A Wooden Façade in a Densely Wooded Setting

Built from scratch in a densely wooded area of São Paulo, MLL Residence by Dado Castello Branco Arquitetura is introduced through a wooden façade that immediately reveals the project’s organic character. The house is conceived in close relation to the landscape, where architecture, vegetation and everyday family life are brought into a continuous domestic experience.

The residence does not stand apart from its surroundings. It is framed by trees, shaded paths and generous timber elements, allowing the built volume to settle softly within the garden while maintaining a clear architectural presence.

Landscape as an Extension of Domestic Life

A defining feature of the project is the way the landscaped pathways, designed by Isabel Duprat, appear to flow naturally into the interiors. This continuity creates a direct connection between the residence and the neighboring property, which belongs to the resident’s brother.

The gesture reflects an important aspect of the family’s daily life: the tradition of gathering for shared meals. Landscape is therefore not treated as a decorative frame, but as an active part of the house, supporting movement, encounter and everyday rituals.

A House Organized Around Family Connection

The relationship between the two neighboring properties gives the project a specific social dimension. The pathways do more than organize circulation through the garden; they reinforce the bond between two houses and the family members who inhabit them.

A wide canopy shelters the walkway toward the second house, creating a protected passage through the vegetation. This architectural element turns movement between the two homes into a daily experience of proximity, shade and continuity.

Tropical Greenery and the Social Area

In the social area, a striking wall of Monstera deliciosa forms a lush green backdrop. Native to Central America and widely loved in Brazil, the plant introduces depth, texture and drama into the interior atmosphere.

This living surface reinforces the project’s broader intention: to allow vegetation to participate directly in the spatial experience of the house. Greenery is not kept outside the architecture, but becomes part of how the residence is perceived, used and inhabited.

Generous Openings, Wooden Eaves and Spatial Amplitude

The residence is defined by expansive openings, generous wooden eaves and a ceiling height of 3.50 m, all of which enhance the feeling of spaciousness. These elements allow the house to feel both sheltered and open, protected from the climate while remaining connected to the surrounding vegetation.

Through material warmth, landscape continuity and an emphasis on family gathering, MLL Residence forms a calm and generous living environment. The project turns the house into a place where architecture and nature support a shared way of life.

A Holiday Residence in the Landscape of Apokoronas

In Kokkino Chorio, in the Apokoronas area of Crete, this holiday residence is set on a gently sloping plot with expansive views toward Souda Bay, the city of Chania, the Thodorou islands and, in the distance, the Spatha peninsula. To the south, the landscape opens toward the Apokoronas plain and the White Mountains, while to the north it looks toward the Akrotiri peninsula and the Cretan Sea.

Designed for a large family, the house is positioned relatively centrally within the site, set back from the main road to the east and kept at generous distances from neighboring plots. This placement conceals much of its volume from the street, allowing the residence to reveal itself gradually as one moves through the plot.

Three Volumes Across Three Levels

The residence is organized as three volumes distributed across three levels: a basement, a ground floor partially embedded in the natural terrain, and an upper floor. The central volume contains the main living areas, while the northern and southern volumes accommodate the more private parts of the program.

Rather than appearing as a single large object, the house is broken down into a sequence of volumes, courtyards and terraces. This strategy allows a residence designed to accommodate up to 16 people to remain closely connected to the topography and landscape, reducing its visual impact despite its considerable size.

Arrival Across Water and a Double-Height Living Space

Visitors enter from the upper level, crossing a bridge over an artificial lake located to the east of the residence. At the ground-floor level, this water element becomes a waterfall, shaping a more private entrance courtyard accessed by car.

Inside the central volume, the upper level includes a lounge with a bar and billiards area overlooking the main living room below. This double-height space connects the two levels visually, while a staircase oriented toward the eastern courtyard and waterfall reinforces the relationship between interior movement and the presence of water.

Bedrooms, Living Areas and Panoramic Views

On the upper floor, two corridors to the north and south lead to four bedrooms, each with an en-suite bathroom, while also accommodating a WC and laundry room. On the ground floor, the main living room, dining area and kitchen are arranged around the central volume, with corresponding corridors leading to four additional en-suite bedrooms.

The living and dining areas open toward the western courtyard with the swimming pool and panoramic views in all directions. Through an internal courtyard, the kitchen maintains visual relationships with both the pool and the rear courtyard with the waterfall, reinforcing the continuous dialogue between interior and exterior life.

Courtyards, Pool and Outdoor Living

Between the volumes, two courtyards structure the outdoor experience. The northern courtyard includes an outdoor dining area and kitchen with barbecue, while the southern courtyard features a water element connected to the pool. This water overflows into a lightwell, creating a waterfall within a rock garden at basement level.

The immediate outdoor spaces are organized as extensions of daily life: a large courtyard leading to the pool in front of the central volume, a seating area with an outdoor fireplace to the north, and a sunbathing area with loungers to the south. The house is therefore conceived around the Cretan continuity between inside and outside, where domestic life moves fluidly through shaded, open and water-cooled spaces.

Stone, Concrete and Framed Horizons

The building is constructed from reinforced concrete and stone masonry. Taller walls framing the roofs are clad in local stone, and through their form and position they alternately connect or separate the different spaces of the house.

The northern and southern volumes are identical in size and shape, yet their openings differ according to orientation and view. Each frames a distinct landscape condition: the open sea in one direction and the White Mountains in the other. Architecture becomes a device for selecting, measuring and intensifying the surrounding horizon.

A Large Family Residence with Reduced Visual Impact

Although the residence spans a considerable area, its partial integration into the terrain, alignment with the natural contours, distribution across three levels and separation from the ground through the prominent waterfall all help reduce its scale within the landscape.

The house is barely visible from the main road and only gradually appears as one approaches within the site. Beyond the building itself, interventions are limited to the immediate outdoor areas, allowing the Cretan landscape to embrace the courtyards rather than be overwritten by them.

Living with the Cretan Landscape

Each position within the residence offers a different relationship to the landscape: the White Mountains, olive groves and villages of Apokoronas; sunsets behind the Thodorou islands; the city of Chania; Souda Bay; the Akrotiri peninsula; and the open sea. At the same time, there is no visual contact with the main road to the east, preserving the sense of retreat.

The house creates a gradient of privacy, from the bedrooms to the playrooms in the attic and basement, while supporting a way of living in which indoor and outdoor life can merge for most of the year. In this sense, the residence is less a detached object than an inhabited sequence of views, courtyards, water and stone: a Cretan setting for family life shaped by the idea of carpe diem.

