Adaptable core

The project is located in the financial and cultural heart of São Paulo with the aim of promoting greater connection and quality of life for the employees. This hybrid concept -adopted by the company- influenced the design decisions and the layout functionality.

 

Functional Design

With 1000m² spread over 80 workstations, the space accommodates up to 200 people for events and collaborative exercises and is designed to offer well-being, motivation and fun. The layout is inspired by its privileged location and the panoramic views it offers. A central, 350m² space faces Paulista Avenue and includes stands, flexible furniture and an integrated area for hosting events for employees, clients and partners, thus reinforcing the concept of adaptability. The spatial layout avoids long corridors and complicated circulation routes, with the aim to create a fluid and efficient workspace that promotes interaction and communication.

 

Material Palette

The colour selection is based on the brand’s corporate identity, where purple becomes the protagonist, followed by shades of grey, orange, blue and green. The use of light wood, contrasts the colourful walls, introducing a layer of coziness. A hydraulic tile in the shape of São Paulo state, created by artist Mirthes dos Santos is installed in the coffee point area, paying homage to the city’s iconic sidewalks. Finally, a colourful mural by artist Ronah Carraro as well as loosely distributed floor and hanging planters in different sizes complete the space.

 

Lighting & Acoustic Insulation

The office layout prioritized natural light by positioning the main workstations close to the façade. In parallel, the meeting rooms are positioned in the centre of the space, becoming acoustic barriers between the eating area and the staff. Acoustic panelling is made from 80% recyclable materials, while an array of soundproof booths is situated close to the building’s core for additional privacy.

Design innovation

The construction of this undercut residence, nestled in the rugged landscape of Santorini, presented significant challenges. However, the project successfully overcame these obstacles, showcasing both architectural and structural excellence.

 

Exterior Shell

The design faced numerous challenges, including unsafe, underground tunnels, landslides, a deteriorated underground pocket and soil decay. Through meticulous geotechnical analysis and innovative design, the building exemplifies resilience and ingenuity. Central to the project’s success is its core materiality, where reinforced concrete is used to create a strong shell. The design ingeniously incorporates two retaining walls that support 600 cubic meters of infill, while a third arched wall, extending 6.5 meters inward, acts as a backbone, dividing the space into distinct sections. A dome unifies the ceilings across these sections.

 

Functional Organization

The façade is characterized by three semi-open spaces, each defining a distinct aspect of the building’s exterior. The first space features a flat, modern roof that leads to the swimming pool. The second space, with its vaulted design, reflects local traditions and marks the main entrance. The third space represents a contemporary architectural experiment: an acute-angled dome, known locally in Santorini as the “double-cube,” vertically intersects a semi-circular dome, creating a unique architectural element.

The residence’s interior features two en-suite bedrooms situated at the back, while the front area comprises the kitchen and living room. Given that underground spaces typically have a single source of light and ventilation, the design includes inverted arches as dividers -originally segments of the cross-vault intersection- serving as striking architectural elements as well as light conduits that enhance privacy and eliminate the need for conventional doors.

 

Light & Materiality

Artificial lighting is subtly integrated into the partitions to enhance the minimalist aesthetic, leaving the ceiling bare and uncluttered. As the sun sets, casting kaleidoscopic hues across the western sky, the interior of the house transforms. The walls take on delicate shades of pale pink, blue, and amethyst, as if imbued with the essence of twilight. Despite the challenges faced during its construction, this undercut house stands as a prime example of design innovation and perseverance, offering a stunning retreat that embraces the breathtaking views of Santorini.

Linear forms

This corner house is located at the junction of two roads, where it reveals an intriguing entrance façade: The flat roof extends the full length of the structure and folds into side walls, to seamlessly enwrap the interior space.

 

Materials & Textures

The uniform materiality of the roof and solid walls, in exposed concrete, encloses vast expanses of wood cladding and glazing, allowing easy movement in and out of the house. Wooden louvers screen and reflect sunbeams, creating dramatic shadows across the surfaces. The main entrance is accessed via a bridge, crossing over a generous sunken courtyard that brings light into the basement, offers a protected play area, and intensifies the height of the facade.

 

Architectural Volumes

The front door is concealed in a wood panel-clad wall, emulating the louvers on the other sides of the house. The rectangular shape of the house is ideal for an open-plan common space, creating a family atmosphere with openness and visibility. This arrangement also facilitates the natural flow of air and light to all interior spaces.

The wide overhang beyond the floor-to-ceiling glass sliding wall, extends the already generous open space to the patio and creates comfortable shaded areas. Running through the length of the rectangle, steel staircases are anchored between concrete walls. The open treads bring airiness, as do the mesh railing borders.

 

Spatial Organization

The family and guest rooms, located in the basement, face the sunken courtyard and get natural light throughout the daylight hours. Locating the house to one side of the lot leaves a large garden with swimming pool. This configuration provides every space with exterior frontage. The view from the upper floor is through the wooden louvres -allowing clear sightings of the pool and garden while retaining privacy. Inversely, the living areas offer uninterrupted views across the natural green surrounding, providing the house with a greater sense of space and oneness with nature.

