glass surfaces in sun-drenched countries like Greece.

 

Solid walls

Rooted in the principles of Northern Gulf architecture, the project embodies privacy and discretion. Encased within towering, thick walls, the residence is shielded from the harsh climate and arid surroundings, while enclosing a tranquil and inviting interior.

 

Functional Layout

The dwelling unfolds on the ground floor, structured around a series of patios within a rectangular walled enclave. Thoughtfully integrated glazed facades in the main social areas and patios enhance the home’s traditional composition. Each courtyard serves a distinct purpose -welcoming guests, offering repose, or hosting celebrations- creating a diverse spatial experience.

 

 

Design Philosophy

At the heart of the home, a central green “oasis” separates the service areas from the private and social spaces. The interior features generously proportioned rooms that open onto oval-shaped patios and intimate green gardens, all interconnected by winding, non-linear pathways that unify the dwelling. A rhythmic interplay of depth and shadow emerges as an axial corridor traverses successive gardens and patios, guiding movement from the main entrance to the private family quarters.

 

 

Context Integration

Facing the sea, the residence embraces panoramic views of the Gulf, framing the vast seascape with a semi-covered paved terrace that engages in a dialogue with the sand dunes and coastal vegetation. The house extends seamlessly to a private beach, where its principal social space fosters a direct connection with nature.

At the heart of the “oasis,” a striking cylindrical tower rises -a symbolic seacoast lighthouse. This vertical sanctuary offers a secluded space for solitude and meditation, culminating in a rooftop that transforms into a contemplative promenade. From this elevated vantage point, residents can immerse themselves in sweeping views of lush gardens, undulating dunes, and the boundless sea.

 

Sense of unity

After a devastating fire completely destroyed KRITI TV, reconstruction and upgrades began, transforming the station with modern functionality and a bold new aesthetic.

 

Design Philosophy

The design aimed to fully accommodate employees’ needs while fostering collaboration, innovation, and productivity. At the same time, it sought to highlight the station’s identity by creatively and harmoniously integrating its unique features into the space. Every detail has been carefully considered to shape the experience of both visitors and employees, from the entrance to the work areas. The creation of a pleasant and functional environment enhances efficiency, uplifts morale, and strengthens a sense of unity and teamwork. This project marks a renaissance for KRITI TV, redefining its workspace and laying the foundation for a new era of production and communication.

 

 

Functional Organization

The building’s exterior captivates with its architectural grandeur and lush green entrance, offering a warm sense of hospitality from the very first approach. Inside, every space is thoughtfully designed to balance functionality and aesthetics, ensuring optimal support for the station’s team. Meeting rooms, relaxation areas, and workspaces are strategically arranged to foster collaboration, communication, and productivity while enhancing employee well-being.

 

 

Material Palette

The space embraces an industrial aesthetic, characterized by clean lines, metallic structures, and natural materials, creating a modern yet refined atmosphere. Earthy elements like wood and metal blend seamlessly with striking metalwork and a carefully curated color palette inspired by the local culture and environment. Custom-made wooden structures and furniture add warmth and sophistication, while the thoughtful lighting design enhances both functionality and the space’s inviting energy.

 

Fabricated nature

This new destination hotel represents the next evolution in mountain architecture: familiar forms reimagined through a composition of precision-fabricated natural materials for a 21st century solution.

 

Project Aim

Located 1.5 hours northeast of Spokane and set within the Rockies of Northern Idaho at the nexus of two distinct ranges, the Selkirk and Cabinet Mountains, the location offers ready access to year-round recreation opportunities. Developing a masterplan for future development, including the hotel and support facilities, the design redefines the mountain experience. Leveraging the properties of mass timber construction -beauty, sustainability, and structural efficiency- the complex brings together tradition and innovative materials in a contemporary, future-forward expression.

 

 

Context Integration & Materials

The 31-unit, 60,200m2 hotel is a ski-in, ski-out hotel that provides on-slope accommodations as well as hospitality and support services to reframe Schweitzer as a year-round destination. Anchoring the Schweitzer village, the bar-shaped hotel takes advantage of the steep site by nestling into a notch cut into the slope, creating space for a covered parking garage. The hotel’s exterior is shaped by an exposed wood structure, board-formed concrete, metal panels, and large expanses of glass. Primary gathering spaces feature exposed cross-laminated timber (CLT), including ceiling planes and glulam beams and columns to evoke a familiar lodge-like aesthetic.