A Courtyard House Shaped by Urban Constraints

In Baghdad, Shatt Al-Arab House by Fran Silvestre Arquitectos is conceived from the limitations of its site. Located at street level on one of the city’s busiest avenues, the plot is defined by the geometry of the surrounding urban fabric and by the need to create privacy, openness and domestic calm within a dense metropolitan condition.

The brief called for a residence that would bring together a daytime living area, two nighttime rooms and a space for physical exercise. Given the limited size of the plot, the most immediate strategy would have been to build vertically, freeing part of the site for a garden. Instead, the architects chose to occupy the entire plot with an extensive single-storey volume.

A Horizontal Strategy for a Compact Plot

The decision to work horizontally allows the house to establish a different relationship with the exterior. Rather than concentrating the program in a compact vertical form, the project expands across the site and connects with outdoor space in two distinct ways.

The first is a perimeter garden, which acts as a filter between the house, the avenue and the surrounding streets. The second is a central circular courtyard, which becomes the main open space of the residence and the organizing element of the entire plan.

The Circular Courtyard as the Center of the House

The central courtyard gathers the more public and open areas of the house around it. In one direction, it creates a sequence of indoor and outdoor spaces that begins and ends in the perimeter garden, allowing the interior to extend visually and physically across the full depth of the plot.

This spatial sequence is defined by four glass boundaries that can be fully retracted along the side walls. When opened, they create a hybrid condition between interior and exterior, transforming the house into a continuous open space that stretches from one end of the plot to the other.

Perimeter Garden, Privacy and Retractable Boundaries

The perimeter garden plays a dual role. It protects the house from the intensity of the surrounding urban context, while also allowing each space to remain connected to greenery and natural light. As a boundary, it is not a hard separation, but a planted threshold that mediates between domestic life and the city.

The retractable glass enclosures reinforce this sense of permeability. They allow the living areas to change character according to use, climate and time of day, expanding the domestic interior into the garden and courtyard whenever needed.

Night Rooms, Service Cores and Spatial Clarity

In the opposite direction from the main open sequence, the two primary nighttime rooms are positioned with a more controlled relationship to the exterior. These rooms open only toward the perimeter, ensuring privacy while maintaining contact with the garden.

At the four corners of the house, enclosed cores concentrate the service areas. This clear distribution frees the central and perimeter spaces, giving the plan a precise organization in which open, private and service zones are carefully balanced.

A Rooftop Oasis Above the City

The roof completes the spatial composition of the house. Accessed by an internal staircase, it is conceived as an elevated oasis defined by a series of boundaries. On the outer edge, the vegetation of the garden provides privacy from the city.

On the inner edge, a sheet of water crowns the circular courtyard below. One side of this water element becomes deeper, allowing it to be used for bathing. The roof therefore extends the logic of the house vertically, creating a final outdoor space where vegetation, water and enclosure form a protected domestic landscape above the street.

 

Urban Housing Around Open-Air Courtyards

Located in the Brooklyn neighborhood of Southeast Portland, Brookland Apartments by Hacker proposes a residential model shaped around light, air, greenery and everyday contact with the outdoors. The 166-unit, five-storey building reintroduces natural connections within a dense urban setting, using a sequence of open-air courtyards to bring planted outdoor space directly into the life of the apartments.

A Residential Framework for Well-Being and Community

The project is conceived as a framework for well-being and community. Rather than treating circulation as a purely functional requirement, the building organizes movement around exterior walkways, planted thresholds and shared outdoor spaces. These courtyards operate as collective “front yards,” lined with seating, planters and vine-covered pathways, while also extending outward to form terraces along the building perimeter.

 

Bright Interiors and Shared Amenities

Inside, the apartments are designed with restraint and clarity. The residential mix includes micro studios, studios, one-, two- and three-bedroom units, supported by communal amenities such as a ground-floor lounge, coworking space, fitness center, sauna and rooftop commons. Simple, bright interiors, calm colors and natural textures create a measured contrast with the warmth of Western red cedar and the dense planting of the courtyards.

Natural Light, Fresh Air and Dual Orientation

A key aspect of the design is the relationship between private units and shared outdoor space. Each apartment is planned to maximize access to natural light and fresh air, with openings toward the internal courtyards as well as views toward the surrounding neighborhood. This dual orientation reinforces the connection between domestic life, collective space and the wider urban context.

 

Open-Air Circulation and Western Red Cedar

The 127,500-square-foot building uses its open-air circulation to encourage informal encounters between residents. Walkways and stairs line the courtyards, creating moments of contact and visibility across the building. Western red cedar surfaces wrap the outdoor voids, adding visual warmth on Portland’s cloudy days and offering a tactile, natural counterpoint to the building’s scale. Vine-covered trellises provide shade and texture along common paths, while planting softens the experience of moving through the complex.

Terraces, Rooftop Commons and Urban Well-Being

On the upper levels, the courtyards open toward terraces, expanding the sense of connection to the neighborhood. The rooftop commons further extends this social and environmental agenda, offering residents sunlight, views and shared outdoor space within the city. Mechanized parking stackers improve parking efficiency, allowing more of the site to be dedicated to housing and shared amenities.

 

Nature, Community and Density as One Strategy

Through its combination of compact living, generous communal areas and carefully integrated greenery, Brookland Apartments explores how urban residential architecture can support everyday well-being. The project turns circulation, courtyards and terraces into active spatial elements, creating a housing environment where nature, community and density are not treated as opposing conditions, but as parts of the same architectural strategy.

 

 

Architectural gestures

Located in a quiet neighborhood of Palaio Faliro, this small-scale 1950s house is reapproached through a series of restrained and precise architectural gestures. The project seeks to preserve the domestic identity and spatial memory of the existing shell while adapting it to the demands of contemporary everyday living.

 

Spatial Organization

The original layout of the residence is largely maintained, with selective interventions enhancing functionality and spatial flow. The central design gesture is the reconfiguration of the kitchen, which transforms from an isolated, enclosed room into an open core of daily life. Its extension toward the entrance reinforces the continuity of the interior, while its relationship with the living area is organized through the framing of the existing opening, allowing visual connection without fully dissolving the separation between functions.

 

 

Reintegration of Existing Elements

Rather than disconnecting the house from its past, the intervention seeks to creatively incorporate traces and elements of its previous life. The decorative plaster ceiling moldings are preserved as carriers of memory, while the original kitchen sink is restored and repurposed within the bathroom, acquiring a new function in a different spatial context. The residence thus becomes a field of continuity, where old and new coexist without resorting to nostalgic imitation.