Illuminated volumes

The 740m2, two-story residence is situated on a sloped terrain within the Novouspenskoe community in the Moscow region. It is strategically oriented to maximize the amount of sunlight entering the building as well as offer glimpses of the picturesque landscape.

 

Design Philosophy

The residence is organized around a central courtyard, distancing it from the surrounding dense development and preserving 80% of the existing vegetation on the plot. This is achieved through a thoughtful distribution of architectural volumes.

 

Layout & Materials

The residence is split into three blocks: the first encompasses the living room, kitchen, and a separate functional kitchen on the ground floor, while the master bedroom, walk-in closet, and bathroom are situated on the second floor. The second block houses the garage, a utility area, and a home office/second bedroom as well as a spa, gym, and two children’s rooms on the upper floor. Finally, the third block accommodates rooms for staff.

 

Interplay with Light

The design aim is to create a sense of harmony with the natural landscape. The transition between the blocks is facilitated through a double-height gallery, which showcases pieces of art from the clients’ collection. Its extensive glass facade illuminates the corridors and invites abundant natural light into the space. The combination of light and dark elements along with the incorporation of horizontal and vertical textures, seamlessly integrate the residence into its surroundings.

Refined simplicity

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

 

Open Layout

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

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

 

Design & Materials

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

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

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

 

Custom Furniture & Lighting

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

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

Central Square

The redesign of the company’s administrative building not only enhanced its functionality but also revitalized its image to align with modern working standards. The renovation resulted in expanded office space, upgraded air conditioning, and lighting systems geared towards enhancing comfort and optimizing the facilities.

 

Design Objective

Built in 2007, the building initially failed to accommodate the company’s growing demand for office space. Consequently, management opted to renovate all office areas, a total of 7000m2, to meet the organization’s expanding needs. The study was developed with the aim and the vision of crafting a design proposal befitting a pioneering company, while also prioritizing the quality of the working environment it offers to its employees.

The design incorporated suggestions from employees who had participated in recent projects, fostering a collaborative approach. These suggestions included creating spaces conducive to relaxed discussions, facilitating work outside the office environment, and fostering an atmosphere that encourages freedom in work and, consequently, in thought and creativity. At the same time, the objective was to establish a welcoming atmosphere that prioritizes comfort and versatility in the space, catering to the employee’s varying needs. Additionally, the design aimed to offer an escape from conventional routines by incorporating interactive elements within these spaces.

 

Architectural Concept

Taking into consideration all the programmatic modifications, the architectural concept revolves around freeing the “dark centre” and replacing it with a vibrant “heart.” This central space offers a multitude of functionalities, fostering personal expression and creativity for every individual. By cultivating an accessible, intimate, and inviting environment, the design promotes innovation and collaboration, while staying aligned with contemporary trends as well as the new generation entering the workplace. The concept’s originality lies in elevating public spaces and reimagining the “square” -drawing reference from the Renaissance period- as the “heart” of the city. Embracing the Greek character, the local “language” and lifestyle led to the architecture being conceptualized around the notion of the Greek square.

 

Open Layout

The building’s core unfolds to integrate meeting rooms in a dynamic arrangement, emphasizing diagonal positioning and prioritizing transparency. Within this space, circulation spaces intertwine with refreshment areas, break rooms, seating sections as well as an open kitchen. The “square’s” public nature is accentuated by natural elements, such as a tree-sculpture, fostering a sense of openness and drawing people together for communal interaction. The building’s original architectural structure was preserved.

The design leverages its existing geometry as the foundation for the proposal’s distinctive diagonal pathway, which breathes new life into the previously enclosed centre. Central to this design is the triple-height atrium, around which the remaining structure revolves, facilitating the vertical diffusion of natural light throughout the space. The proposal’s strength lies in the abundant natural light entering the space, illuminating the building’s core, while also flowing through the central space and the transparent perimeter, bathing all floors in its glow.

Natural volumes

The building consists of four apartments located on the ground and first, while the underground spaces serve as garages and storage rooms. The aim of the design is to integrate the building with the distinct Aegean landscape.

 

Design Philosophy

The orientation and outline of the plot plays a decisive role in the design composition, due to its elongated shape as well as the way in which it faces the sea. Consequently, the residences are carefully arranged to provide views to the landscape through all communal interior spaces. The rigid building volume is placed at a distance from the eastern boundary to make up for the plot’s height difference and ensure access through a series of “green” courtyards -the walls of which follow the sloping topography.

 

Interior Organization

A communal staircase becomes the central core around which the four residences are organized. An important factor influencing the spatial layout is each flat’s distinct orientation. The northern volume “slides” to the west and maximizes the amount of natural light entering the communal areas, while south window openings provide natural light to the more private spaces of the building.

 

Material Palette and Vegetation

The building is cladded with natural materials such as local stone and wood, while the outdoor spaces are planted with dense vegetation placed in custom flower basins casted with concrete. The local materials and careful landscape design complement the building’s distinct morphology, successfully integrating it with the existing topography.