 

 

Interior Design & Layout

The lobby and welcome area are situated atop the below-ground parking area. Inside, the interiors take inspiration from classic ski equipment and fashion, including the bright ski suits of the late 20th century. Guest rooms are arranged over three floors offering views of nearby Lake Pend Oreille. Bracketing the hotel are two amenity areas, the Glass Room -the hotel’s family/living area and a place for guests to relax and play games- and on the opposite end of the building, the Crow’s Bench -the hotel’s signature 50-seat restaurant- where guests are able to make the most of après-ski or -bike, or take advantage of the adjacent 15-seat bar and lounge areas, which cozies up to a grand fireplace. Other amenities include an indoor retreat/co-working space, and a small fitness facility. A third floor outdoor terrace features an oversized hot tub affording views of the surrounding mountain landscape and Lake Pend Oreille below.

 

Single block

The 400m2 residence is located in the city of Franca and is seamlessly integrated with the area’s natural surrounding forming a direct relationship between the interior and exterior scenery.

 

Project Philosophy

The project’s concept is to create a layout where each room can enjoy the views of the garden and the horizon, thus highlighting the wide 50m plot that surrounds the residence. By designing the structure as a single block running in parallel with the access road and the back garden, the need for multiple walls is eliminated. In addition, the parallel layout made construction easier due to the sloping topography, avoiding major earthworks and optimising the local resources. The bedrooms are situated on the ground floor, while the upper floor is where all the social areas of the house are located, taking advantage of the 360-degree view.

 

Façade Design & Materials

The front façade is primarily made of heavy elements, offering privacy, while the back façade features wide openings that establish a connection with nature. This balance between robustness and lightness reinforces the concept of cosiness and enhances the overall countryside impression of the residence. Natural materials such as stone, wood, concrete, brises soleil and ceramic tiles are selected, offering aesthetic beauty to the space and keeping the effort and cost of maintenance low.

 

Landscape Design

The design of the garden considered highly the local context such as the climate, the topography as well as the orientation of the site. Plant species were carefully selected for the specific soil, ensuring the harmonious coexistence of the house and the landscape. Finally, the swimming pool along with an exterior lounge and pool deck are situated at the level of the living room, offering a high level of privacy to the various occupants.

Subtle prisms

The project is a new flagship store for renowned jeweller, Nikos Koulis, located on the prestigious Voukourestiou Street in Athens. The store’s design takes its inspiration from the city and melds it with the intricate craftsmanship of Koulis’ jewellery pieces.

 

Façade Design

The design of this atmospheric space begins streetside, taking the simple facade of the 1960’s building and subverting the language of a typically over-glazed storefront. An irregularly shaped window is installed, which offers subtle glimpses of the interior -creating intrigue for passersby and inviting them to pause and look within the interior.

Surrounding this opening, the facade mimics the proportions of the nearby Athenian city walls and reproduces them in aluminium. At points, the aluminium is embossed with a pattern reminiscent of the intricate detailing found on 19th century jewellery boxes. Where the aluminium meets the street, the material shifts to solid slabs of travertine and marble, framing the window and merging the contemporary with the ancient -a nod to the Greek roots of the brand and the designer, echoing a sense of history and continuity. The store’s extruded aluminium door handle is folded and inlaid with gold -alluding to the precious materials within.

 

Interior Layout & Custom Structures

Within the interior, the design draws influence from the designer’s structured jewellery pieces -establishing an interplay between light and dark tones and smooth and textural surfaces. Silk wall coverings provide a soft sensuous finish to reflect the light and contrast strongly with the custom dark oak floor made from narrow linear planks brushed to give texture. At the rear of the store, a dramatic new staircase, hidden behind a series of bevelled glass panels, takes private clients up to a new mezzanine housing the high jewellery salon and viewing room. The staircase extends across the width of the store, leaving a theatrical double-height void between the threshold and the mezzanine itself.

The main mezzanine wall, which sits almost as an internal facade, is formed from a series of elongated prisms. The prisms consist of two highly polished metal surfaces and a third illuminated surface. Spaced to form a linear screen between the more private mezzanine area and the store beneath, the prisms wrap around the underside of the space to connect the two environments.

 

Materials & Furniture

Within the mezzanine space, the palette is pale and bright, with white carpet and soft furnishings that foster relaxation. From the street, these prisms and their light sources are seen through the stone-framed window, appearing as an illuminated curtain, creating a sense of mystery about what lies beyond it.