 

 

Material Palette

The material palette follows a calm and tactile logic, shaped by natural textures, earthy tones and clear geometries. Wood acts as the primary element of warmth and continuity throughout the interior, while the stainless-steel kitchen countertop introduces a subtle contemporary tension within the otherwise restrained composition. In the bathroom, the relationship between refinement and rawness is reinforced through materials that reference exposed concrete and rougher flooring surfaces, intensifying the tactile experience of the space.

The project approaches the idea of an “urban holiday house”: an intimate domestic environment where simplicity, material honesty and spatial clarity coexist with a subtle sense of nostalgia. Without attempting to replicate the past, the design seeks to carry its traces into the present, allowing the house to evolve while preserving its distinct character.

 

House of Curves

The residence is a 240m² interior shaped by softness, light and material continuity. Conceived as a calm domestic environment, the project unfolds through fluid transitions and a muted palette, creating a home that changes subtly throughout the day.

 

Design Philosophy

The client, co-owner of a leading fashion brand, wanted the residence to reflect her lifestyle and memories of Mediterranean journeys. References to nature, gentle landscapes and Southern European architecture informed an interior defined by flowing lines, restrained tones and carefully selected natural materials.

Curves become the central design language of the project, appearing in architectural elements, built-in furniture, window niches, countertops and finishing details. More than an aesthetic gesture, these rounded forms diffuse light, soften spatial perception and create an atmosphere of quiet continuity.

 

 

Spatial organization

Achieving this sense of openness required a substantial reorganization of the house, including the reconstruction of the staircase, the opening of the living area and the elimination of sharp corners. At the center of the composition stands a sculptural staircase, designed as a fluid volume rising through the interior. Its asymmetrical form, rounded solid-wood treads and winding balustrade emphasize the precision of the craftsmanship, while connecting adjacent areas such as the study and play zone.

The main living area combines a spacious lounge with an open kitchen and concealed storage. A fireplace is integrated into a long multifunctional unit that also operates as seating, while rounded shelves, subtle ceiling moldings, warm wood tones and crisp white surfaces reinforce the project’s soft minimal character.

 

 

Material Palette

The bathrooms are conceived as private relaxation zones, inspired by spa interiors and Mediterranean serenity. Monolithic bathing areas, recessed alcoves, freestanding bathtubs and walk-in showers are framed by soft geometries and handmade glazed tiles, whose irregular surfaces create delicate variations of light and shadow.

Rounded countertops with integrated basins, hidden shelving, minimalist linear drains and concealed fixtures strengthen the clarity of the design while preserving everyday functionality. Wood, linen, stone and microcement form a tactile material palette, unified by shades of white and grey.

The project stands out through its formal consistency and quiet boldness. Rather than imposing itself, the interior builds character through precision, calm and continuity, creating a home that invites return.

 

Architecture in the in-between

The “Polikatikia” is located on the island of Karpathos and consists of six family residences. The project approaches dwelling within the island landscape not as a strictly typological exercise, but as a complex field where morphology, topography and the everyday experience of the Mediterranean climate collectively shape a unified architectural system.

 

Landscape Integration

The arrangement of the six residences is organized through a series of overlapping volumes that shift and subtly rotate, disrupting the strict orthogonality of the conventional apartment building. The composition evokes an initially solid mass that gradually appears to fragment, separate and split into distinct spatial elements.

These geometric displacements operate not only as formal gestures but also as environmental mechanisms, generating intermediate voids, shaded areas, natural light penetration, outdoor extensions and visual openings toward the landscape. The staircase is positioned precisely within the “in-between” void created by the displacement of the volumes, transforming this transitional space into the primary vertical connective tissue of the complex.

 

 

Design Philosophy

The architecture seeks to reinforce the relationship between interior and exterior space, following the principles of Mediterranean living. Large openings and the horizontal development of the primary volumes allow the living spaces to extend outward toward the landscape, creating a sense of spatial continuity with light, air and views toward the sea.

The transitional outdoor areas function as intermediate climatic zones, providing shade, protection from strong winds and different spatial qualities throughout the day. Through this compositional approach, the residence is not perceived as an isolated object, but rather as part of a continuous experience of place and climate.

 

 

Spatial Organization

The internal organization of each apartment is structured around three distinct functional zones. At the center lies the “service core” containing the auxiliary and wet areas, naturally illuminated and ventilated through light wells, enhancing both comfort and environmental performance.

The living spaces, including the living room, dining area and kitchen, are arranged toward the north, directly oriented toward the sea views and surrounding landscape. In contrast, the bedrooms are positioned on the southern side, protected from strong winds while benefiting from natural light.

The overall composition seeks to translate the particularities of island dwelling into a contemporary architectural language, where building, climate and landscape operate as interconnected components of a unified spatial experience.

 

Dissolving into the landscape

Located within a residential development on the outskirts of São Paulo, the project was conceived as a residence where architecture, landscape and everyday life operate as a unified spatial experience. It responds to a site bordered by a golf course and an artificial lagoon, establishing a careful dialogue between built form and the surrounding environment.

Rather than emphasizing monumentality, the design strategy seeks to fragment and soften the scale of the residence. The house develops primarily across a single horizontal plane, while secondary technical spaces and recreational functions are discreetly concealed within a lower level. This organizational approach allows the architecture to remain visually grounded within the landscape, reinforcing a sense of continuity with the terrain rather than imposing itself upon it.

 

Spatial Organization

The residence is structured around a central planted courtyard filled with native Atlantic Forest vegetation, transforming nature into an active spatial nucleus rather than a peripheral backdrop. This internal garden mediates circulation, light and visual continuity throughout the house, while simultaneously reinforcing the atmosphere of retreat and privacy that defines the domestic experience.

The program includes four bedrooms, expansive living areas and entertainment spaces organized around carefully framed views toward the surrounding landscape. The spatial composition privileges openness and fluidity, allowing interior and exterior environments to overlap continuously.

A generous covered gallery occupies the most privileged edge of the plot, overlooking both the lagoon and the golf course. In response to the Brazilian climate and its strong culture of outdoor living, this semi-exterior space becomes the social heart of the residence. Inclined concrete partitions regulate western sunlight, reducing heat gain during the afternoon while preserving visual openness and airflow.

 

 

Material Palette 

Material restraint and geometric clarity define the architectural language of the project. Concrete surfaces, controlled proportions and elongated horizontal lines establish a calm and cohesive architectural identity, while the interplay between solid partitions and open voids generates constantly shifting conditions of light and shadow.

