Textural composition

Situated at the foot of Lycabettus Hill, between the neighborhoods of Exarchia and Kolonaki, the apartment is a typical example of 1970s Athenian architecture. The project involved the renovation of a 58m² flat to become the home of two young professionals working in the arts. Given their profession, love of art, and frequent travels, the residents have curated an eclectic collection of artworks, ceramics, and furniture. From the outset, it was clear that the apartment would need to accommodate a wide array of objects from around the world -elements that played a central role in the design process.

 

Design Philosophy

The goal was to compose a space infused with vivid color, varied textures, tactile materials, striking forms, and abundant natural light. The design aimed to reflect contemporary Greek architectural creativity while also embracing and thoughtfully incorporating elements of the country’s architectural heritage -many of which have only recently been rediscovered and appreciated. In alignment with the clients’ wishes, the design retained and restored key original features of the apartment, integrating them seamlessly into the new layout. These included brown marble floors, colorful mosaics, wooden parquet, and an original marble sink. Following the apartment’s layout reorganization, the amount of natural light entering the space was maximized, by removing interior longitudinal walls. This intervention allowed for the unification of the living room, dining area, kitchen, and hallway, resulting in an open, fluid, and interconnected plan. Crucial to organizing this open space was the design and placement of a series of custom-built elements that serve as focal points around which daily life unfolds.

 

 

Custom Structures

Upon entering the apartment, visitors encounter a striking white metal bookshelf that displays a selection of the residents’ favorite objects and artworks. This structure was placed where the old dividing wall once separated the hallway from the interior corridor. Merging this contemporary installation with the preserved brick wall became a defining moment for the spatial composition, both conceptually and technically.

During construction, a selected portion of the original wall was carefully preserved, and the new metal structure was built around it. Across from the entrance, a dedicated section of wall was intentionally left bare to host a painting -offering visitors an immediate artistic welcome into the space.

 

 

Material Palette & Lighting

Since cooking is an essential and cherished part of the residents’ daily routine, the kitchen was given particular emphasis, both functionally and spatially. At its center lies a custom-designed island clad in green tiles, placed between the kitchen and dining area. This element serves as the heart of the home and the focal point of daily activity. The island’s unique shape creates an inviting and efficient workspace, supporting a range of simultaneous activities, with the cooktop placed directly on its marble countertop. Around it, carefully crafted niches and handmade marble shelves provide storage and display for kitchen tools, cookbooks, ceramics, and personal items. Suspended above the island is a transparent white metal shelving structure, subtly defining the boundary between kitchen and dining space. Its open design creates an ever-changing interplay of light and shadow throughout the day.

The kitchen cabinets, made of light oak veneer, form a warm and textured backdrop to the cooking space. Their sculptural design wraps around a small window and a new transom installed to bring natural light into the previously dark bathroom located behind the kitchen. A second transom between the hallway and office brightens the entrance area and visually connects the front of the apartment to its full depth. Following these interventions, daylight now flows freely through the home -from the northeast-facing bedroom and office to the southwest-facing communal areas- enhancing the apartment’s sense of openness and continuity.

 

Building integration

One Kleomenous represents an innovative approach to residential architecture. Advanced technologies were employed throughout both the design and construction processes to achieve a result that blends refined aesthetics with practical functionality.

 

Design Philosophy

Located on the threshold between the dense urban fabric of Athens and the natural terrain of Lycabettus Hill, the site itself shaped the design approach. The building was envisioned as a bridge between two worlds: the structured, modernist cityscape -with its characteristic forms and materials -and the organic topography of the hill, with its vegetation and earthy textures. The architectural vision sought to create a structure that is both functionally contemporary and contextually integrated. To achieve this, a hybrid design language was adopted- one that embraces innovation while respecting its surroundings.

 

 

Urban Integration

The building’s placement, orientation, and functional layout were carefully studied to define its relationship with both the city and the landscape. On the side facing the urban environment, the close proximity to a neighboring structure influenced a more restrained design -a flat façade rendered in simple plaster, echoing one of the most common Athenian finishes. Conversely, on the side adjoining the forest, the architectural strategy shifted to accommodate the dynamic contours of the hill and the proximity to vegetation. Protruding balconies extend toward the treetops, shaped to reflect the flowing forms of the natural landscape. The southeastern façade required a specially designed cladding system to diffuse direct sunlight.

Inspiration for this design emerged from an old topographic map of the area. The elegant lines of the map’s contour curves were translated into architectural form. A digital model of a “landscape façade” was developed, introducing fluid transitions between the geometric volumes of the balconies. This surface was then digitally segmented into sequential sections, forming the components of the cladding system. Without adding mass, the existing volumes were unified to form a geometry that feels organically embedded in its environment.

 

 

Material Palette

The choice of Travertine marble was both aesthetic and contextual. Its beige hue mirrors the stones traditionally used in the retaining walls of Lycabettus Hill. From the outset, the building’s strong visual connection to the Acropolis inspired the use of marble -a material both timeless and versatile.

Travertine’s porous surface not only offers visual texture but also reinforces its natural, unprocessed character. The material also connects to the architectural language of nearby 1970s buildings, including the adjacent structure that links One Kleomenous to the urban fabric. The interior palette was selected with equal sensitivity; colors were chosen to harmonize with the earth tones of the site. Glass balustrades further strengthen the building’s connection to nature, subtly reflecting the surrounding greenery.

Overall, the building’s material and design choices are a direct reference to the aesthetic of the Attic landscape. Together, they achieve the desired effect: a natural continuation of the built environment, a threshold that quietly transitions into untouched land. The result is a structure that exists in harmony with its context -One Kleomenous stands as a model of architectural integration with its environment.