Preserving the bespoke nature and the imaginative essence of the brand, the store incorporates custom pieces produced with the specific needs of the client and space in mind, including a tea table, a desk mirror as well as a wall hung mirror by Nikos Koulis. Display cases are formed from lacquered wooden boxes set on delicate legs made from a mix of polished and matt metals. These cases are positioned in vertical and horizontal arrangements and placed carefully around the store. At the rear, a lacquered cabinet wraps a structural column, whilst in the store front the largest piece of cabinetry forms the window display.

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.

 

 

Uninterrupted facade

The project is one of the first points of contact for visitors to the Rogla sports and tourist resort. Built as the final addition to a group of hotels, it represents perhaps the biggest visual departure from the recognizable expression of the previous interventions, which referenced the local, rurally developed landscape to a larger degree.

 

Design Challenge

Hotel Natura was designed as Rogla’s highest-rated hotel but was never fully realized. Much of the envisioned accommodations remained unbuilt, however the investor now intends to modify its typology and to extend the hotel with the addition of multi-purpose common areas and a recreational swimming pool. As a result, the project’s most challenging aspect was to tackle the expansion through a different design approach, where the new section will stand more “elegantly” next to the distinctive, heavy-weight existing complex.

 

Architectural Approach

Rogla’s romantic landscape imagery greatly informed the extension’s main design: to create a façade that is seamlessly converted into a roof. More specifically, the facade is visually transformed into a timber gable roof, which acts as a historic reference to the context. The timber is freely stacked and uncoated, thus gradually aging and coalescing in sync with the surrounding landscape. The new addition therefore does not reference the existing building as much as it does the surrounding forest and traditional rural development.

 

Functional Organization

The interior organization offers a clear division between the public and the private accommodation sections. The entire public program features taller storeys that open toward the forest to the north, while all the guestrooms are designed with slightly lower ceiling heights and are oriented toward the ski stadium to the south. The difference in floor heights is bridged by a new staircase operating as a “vertical hall”, as well as a new double-sided lift. This strategic layout offers uninterrupted views and allows natural lighting to enter the interior, including in the corridors as well as all the public spaces.

Monochromatic interior

The project involves a complete interior and exterior transformation of an existing hotel in Plovdiv, formerly known as Hotel Nord.

 

Design Approach

The building is located in a key area near the International Fair. The neighbourhood is characterized by solid facades and inner courtyards at the back of the properties. Previously, the hotel’s inner courtyard was enclosed by a solid roof, creating a low-ceiling dining area that lacked natural light. The goal of the project is to modernize the look and branding of the hotel so that it reflects the new values it stands for.

 

Context Integration

The building aims to establish a conceptual connection with its urban context and become an elegant and contemporary place for relaxation. The façade is radically redesigned, while preserving its original geometry. More specifically, the white colour lightens the building’s heavy appearance, which is dominated by solid walls. Vertical aluminium profiles add depth and dynamism to the facade, breaking its monotony. Additionally, hinged panels in front of the windows will be placed in order to filter light into the interior and enhance the facade’s dynamic composition.

 

Material Palette

The sense of spaciousness in the courtyard is improved by replacing the bulky roof with glazing. Within the interior, the design draws inspiration from the timeless architecture of ancient Plovdiv. Light shades and a dominant white colour help visually expand the spaces, creating a calm and relaxing atmosphere throughout the hotel. The interior is designed as a bright, monochromatic space, with dynamic contrasts achieved through a variety of textures that provide a rich tactile experience. The surfaces range from smooth to highly textured, referencing the local syenite stone found at the hills of Plovdiv. Traditional lime mortar, a material dating back to the Roman and Byzantine eras, is used for the flooring and some of the furniture pieces, adding an homage to the architectural heritage of the city.

White surfaces

The “Salt Color House” is located in front of the so-called Mira channel in Costa Nova do Prado, a unique landscape close to salt water, filled with ample vegetation.

 

Design Philosophy

The residence features the area’s “maritime nature”, becoming a home for the architect and his family and creating a space that is both functional and aesthetically compatible. The design intent was to create an intimate relationship between the interior and exterior. Consequently, an exterior patio creates a bridge with the south façade of the house, allowing ample natural light to enter the building.

 

Functional Layout

The interior is made of half floors and double-height spaces in order to minimize the risk of flooding in the basement as well as create a vertical dynamic throughout the residence. The living and dining areas are located on the upper floor, looking down to the estuary. Furthermore, the “social” space of the residence extends outside to the terrace on the roof. Finally, the bedroom and bathroom are located on the lower floors, in order to ensure a sufficient level of privacy.

 

Material Palette & Façade Design

The materials chosen for the construction were primarily ceramic tiles, wood, and aluminum. Shades of white dominate all the spaces, creating a light and airy atmosphere that carries through to the façade of the residence. Vertical, narrow panels painted in white are placed strategically across the exterior facades providing shading and creating a playful light interplay within the interior.