The elevated swimming pool extends directly from the main living level, visually merging with the adjacent lagoon through reflective continuity. Its infinity edge creates a cascading effect toward the lower ground, transforming the pool into both an infrastructural and sculptural element within the composition.

The bedrooms, positioned toward the front garden, establish a quieter domestic zone where vegetation operates simultaneously as privacy filter and environmental mediator. Large openings reinforce the inhabitants’ connection with nature while maintaining controlled intimacy from the street frontage.

 

 

Construction

An essential dimension of the project was the collaborative relationship established between architect, clients and construction team. Specifically, the successful realization of the house depended largely on the owners’ commitment to preserving the integrity of the architectural vision throughout the construction process.

Despite geographical distance, the coordination between the architectural office and the construction company remained continuous and highly collaborative. This ongoing exchange enabled the project to maintain coherence from concept to execution, resulting in a residence where the built outcome closely reflects the precision and atmosphere of the original design intent.

 

Interconnected space

The project consists of two interconnected interventions: the restoration of a 1920s Cretan stone residence and the addition of a contemporary vertical extension, together forming a unified family home. Originally built as part of the refugee housing settlements of the early twentieth century, the existing structure represents a characteristic example of vernacular domestic architecture, now reinterpreted through a contemporary architectural language that allows the building to regain visibility and presence within the urban fabric.

 

Restoration Strategy

Rather than concealing the traces of the original dwelling, the intervention embraces the existing stone shell as a bearer of memory and spatial identity. Elements of the historic residence are preserved and incorporated into the new architectural composition, particularly within the lower level where the shared living functions are organized. Century-old details remain visible throughout the interior, contributing to an atmosphere that balances familiarity, permanence and subtle nostalgia.

 

 

Design Philosophy

The new extension is constructed through a lightweight metallic structural system combined with a timber roof and an additional loft level. The design approach seeks to establish a coherent architectural dialogue between the permanence of the original masonry structure and the lighter contemporary intervention. Clean geometric volumes, semi-transparent surfaces, generous ceiling heights and a restrained material palette contribute to an environment defined by spatial clarity and continuity.

 

 

Spatial Organization

Within the upper levels, where the private sleeping quarters are located, the architectural composition explores variations in height and section to introduce spatial complexity and moments of openness. The shifting interior volumes generate a sense of lightness and optimism, reinforcing the experiential quality of everyday domestic life. The result is a residence where restoration and contemporary addition coexist without hierarchy, producing a unified architectural narrative grounded equally in memory and transformation.

Levitating mass

The house is located in a quiet rural area, with one floor above ground and another dug into the earth. Featuring imposing black pigmented concrete, the design is centered around three main masses, creating a balance between open spaces and solid structures. The transparent central volume serves as the heart of the building, while the surrounding landscape plays an integral role in shaping the living experience.

 

Design Philosophy

The lower floor contains a large, excavated courtyard, which acts as a central gathering space. The central mass, over 5m high, offers clear views of the entire site. On either side, two long, parallel masses extend across the lot, reinforcing its length and creating a balanced composition. These masses penetrate the central structure, giving the appearance of floating concrete beams that stretch outward, enhanced by differences in the roof heights.

A floating bridge made of reflective stainless steel connects the entrance of the house across the courtyard, offering a clear view of the interior spaces. The path leads through a shallow reflecting pool, revealing the private areas of the house that are not visible from the street. This bridge also creates a visual link between the two long masses that extend through the structure.

 

 

Functional Organization

The upper floor includes the main living spaces, with a large living room, kitchen, dining area, and family rooms. The master suite features a walk-in closet, bathroom with a shower inside a reflecting pool, and a bedroom with views of the garden. A staircase made of dark natural stone leads to the lower level, where the wellness and leisure spaces are located, enhancing the flow between the levels.

The lower floor accommodates an indoor pool, gym, spa, cinema room, and a hospitality area, including a bar and wine room. Additional spaces for supporting functions, such as a laundry room and staff quarters, are also located here.

On the opposite side of the house, a large, landscaped garden includes a soccer field, pool, outdoor kitchen, and living areas, designed to support various social and recreational activities.

 

 

Material Palette

The house features clean, modern lines with black concrete facades, fiber-c cladding, and large glass openings. Dark natural stone flooring is complemented by blackened brass details. The design emphasizes an illusion of levitation, where the contrast between solid concrete and floating masses is achieved through roof disconnection and transparent elements.

 

Timeless contemporary living

Located in the heart of Kolonaki, the 115m² apartment renovation reinterprets classical interior architecture through a contemporary spatial narrative. Rather than imposing contrast, the proposal establishes continuity between inherited decorative elements and modern living conditions, preserving ornamental ceiling moldings, wall paneling and symmetrical proportions while introducing a calmer, more minimal architectural vocabulary. The intervention approaches the apartment as a layered spatial composition where historical references and contemporary clarity coexist in balance.

 

Design Philosophy

The project positions itself within a contemporary neo-classical framework, where proportion, material permanence and spatial coherence become the primary design tools. Existing architectural details are neither concealed nor replicated nostalgically; instead, they are carefully reframed within a restrained interior atmosphere that prioritizes rhythm, tactility and long-term relevance over temporary stylistic gestures.

Dark timber wainscoting introduces depth and visual grounding throughout the residence, while curved travertine surfaces soften transitions between spaces and generate sculptural movement within the plan. Herringbone wood flooring reinforces the apartment’s refined domestic character, establishing continuity across the different living zones. Minimal kitchen surfaces and integrated detailing maintain spatial calmness, allowing materials and proportions to define the architectural experience. Artworks and sculptural objects are positioned as integral spatial components rather than decorative additions, contributing to the composition of each room.

 

 

Spatial Organization

The organization of the apartment is defined by flexibility and controlled permeability. Folding partitions composed of metal frames and fluted glass operate as transitional thresholds between the living room, dining area and kitchen. These movable boundaries enable the interior to alternate between openness and privacy without interrupting the continuity of natural light or visual connection.

The spatial arrangement avoids rigid separations, instead supporting changing patterns of everyday habitation through adaptable configurations. Circulation unfolds organically through layered thresholds and framed visual axes, while the interplay between transparency and opacity creates a dynamic relationship between collective and private functions within the residence.

 

 

Material Palette

Materiality functions as the central architectural language of the project. Travertine surfaces, dark wood textures and muted tonal palettes establish a tactile environment rooted in permanence and restraint. The bathroom spaces continue this material dialogue through vertically articulated stone textures and contrasting dark timber cabinetry, maintaining consistency across the apartment’s interior identity.

Furniture selections further reinforce the sculptural quality of the spaces, introducing rounded geometries and soft forms that balance the architectural rigidity of the classical envelope. Lighting is integrated discreetly throughout the project, emphasizing texture, curvature and depth while preserving the calm atmospheric quality of the interiors.

Through a careful negotiation between preservation and reinterpretation, the project proposes a residential environment where contemporary domesticity unfolds within the enduring framework of Athenian neo-classical architecture.

 

Varying context

Located in Ílhavo, Portugal, the project unfolds as a single-storey residence that seeks to reconcile the programmatic requirements with the specific characteristics of the site. The plot is situated within an area that currently remains undeveloped along its periphery, though it is expected to undergo significant residential growth in the near future. Within this transitional context, the residence attempts to establish from the outset a clear relationship between private living and the surrounding landscape.

 

Functional Organization

The decision to resolve the entire program on a single level transforms the outdoor space into an integral component of the architectural composition. The remaining green areas are not treated as residual space, but rather as active elements of everyday habitation and the overall spatial organization of the house.

The arrangement of the volumes gradually defines the spatial hierarchy of the residence. As movement progresses deeper into the site, the spaces acquire an increasing sense of privacy and seclusion. Architecture employs the positioning and geometry of the volumes as tools for organizing daily life, creating a clear transition from the more public to the more protected functions.

 

 

Design Philosophy

The architectural proposal is structured around two distinct volumes, differentiated both formally and functionally in response to the specific content of the program. These volumes are strategically positioned on the site in order to maximize solar exposure, establish controlled relationships with the surroundings and frame the outdoor spaces.

At the same time, the openings and incisions of the façades allow for controlled natural light while reinforcing the continuity between interior and exterior space. In this way, the residence develops a constant visual and functional extension toward the landscape, integrating greenery into the spatial experience of the interior.

 

 

Material Palette

The form and materiality of the project draw reference from the region’s traditional constructions, reinterpreting familiar architectural elements through a contemporary compositional language. Clean volumes, inclined surfaces and a restrained material palette compose an architecture that engages with the local building tradition without resorting to mimicry.

The use of zinc surfaces, natural timber and bright neutral materials throughout the interior reinforces the understated character of the residence, while simultaneously introducing durability and timelessness to the composition. Light is treated as a primary architectural tool, shaping interiors defined by calm atmospheres and subtle variations of illumination throughout the day.

The result is a residence articulated with clarity and economy of means, transforming the relationship between built and unbuilt space into the central core of the architectural experience.

 

Domestic prototype

In the wake of the global realignment brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic, Riverhouse emerged as a deeply personal exploration of domesticity. Situated within a protected river corridor in rural Rhode Island, the project reflects broader cultural shifts toward slower living, environmental consciousness and closer engagement with nature. Designed as both family residence and experimental retreat, the house reconsiders how architecture can support evolving modes of living, working and gathering.

Originally occupying the site was a deteriorating summer structure that had hosted a series of informal architecture camps since 2014. These gatherings brought together architects, collaborators and families in an environment centered around dialogue, collective reflection and shared living. Over time, the fragile building became increasingly unsustainable, prompting the architects to envision a new dwelling capable of preserving the spirit of the site while responding to contemporary environmental and spatial demands.

 

Domestic Prototype

The new residence occupies the footprint of the original structure while introducing a compact yet highly articulated architectural form. Elevated to comply with floodplain regulations, the house balances technical rigor with an atmosphere of informality and warmth. Conceived according to Passive House principles, the project incorporates triple-glazed openings, heavily insulated wall assemblies and rooftop photovoltaic systems with battery storage, allowing the building to operate entirely on electricity while minimizing year-round energy consumption.

Rather than emphasizing technological performance as an end in itself, the project integrates environmental systems seamlessly within the architectural language. The design maximizes natural ventilation and daylight through strategically positioned apertures, while outdoor rooms, terraces and roof gardens extend domestic life into the surrounding landscape. The architecture negotiates openness and enclosure through a sequence of carefully calibrated spatial conditions that reinforce the connection between interior and exterior environments.

The distinctive geometry of the house emerged through an iterative process of physical model-making. A folded blue metal roof descends asymmetrically across the facades, producing a diagonal ridgeline that creates dynamic sectional relationships throughout the interior. This manipulation of volume allows for double-height spaces, mezzanine rooms and carved outdoor courtyards that bring light deep into the plan while framing views toward the river and surrounding forest.

 

 

Material Palette

Material selection played a central role in shaping the identity of the project. Thermally modified ash wood cladding, unfinished plywood surfaces and handmade Lebanese tiles introduce tactile richness while maintaining a restrained material palette. Vibrant window frames punctuate the muted exterior composition, echoing the changing colors of the surrounding vegetation throughout the seasons.

Inside, the house is organized around a spacious communal living area designed for both everyday inhabitation and collective gathering. Storage systems are embedded within the architectural envelope to maintain spatial clarity, while each room is dimensioned with precision to maximize efficiency without sacrificing comfort. The spatial organization privileges adaptability and fluidity, allowing domestic routines, work and social activities to coexist seamlessly.

The project evolved through an extended process of collaboration involving architects, designers, artists and craftspeople. These interventions blur the boundaries between architecture, interiors and objects, reinforcing the house’s role as a continuously evolving environment shaped through collective authorship.

Construction itself became part of the project’s narrative. Built incrementally within a modest budget, the project relied heavily on the involvement of friends, collaborators and local builders. The process unfolded gradually, with many contributors living alongside the project as it took shape, reinforcing the architects’ broader understanding of architecture as a social and participatory act.

 

 

Design Philosophy

Beyond its role as a private residence, the project operates as an ongoing platform for exchange, experimentation and dialogue. Continuing the legacy of the original architecture camps, the project supports gatherings that foster conversation around architecture, ecology and collective living. A second phase currently underway introduces a pavilion, swimming pool and gardens intended to accommodate future communal events and workshops.

In this sense, Riverhouse belongs to a lineage of architect-designed experimental houses that function simultaneously as homes and spatial manifestos. Yet unlike historical precedents centered on formal autonomy, this project responds directly to contemporary concerns surrounding climate adaptation, evolving family structures and the redefinition of domestic space in an increasingly uncertain world.