Vertical route

Long An province, a gem in the Mekong Delta region of southern Vietnam, stands out with its traditional beauty and rich cultural identity. LA House, a residence located on a 4mx18m plot, is surrounded by lush green parks and clear lakes, offering a peaceful living space in harmony with nature.

 

Orientation & Façade Design

With the advantage of being a double aspect residence (i.e. having two main facades), the interior is imbued with natural light throughout the day, creating a sense of openness and lightness. This, in addition to a skylight positioned at the center of the space offers cross ventilation and additional light and brings a sense of relaxation and comfort. Finally, the façade design is deeply influence by Southers Vietnam’s traditional style, featuring the characteristically “charming” tiled roof.

 

Open-plan Layout

The residence unfolds in three floors, where the living room and kitchen area are designed in a modern, open-plan style, creating a seamless connection between the living spaces. The bedrooms are thoughtfully arranged, with views overlooking the green park, connecting the residents with the surrounding scenery. The staircase is set against the wall, optimally condensing the circulation space within the already narrow footprint of the residence.

 

Hybrid Aesthetic

The harmonious blend of modern and classical styles is reflected in every exquisite detail, particularly through the cement relief sculptures, which add unique texture and touch to the building. The residence is a fusion of traditional architectural elements and modern aesthetic, with every detail maximizing the use of natural elements, offering an immersive, tranquil living experience.

Urban Extension

The building is located in a focal point, in the heart of Engomi, a rapidly growing district with a particular character, which results from the local University campus and its satellite student housing.

 

Urban Integration

The district has now become a center, with a youthful, extrovert, dynamic profile. It is a meeting place for occasional visitors, who only stay there for as long as they need to. Therefore, interactions happen outside of the domestic environment into the urban fabric, and the apartment becomes a place of rest and relaxation from everyday experiences.

 

Functional Organization

In this context, the ground level becomes a place of interaction and sociability, an intermediate space between public and completely private, as an extension of the city. The apartments float above this level and turn outwards. Their interior is simple, but meticulously designed in clear lines and white shades, imbued with aesthetic and spatial qualities.

 

Façade Design

The building shell is serenely introverted, instilling a feel of security, and concurrently reflects the dynamic personality of the district. This double character on the façade is expressed with the use of solid and perforated panels. The choice of one single material results in the seamless flow of the façade, while perforated panels materialize the need for introverted protection, providing a filter for observing the city.

Functional differentiation

The project aim was the design of a private institute with a total area of 486m2 in the village of Deftera, a semi-urban region near Nicosia.

 

Architectural Elements

The design concept emphasizes a clear separation between communal spaces and private classrooms. The building’s program includes a reception area, six classrooms, a computer room, a conference room, and a study room. Movable partitions are installed on the ground floor, enabling the classrooms to be combined into two larger spaces when needed.

 

 

Functional Organization

The northern outdoor courtyard serves as a space for both relaxation and educational activities. The design concept is based on the vertical division of pure prism shape into two sections, with the common areas positioned in between. These spaces feature double-height ceilings and transparent walls on both sides, allowing natural light and views of the surrounding landscape to permeate the building, thus creating a seamless connection between the exterior and interior. The common areas are intended for socialization and integration within the educational environment, while the classrooms offer a private, focused setting for teaching -both elements being equally important to the educational experience and central to the overall design concept.

 

 

Façade Design & Materials

Finally, emphasis was placed on the project’s scale and the strategic use of color to create a welcoming, user-friendly environment. The interior design is enhanced by lighting and acoustics to optimize the functionality of the building and its various spaces. Exterior blinds play a key role on the southern façade, controlling natural light and managing both the interior and exterior visibility of the classrooms, while also creating a dynamic interplay of views and colors of the façade.

 

Golden accents

Located in the bustling coastal city of Wenzhou in the southeast of China, known for its mild subtropical climate, Xiaoshi (小十) restaurant draws on the local environment, creating a heightened, aesthetically refined dining atmosphere for its guests.

 

Design Philosophy

Inspired by Chinese classical aesthetics, the project combines the operational requirements of a restaurant with the existing site conditions to create an upscale dining experience on the upper level of a centrally located mall. The restaurant exterior is designed as a stage for visitors, becoming an intermediary space between the cozy interior and the mall, creating a heightened sense of transition and anticipation that ultimately allows for a more private dining experience. The curved “landscape” incorporates a series of bamboo stalks and a raised stone walkway which references a traditional Japanese garden. Overhead, a series of curved panels catch the light from above, while also acting as signage for the restaurant. A narrow hallway guides the visitor from the entrance through to a large, rectangular space that acts as the main dining hall. A series of double-height windows run along the north wall, separated by deep, vertical panels which filter the natural light and introduce a striking scale and rhythm to the space.