The result is a residence that resists the notion of retreat as isolation. Instead, the project proposes an architecture rooted in openness, resilience and environmental sensitivity – a carefully inhabited structure that remains unfinished in the most productive sense: continuously adapting, evolving and engaging with the people and landscape that surround it.

 

 

Refined Materiality

This generational home was designed as a gathering place for an international client’s extended family. A longtime appreciator of modern design, the owner was looking to carefully craft a biophilic living space for his wife and young twins, as well as a home to entertain and host visiting friends and family.

 

Design Philosophy

The private site is situated on a flag lot, surrounded by open space with mature perimeter trees and vegetation. The 455m² structure consists of two forms layered perpendicularly. On the ground level, a kitchen, dining, and family room flow naturally into outdoor living spaces, centered around a passively cooled double-height living room that pulls cold air from lower levels to the warmer second story via strategically placed windows. A covered patio at the rear of the house and trellis at the front foster a sense of openness; the surrounding scenery is framed thoughtfully by architecture, becoming almost transparent.

The L-shaped structure nestles a protected, private courtyard and pool between the house and hillside, which directly connects to the guest suite. The suite is thoughtfully designed as a space for the client’s visiting parents. Supported by the lower level on one end and the hillside on the other, the private second floor is balanced gracefully atop its lower counterpart. The primary suite lightly floats above a grove of mature oaks, overlooking distant views of the San Francisco Bay to the north. On the opposite end, the twins’ rooms mirror each other as to “not to favor one over the other”, equally divided by a shared study nook.

 

 

Functional Organization

A double height stone clad fireplace connects the first and second floors, and wood slats splash patterns of daylight onto a rich material palette. A subterranean level houses the office, guest room, and nanny suite, complimented by lightwells that welcome natural light into each space. The office connects via an outdoor staircase to the covered patio -a primary outdoor gathering space for friends and family, with a fireplace and moveable wood slatted screens allowing flexibility to control exposure to southern sunlight.

 

 

Material Palette

The home’s materiality is subtle and refined, allowing natural textures to create visual contrast. The exterior is clad with bush-hammered travertine and reclaimed Ulin wood siding. A simple, warm interior palette of white oak paneling, black laminate, and white marble with brass accents allows the surrounding landscape to add color and light. Understated, comfortable furnishings accented with the daughter’s hand sketches create a warm, open, materially rich space deeply and intimately connected to the site and its occupants.

 

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.

 

Displaced volumes

The project αφορά a residence on a narrow, elongated plot, where the architectural composition is structured through two distinct rectangular volumes in displacement, developing linearly along the length of the site.

 

Design Philosophy

The residence is formed through the interplay between a solid, elevated volume and a more transparent ground floor. Their relative displacement generates a permeable nucleus of semi-outdoor living, functioning as an intermediate threshold between interior and exterior. This space establishes a direct visual and functional continuity with the main living areas. The linear development of the composition responds to the geometry of the plot, reinforcing clarity in spatial organization and continuity in the living experience.

 

 

Material Palette

Exposed concrete constitutes the dominant material of the composition, expressed with a clear, monolithic character that conveys a sense of mass and permanence. Along the eastern boundary of the plot, a rough stone wall with discreet openings defines the outdoor living zone, while simultaneously integrating elements of outdoor cooking and gathering. The juxtaposition of materials (concrete and stone) establishes a balance between the artificial and the natural, strengthening the building’s relationship with its landscape.

At ground level, the main living spaces are directly connected to the landscaped environment and the water element. Sliding glass panels, fully concealed within specially designed wall recesses, allow for the complete unification of interior and exterior spaces, dissolving their boundaries and creating a continuous spatial condition of habitation.

 

 

Lighting Strategy

The upper floor accommodates the private areas of the residence, protected by deep overhangs that incorporate planting and contribute to passive solar shading. Light is treated as a primary compositional tool: at the termination of the building, a long horizontal opening operates as a “ribbon” of light, relieving the mass of the concrete while selectively framing views toward the surrounding landscape.

A curved cut within part of this opening, positioned above the children’s bedrooms, introduces a softer geometric gesture, mitigating the strictness of the primary volumes. Through this intervention, the composition acquires a more expressive quality, where rigid geometry engages in dialogue with a more fluid formal articulation.

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.

 

Set within a valley at the foot of a wooded hillside, the house is embedded in a landscape often veiled in shadow, protected by both slope and vegetation. The project emerges from this chiaroscuro condition, proposing the restoration of the original structure alongside the addition of a suspended extension – an intervention defined by lightness, openness and a renewed relationship with the surrounding environment.

 

Restoration Strategy

The existing building, a construction of notable character, has been carefully restored through a process of subtraction rather than transformation. Interior partitions and superfluous finishes were removed, allowing the spatial continuity to re-emerge while revealing the integrity of the original timber framework. Plaster coatings were stripped away, exposing the tactile qualities of stone and embedded flint, while existing shutters were cleaned and reinstated.

This approach reestablishes the house’s primary material expression and reinforces its anchoring within the Vexin landscape. The architecture does not impose a new identity but instead clarifies and amplifies what was already present, allowing the structure to reconnect with its historical and material context.

 

 

Design Philosophy

In contrast to the grounded, mineral presence of the original volume, the extension adopts a distinctly lighter architectural language. Positioned perpendicular to the existing structure, it extends beyond the shaded footprint to capture optimal sunlight. Elevated three meters above the natural terrain, the new volume engages directly with the slope and surrounding vegetation, establishing a dynamic spatial dialogue between ground and canopy.

A slender footbridge, constructed in wood and clad in polished stainless steel, connects the two volumes, framing views toward the forest while reflecting the sky. This transitional element reinforces the experiential sequence between old and new, shadow and light, enclosure and openness.

 

 

Material Palette & Structure

The extension is anchored by foundations of exposed aggregate concrete incorporating flint, establishing continuity with local construction methods and materials. Above this base rises a triangulated pine structure, articulated through a fine and rhythmic framework that defines the project’s light and elevated silhouette.

This structural system, both precise and expressive, supports an architecture that balances stability and suspension. The interplay between the restored mass and the lightweight addition generates a cohesive composition that explores contrasts – between heaviness and lightness, opacity and transparency, shadow and illumination.

Between anchoring and elevation, the project articulates a nuanced architectural response to its environment, proposing a dwelling that is both embedded in its context and open to transformation over time.

 

Continuous dialogue

Set within a site of remarkable natural beauty and surrounded by a golf course, the residence is conceived as an architectural composition that seeks to integrate seamlessly with its landscape. Through a careful articulation of volumetry and material expression, the project balances an extensive program with a sense of spatial clarity and harmony. The L-shaped plan is positioned at a slightly elevated level relative to the street, allowing unobstructed panoramic views across the otherwise flat terrain. This gesture establishes a gradual spatial transition while encouraging a continuous dialogue between interior and exterior environments.

 

Design Philosophy

The formal language of the residence is defined by the interplay of strong horizontal lines and a series of nuanced geometric transformations. Corners are beveled, curved, or inclined, generating a dynamic architectural composition that combines precision with expressive fluidity. The material palette reinforces this relationship with the surrounding landscape, employing light and earthy tones that enhance visual continuity. Wood elements, applied in panels and ceilings, are paired with a metal structure, while exposed light concrete introduces a subtle contrast against the warmer textures of the ground floor. A large, slatted panel on the upper level further accentuates the sense of lightness, contributing to the layered articulation of the façade.

 

 

Spatial Organization

The architectural composition unfolds through a clear organizational strategy that divides the residence into two primary volumes. A longitudinal wing accommodates the private program, including three suites, a physiotherapy space, and a home office, while a transversal volume concentrates the social and service areas, such as the kitchen, dining space, and auxiliary functions. Upon entry, gently inclined and curved walls guide movement toward the main living area, establishing a fluid spatial sequence that connects directly with the leisure zones. The integration of amenities, including sauna, spa, gym, and children’s area, is enhanced by retractable glass panels, allowing for flexibility and continuity. This entire leisure front is illuminated by zenithal natural light, ensuring both privacy and spatial clarity.

 

 

Lighting Design & Materials

Large, glazed surfaces establish a constant visual connection with the surrounding landscape, framing views and reinforcing the contemplative character of the residence. Architectural elements such as pergolas and inclined planes modulate light and shadow across the façades, introducing temporal variation throughout the day. On the upper floor, the master suite and additional bedrooms are arranged along the axes of the L-shaped plan, complemented by workspaces that benefit from the tranquility of the setting. A metal slat screen filters natural light while preserving privacy, and a continuous metallic eave outlines the volume with refined subtlety. Internally, the design language mirrors the exterior, combining warm tones, natural light, curated artworks, and selected furniture pieces into a cohesive and elegant spatial experience.

 

Spatial symphony

Tucked within the dense urban fabric of Limassol, the project is conceived as a refined retreat that explores the expressive potential of materiality, light and spatial continuity. The interior unfolds as a carefully curated composition, where tactile surfaces, layered lighting and bespoke details generate an atmosphere that is both intimate and elevated. Each element contributes to a narrative of lived elegance, where design operates not only as a visual language but as an experiential medium.

 

Spatial Organization

The living area develops as a fluid, open-plan environment, where spatial boundaries dissolve in favor of continuity and visual cohesion. A backlit library wall acts as a central architectural gesture, emitting a soft, ambient glow reminiscent of sunset light, while simultaneously functioning as a display system for curated objects and books. This illuminated surface anchors the space, introducing a gallery-like quality to the domestic setting.

Furniture elements are positioned to enhance both comfort and contrast, with a saddle leather grey sofa paired with a vivid red armchair. Full-height glazing extends the interior toward the exterior balcony, establishing a direct visual connection with a vibrant courtyard mural and reinforcing the dialogue between interior and exterior expression.

Material Palette

The kitchen is conceived as the operational core of the residence, balancing everyday functionality with social interaction. Wood cabinetry introduces warmth, while grey stone countertops and integrated appliances articulate a contemporary aesthetic. The central island operates as both workspace and gathering point, seamlessly connecting kitchen, dining and living areas.

In the dining space, a sculptural rose gold chandelier defines the atmosphere, casting diffused light across the black dining table. Upholstered seating and layered table settings introduce a sense of refined informality, while sheer curtains modulate daylight, producing a calm and intimate environment.

 

 

Lighting Design

The bedroom is approached as a sensorial environment, where texture and material layering define spatial identity. Denim-textured wall coverings establish a soft, woven backdrop, framing a sculptural bed upholstered in green textile. Complementary green marble surfaces and leather-wrapped details introduce a nuanced material dialogue, balancing tactility with precision.

Lighting plays a critical role in shaping the atmosphere, with brass-detailed track systems highlighting artworks and surfaces, while a chandelier composed of golden leaf elements introduces a focal, almost scenographic quality. The resulting composition reinforces a sense of intimacy, transforming the bedroom into a contemplative and immersive space.

Overall, the interior design achieves a cohesive synthesis of function, craftsmanship and narrative, aligning seamlessly with the architectural framework of the residence while articulating a distinct and layered domestic experience.

 

Material coherence

Located in São Paulo, the project is conceived with materiality as the central axis of the design and spatial integration as the guiding principle of its architectural organization. The residence articulates a refined architectural language shaped by precision in detailing and a nuanced understanding of contemporary domestic life.

 

Material Palette

Concrete defines the structural and formal expression of the composition, lending the house a distinct urban character. In contrast, freijó wood veneer millwork unfolds continuously throughout the interiors, establishing a cohesive spatial narrative that connects diverse programmatic elements, from the home theater to the guest bedroom. Doors clad in natural banana leaf fibers introduce a layer of texture and tactility, reinforcing the project’s engagement with the expressive potential of materials. The resulting palette establishes a balanced dialogue between rustic references and a contemporary architectural language.

 

 

Spatial Organization

The spatial organization is structured through calibrated degrees of openness and enclosure, enabling a fluid and coherent reading of the house. The kitchen and dining area share a unified visual and material field, allowing for complete integration, while auxiliary functions, such as the wine cellar and support pantry, are accommodated in more contained spatial conditions. Circulation unfolds seamlessly, enhancing the continuity of movement and reinforcing the experiential quality of everyday living.

 

 

Design Philosophy

The relationship between architecture and nature plays a central role in the project’s conception. The gourmet area is organized around an existing tree, which is incorporated as an active spatial element within the design. The garden extends into the interior, operating as a natural continuation of the architectural framework and dissolving the boundary between inside and outside.

On the third floor, dedicated entirely to the couple, the primary suite establishes a direct connection with the exterior through expansive openings. The bathroom, enveloped by vegetation, extends outward to a terrace with a hot tub, amplifying the sensory experience of inhabitation. An adjacent office space is integrated into this level, connected through a custom-designed bookcase that combines storage, library and functional support, maintaining the overall spatial and material coherence.