 

Interior Façade & Lighting

The main wall is clad in dark, customly designed panels that feature translucent timber illuminated by led lights, breaking up the open-plan space into intimate dining corners and introducing visual variation. The circulation area sits on a different level from the main dining room, lined with glowing led lights, providing clear spatial definition and graphic visual flair. Linear hidden lighting is carried through along the edge of the ceiling, echoing the lights below and providing an aesthetic consistency as well as a sense of spatial depth.

 

Material Palette & Furniture

A dark color palette is chosen, featuring materials such as dark wall panels, hardwood flooring and golden accents. The furniture is custom designed, inspired by traditional Japanese craftmanship. Finally, a collection of objects and artefacts such as antique vases and handmade ceramics complete the space.

Parallel arrangement

The project is situated on a seaside plot, with the objective of constructing three houses for tourist use. A central element of the design is the arrangement of the residences in a parallel layout, all oriented toward the sea. These three linear volumes are designed to appear as if they are sliding between walls of exposed concrete, creating a striking architectural feature.

 

Morphological Elements

The two-story residences are defined by the openness of the ground floor, which features a continuous, permeable space. A glass slit in the ceilings, running parallel to the concrete walls, allows natural light to flood the staircase and the entire home, highlighting its linear design. This feature not only enhances the sense of spaciousness but also offers visual connections in all directions, serving as a unifying element between the two floors.

 

Accessibility & Circulation Areas

The corner house can be accessed from the road on the east side, leading into an open-plan kitchen, dining, and living area that opens to a corner glass door offering panoramic sea views. In the second and third houses, the entrance is located in the rear courtyard, where visitors enter into a spacious open-plan kitchen, dining, and sitting area beneath the skylights in the roof above, with views directed toward the sea.

The living room seamlessly extends to the front balcony, with full width glazing that blurs the line between interior and exterior spaces. Suspended metal stairs, set against a backdrop of exposed concrete walls, lead to the first-floor bedrooms. The master bedrooms, positioned on the seaward side, feature glass walkways that span the entire width of the room, enhancing the sense of openness and connection to the view.

 

Façade Design & Privacy

The terrace is enclosed by walls that ensure the occupants’ privacy while creating a striking volumetric feature in the overall view. This design element is echoed in all three residences, where a white cube projects outward, set apart from the concrete wall. In the corner house, the porch is distinct, extending linearly along the entire length of the residence, adding to its unique character.

A perforated ceramic lattice wall, positioned at the edge of the east-side balcony, serves as a privacy screen while accentuating the building’s linear form. The material palette consists of exposed concrete, metal, and white plaster. Each house features a small swimming pool in the garden facing the sea, while the site is enclosed by low walls around the perimeter to preserve unobstructed views from all points, even at ground level.

The project for the new regional headquarters of Guardia di Finanza (Financial and Customs Police) transforms a marginal urban condition into a work of architecture that exudes both composure and rigor, all while seamlessly incorporating a diverse range of spaces and establishing connections with the urban fabric and distinctive elements of the city of Bologna.

 

Contextual Design

The project is situated within a complex context: an area on the edges of the city enclosed by urban partitions and characterized by a series of heterogeneous spaces. To the north, the railway line and Bologna’s high-speed train station create a continuous boundary of partitions and infrastructures. To the south, there’s the dynamic area of the DumBO Social Center and to the east, the building is bordered by Via Tanari street. As a result, the design delves into the concept of the “boundary”, which is envisioned as a transformative “third space”, fostering the emergence of interactive and innovative architectural dynamics as well as interprets this marginal urban condition as an opportunity for connection and regeneration within the district.

 

Design Approach

The new structure, perpendicular to Via Tanari and seamlessly integrated with the original core of the Bertarini barracks, functions as a compact element with a bespoke elevation. A series of terraces are designed as outdoor extensions to the program. These elevated gardens, gradually descending along the five floors, are conceived as spaces that not only enhance the environmental quality of the office spaces but also establish a visual connection with the urban landscape.

Despite being part of a military complex and, therefore, a confined and protected area, the new office building strategically establishes a series of connections with the urban context. More specifically, on the southern facade an elevated footbridge is designed to connect the new offices to the existing spaces of the Bertarini barracks. Towards the west, the new architecture rises in front of the partition separating the barracks area from the temporary urban regeneration space DumBO, housed in the former railway freight yard. This creates an additional opportunity for visual interaction between the military complex and the social life of the city.

 

Façade Design

The facades are composed by a series of panels that result in a modular pattern featuring the dominant red tones found in the material textures of Bologna. The relationship between the facades and their environment enhances the overarching theme of order and transformation within the architectural composition.

In this regard, various vantage points, contribute to a visual progression that unfolds both horizontally and vertically. The true element that disrupts and simultaneously reconfigures the internal spaces is the long staircase, which unfolds linearly along the entire length of the building and guides the movement as well as the gaze of the visitors.

Fluid Movement

This high-end residential development is adjacent to the famous golf course, in Glyfada. The articulate form with the playful geometries of the street-facing façade, derives from the interpretation of local planning regulations, creating a wireframe that engulfs the volume of the building.

 

Architectural Language

Curvilinear balconies with alternate directionality, create a lively, fashion-forward rhythm on the façade. This rhythm spreads around the side façades, incorporating the architectural extrusions of the building onto the same design language, providing a sense of movement. The architectural language of the balconies re-emerges on the exterior walls.

 

Façade Design

The corner towards the golf course, interpreted as curved glazing, serves as a nod to the landmark of the neighborhood. The sense of movement is kept throughout the design. The double-height living area of the penthouse apartment intensifies this perception, briefly interrupted by a fly-bridge connecting the mezzanine to the balcony.

 

Interior Layout

The feeling of openness on the ground floor is achieved by a double-height interior, connected to the adjacent private garden. On the interior, vertical louvers are used as a functional shading device that highlights the vertical geometry. The overall sense of elegance is enhanced by custom-made space dividers and furniture, with the combined use of materials such as wood and marble.

Urban presence

The new, modern office building, with its clean lines and strong urban presence, exudes a distinct identity. Designed in an L-shape, it opens onto a square, offering a captivating view of a neighboring olive grove, while the structure itself, with its dynamic architectural projections, sharp angles, and soft curves, appears to float. It stands as a model of sustainable development, having the highest (A+) energy rating and obtaining a LEED Platinum certification in the Core and Shell category.

 

Design Philosophy

The project spans 13,857m², with 6,682m² dedicated to the upper structure, comprising seven floors in total: two basement levels, a ground floor with a shop, lobby, and office space, and four office floors, two of which offer direct access to green roofs. The site posed a unique challenge due to its triangular shape and the presence of an independent three-story building at its center, having a resulting Π-shaped area as the final layout of the plot. This configuration allowed for the creation of a garden and a generous semi-circular diagonal opening that enhances circulation and highlights the entrance. Special attention is given to integrating greenery, with the garden serving as a space for relaxation and recreation, and the planted terrace acting as a “fifth facade.” The new L-shaped building wraps around the existing three-story structure on both sides, forming a lush garden square.

The two interior sides of the building are curved to “soften” its appearance, especially close to the independent three-story building that intervenes in the design. Horizontal architectural cantilevers are added on every floor, allowing for both shading and the placement of vertical louvers. A slightly curved geometry, with variations and alternations from floor to floor, emphasizes the corners to enhance the sense of movement and highlight the dynamic nature of the composition. With a focus on horizontal lines, the subtle curvature of the facades creates a continuous interplay of shadows.

 

 

Façade Design

The facade facing Fragokklisia Street is accentuated by alternating cantilevers, suggesting the building’s openness to the city through dramatic shadows and the deliberate utilization of its architectural form. The sense of “movement” is heightened by reflective surfaces, using a special reflective aluminum that visually “doubles” the height of the semi-open space. A dynamic light interplay is created by water features and the movement of people, while at the entrance and in the floor lobbies, boundaries become fluid and blurred. The facades are made of exposed white concrete and continuous glazing, featuring both mobile and fixed sections, along with high-performance energy-efficient, sound-reducing glass.

The south-east and south-west facades feature electrically operating vertical rotating blinds of varying widths, made from anodized perforated aluminum sheets. These blinds are automatically adjusted via the building’s BMS (Building Management System) to enhance visual comfort for occupants and reduce internal cooling loads. Differentiated by floor, the blinds highlight the sense of movement and add to the dynamic appearance of the facades. On the ground floor and part of the first floor, an “air base” is created—a secondary layer of anodized perforated aluminum positioned away from the glazing, offering both views and a sense of privacy for the interior spaces.

 

 

Sustainability & Lighting Strategies

All workspaces benefit from natural light and ventilation. Planted windows on the 1st and 4th floors provide opportunities for spontaneous breaks and interaction among employees. The air conditioning system uses a VRV Heat Recovery system, enabling simultaneous heating and cooling. To meet ventilation and air quality standards, separate A+ class water-based air conditioning units have been installed for each floor section.

To promote the efficient use of water as well as its conservation, rainwater is collected in a tank to meet the irrigation needs of planted areas, supplemented by groundwater. A portion of the building’s electricity consumption is offset by a self-generation system, by installing photovoltaic panels on the roof that have a total capacity of 42KW.

The lighting design of the Element Office Buildings in Maroussi 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.

 

Domestic interactions

The main design premise in this two-level house, built in a quiet district of Limassol, is the creation of spaces which facilitate interactions between the family members, seamlessly merging indoor and outdoor areas while securing the privacy of everyday life.

 

General Layout

The property is adjacent to a green park on its east side, with the northern façade of the house turned to the street, as a solid boundary between public and private space. The façade is completely introverted, devoid of any openings, and protects the interior from the northwestern sun. The ground level develops in an L-shape, embracing the patio, which is the heart of the composition; this becomes an organic component of the house, facilitating outdoor living, which is ideal in the sunny climate of Cyprus.

 

Custom Structures & Privacy

Extensive glazing opens to the patio, merging the house interior with the outdoor space; the owners’ privacy is secured by means of a tall row of existing cypress trees in the property, the latter further enhancing the element of nature. The upper floor, accommodating three family bedrooms, faces south, looking over the patio. For reasons of privacy, sliding panels conceal the glazing on the façade, disrupting reflections and achieving a more discreet integration of the building volume into its environment. This way, the resulting balcony can become an outdoor extension of the bedrooms.

 

Façade Design

Concurrently, the wooden-clad façade protects from solar radiation, diffusing light to the interior and facilitating natural cooling. The upper volume remains consistent with the overall architectural vocabulary, through simple, geometric gestures. Slightly protruding from the ground floor outline, it creates a sheltered outdoor lounge by the pool and provides the necessary sun protection to the downstairs glazing.

Transparency and openness

The project involves the redevelopment and repurposing of a 1,050m² office building, transforming it into a multi-functional space. The new design features a self-contained boutique and short-term rental apartments on the upper floors, while maintaining office spaces on the ground floor.

 

Building Restoration

The majority of the building’s interior and exterior elements are removed, preserving the core structural framework, staircase, and lift and adding new canopies and exits on the second, third, and fourth floors. The central design concept focuses on the simpleness and integrity of the structure, with large openings providing interior views of the nearby waterfront and enhancing the building’s outward-facing aesthetic.

 

Spatial Organization

The building comprises of four floors -ground, first, second, third floors, and an attic- as well as two basement levels. The second basement is designated for car parking, while the first serves the ground floor, which features an open-plan office space. The first and second floors each house three apartments, ranging from 45m² to 50m². On the third floor, there are two larger apartments, each between 70m² and 80m², offering premium sea views. The fourth floor is home to a small penthouse, a transparent pavilion with a green roof, a deck, a barbeque area, and a spacious swimming pool with uninterrupted views of the sea.

 

Material Selection

The interior architecture follows an open-plan concept, with the selection of materials, finishes, furniture, and equipment thoughtfully referencing Greek elements, reinterpreted through a modern lens. Micro-mosaic flooring, custom-designed specifically for this project, spans nearly all interior, exterior, and public spaces, apart from the offices and penthouse, giving the building a unique identity. These mosaics blend seamlessly with the vertical exterior shading louvres, the building’s most prominent architectural feature: crafted from white concrete with Naxos and Tinos marble tiles, these louvres function as sculptural mosaic elements, adding a contemporary touch to the façade.

 

Façade Design

The fixed louvres encasing the building’s exterior form a secondary shell, providing both shading and privacy. Inspired by the nearby water, just 300 meters away, the design of the louvres mimics the flow of waves. Positioned at varying angles according to the Fourier series -a mathematical method for describing waves- these vertical elements create a curvilinear effect. This sensation is enhanced by sunlight and, more notably, by the shadows cast by horizontal architectural projections. As the sun moves throughout the day, the façades reflect this dynamic movement, displaying a pattern of shifting sine waves.

The horizontal shading systems, or pergolas, are designed similarly at both ground level and on the green roof, where aluminum is chosen as the structural material due to weight considerations. On the top level, fixed louvres are positioned outside and above the enclosed pavilion, enhancing energy efficiency and comfort, which also visually reinforce the central design concept on the building’s “fifth façade.” Additionally, significant emphasis is placed on incorporating greenery into the redesign to improve the building’s thermal, visual, and environmental conditions, as well as to enhance the microclimate of the surrounding, densely developed area.

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.

Urban impact

The hotel is located in the Plaza Saltillo neighborhood and includes eighty-three rooms situated within a five-story, L-shaped tower and an adjoining two-story podium which houses two restaurants, three bars, a coffee shop, leasable street-side retail space and a parking lot.

 

Design Philosophy

The project’s philosophy questions the established luxury hotel “requirements”: the grand entry, the hotel restaurant and the spacious -albeit regularly empty- lobby. Instead, the design features a dynamic, functional layout inspired by the material typologies of the surrounding 1920s warehouses as well as the masonry and concrete construction found at Huston Tillotson University, a facility situated next to the project. The resulting building becomes a synergy between high-quality architecture and cost-conscious design strategies.

 

Façade Morphology & Materials

The facade morphology acts as a playful response to the area’s construction regulations, in which buildings longer than 30m should include, at least, 0.6m by 6m overhangs. As a result, the design employs a series of articulated concrete “ribbons,” formulating long awnings, protected overhangs and corner balconies for hotel guests. The discrete horizontal lines made of concrete are interrupted by a series of carefully selected materials in shades of black.

 

Contextual Design

The ground floor includes a mix of restaurants situated adjacent to a low-rise brick building with great historical significance. The existing structure is preserved, featuring a bar and a restaurant, and connects to the new addition via the kitchen space. By referencing the architectural language still present in East Austin’s built environment, the project becomes a powerful and original response to an urban context comprised of largely homogenized residential buildings.

Changing identity

The project renovates an existing building situated in a prime central location on Michalakopoulou Street. It spans nearly the entire block, bordered by Michalakopoulou, Papadiamantopoulou, Pontou, and Laodikeia Streets in Ilisia.

 

Design objectives

The building has a new leasing tenant, who plans to use the space as offices available for lease. Consequently, it was necessary to upgrade the building’s façade, particularly focusing on the elevations facing the main streets. The interior public areas and restroom facilities were also renovated.

 

Redesigning the exterior shell

The building’s existing facade was cladded with layered aluminum panels- typical for office buildings designed in the late 1990s and early 2000s. Additionally, the material adhered to a distinctly corporate colour scheme reflective of the property’s previous owners. As a result, it was considered essential to completely remove all existing coatings to create a contemporary shell capable of accommodating new, disparate companies. Conversely, the building’s existing paneling, framing, and sun protection systems, including external aluminium Venetian blinds, were deemed sufficient, and replacing them was considered economically unviable. Therefore, to preserve the integrity of the frames, the new facades were designed to precisely match the rhythm and dimensions of the existing panels. Those, in turn, were removed and repainted in a dark, neutral grey tone to allow the mass of the building to form the backdrop for a bolder architectural gesture.

 

Facade Morphology

The unique position of the building, its chaotic surroundings, as well as the need to update its external appearance, demanded a strong design intervention for its elevations, especially towards the main streets and the prominent junction of Papadiamantopoulou and Michalakopoulou streets.

To preserve the morphology of the existing exterior shell, a decision was made to construct a new perforated facade at a distance from the current one: a new suspended skin that underlines the building’s presence. The new design comprises a decorative grid composed of 30x70cm beams, with each beam spaced 70cm away from the existing facade.
These are arranged between two additional horizontal beams positioned either at the height of the first floor or below it, and at the height of the roof or above it. These horizontal beams frame the geometry and retain the balance of the composition. The placement of the beams on the grid aligns with the blind sections of the building’s sidewall and the midpoint of its existing openings to allow light inside the interior spaces and preserve the beautiful view- especially the one from Michalakopoulou street towards Lycabettus.

 

Façade Materiality and Lighting

The beams’ size is substantial enough to be noticeable from the street. However, to avoid conveying a sense of load-bearing elements, they are organized in a random pattern. This design gesture adds a sense of lightness to the composition and accentuates its decorative nature. The new skin is made entirely out of metal to avoid heat absorption, covered with dry wall, and painted white, contrasting the dark background. This grid composition is separated from the street level through the creation of a strong, horizontal element that surrounds the building at the level of the ground floor roof, also painted in the same white tone as the grid.

Finally, special emphasis was given to the exterior lighting. Subtle indirect light sources were used to highlight the new facade, creating an excellent aesthetic effect, especially during the night.