 

Introverted courtyard

The house is located in a suburban area of Nicosia and was designed to establish a strong connection between indoor and outdoor living, drawing references from the urban Cypriot houses of the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

 

Spatial Organization

This contemporary approach reinterprets the courtyard as the living core of the residence. The main spaces – living room, dining area, kitchen and two bedrooms – are arranged in an L-shaped layout around a central courtyard. At the heart of the composition, an elongated water element, the pool, acts as a natural extension of the living space.

The presence of water enhances the dialogue between inside and outside, while also contributing significantly to the formation of a favorable microclimate, providing natural cooling during the summer months. The courtyard thus becomes an intermediate space of everyday life, where the boundaries between private and open-air environments are softened.

 

 

Material Palette

The architectural proposal follows a strict minimalist logic, emphasizing geometric clarity and the elimination of any superfluous elements. The volumes are defined by clean lines, while the composition is structured around the balance between solid and void.

Exposed concrete is the dominant material, selected for both its structural properties and its restrained aesthetic. This unified materiality ensures coherence and durability, while the clean surfaces act as a canvas for the interplay of natural light and shifting shadows throughout the day.

 

 

Bioclimatic Strategy

The design carefully utilizes orientation and cross-ventilation to ensure optimal airflow and natural lighting. At the same time, the introverted organization of the residence guarantees a high level of privacy, in contrast to the surrounding urban context.

The result is a residence that engages with local architectural heritage, translating it into a contemporary language. Through the synthesis of space, material and climate, the project responds to current needs for quality of life, flexibility and a meaningful connection with the natural environment.

 

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.

 

Consolidating functions

The Exeter Road Pavilion is an adaptive reuse of a modest Victorian garden outbuilding in northwest London, reimagined as a hybrid domestic and social space for an art collector and amateur DJ. Conceived as both a storage environment and a setting for leisure, the project consolidates diverse functions – archiving, display, gathering, and recreation – within a unified architectural gesture that extends from interior to landscape.

 

Design Philosophy

At the core of the proposal lies a continuous cabinet, operating as a contemporary cabinet of curiosities. Beginning within the refurbished structure and extending outward into the garden, this linear element accommodates an array of uses: art storage and display, shelving for books and vinyl records, a DJ station, a television, and personal artifacts. As it moves outdoors, it integrates recreational functions, including a ping-pong table, weights, and garden games, maintaining spatial continuity across interior and exterior domains.

Encased in a perforated stainless-steel screen, the cabinet oscillates between transparency and opacity. Its surface reflects and filters light, producing shifting visual conditions throughout the day. This duality allows the cabinet to simultaneously reveal and conceal its contents, reinforcing its role as both container and spatial mediator.

 

 

Structural Logic

The cabinet operates not only as storage but also as a structural system, supporting the canopy that extends over the outdoor space. The relationship between these elements introduces a deliberate tension, inspired by the precarious compositions of Fischli & Weiss. Rather than adhering to conventional structural logic, the design removes an expected column, redistributing forces through a counterbalancing system.

This equilibrium is achieved through a precisely milled marble mass embedded within a galvanized steel I-beam, paired with a tension rod anchored to a concealed concrete block below ground. The resulting configuration establishes a legible yet unconventional structural narrative, where balance is perceived as dynamic and contingent rather than fixed.

 

 

Materials & Sustainability

The canopy itself is composed of layered materials – marble, steel, and polycarbonate – articulated in a clear tectonic hierarchy. Stainless steel cladding on the cabinet mirrors the surrounding vegetation, while translucent roofing elements diffuse light into the space below. This material palette oscillates between raw and refined, grounding the project in both industrial precision and environmental responsiveness.

Through reflection, translucency, and spatial extension, the pavilion dissolves the boundary between interior and exterior. It becomes an instrument for observing seasonal and daily changes, where light, vegetation, and built form interact continuously. The project ultimately establishes a condition in which structure, storage, and landscape remain in constant and perceptible dialogue.

 

Core of everyday life

In the heart of the settlement of Pollonia in Milos, a polygonal plot is transformed into a complex spatial organism, where the notion of the courtyard is reinterpreted as the core of everyday life. The proposal reconstructs the atmosphere of the Cycladic village through a contemporary architectural language, creating an environment that balances between privacy and collectivity.

 

Design Philosophy

The plan unfolds along the perimeter of the plot, with independent rooms arranged as volumes tracing its boundary. Within, a network of courtyards and pathways is formed, composing a sequence of open and semi-open spaces. The visitor is invited to navigate this system, discovering hidden corners and inner gardens, and choosing between moments of seclusion or social interaction.

The architectural experience is structured as a succession of spatial transitions, where movement becomes a key tool for understanding the project. The routes are non-linear, gradually revealing the whole and reinforcing the sense of a village at a micro scale.

 

 

Materiality & Architectural Language

The volumes develop across two levels, forming a clear dual material expression. A grounded base of exposed stone anchors the composition, while the white upper level appears to hover lightly above it, separated by a subtle shadow gap. This contrast enhances the plasticity of the composition and articulates the relationship between heaviness and lightness.

The architectural language of projections, corners, and openings generates a dynamic interplay of light and shadow, constantly shifting throughout the day. Light operates as an active design element, revealing material textures and intensifying spatial perception.

Finally, a third layer of materiality is introduced through metal elements. Pergolas and vertical corten features define the boundaries of the gardens, filter light, and create intermediate zones of privacy.

 

 

Spatial Organization

The six suites, featuring double-height interiors, are conceived as minimal and luminous spaces of accommodation. The architecture avoids unnecessary decoration, allowing the contrasts between materials and light to shape the atmosphere.

The courtyard, as a fundamental element of Cycladic typology, re-emerges as a place of gathering and social interaction. Sheltered from the wind, it functions as an inner garden where guests form a temporary community. Through this gesture, the architecture establishes the conditions for shared experiences, conversation, and exchange.

The project constitutes a contemporary interpretation of the traditional settlement, where respect for place is combined with the creation of new modes of inhabitation. It is an environment that balances individuality and collectivity, offering a refuge of simplicity and authenticity within the landscape of Milos.

 

Spatial mediator

Set within the tall perimeter walls of a disused factory, the project unfolds as a carefully orchestrated intervention that redefines the relationship between domestic life, industrial memory, and landscape. Rather than demolishing the existing structure, the proposal preserves its masonry enclosure, transforming constraints into spatial opportunities. Hidden behind a modest entrance, the residence reveals itself gradually, structured around a central open-air garden that becomes the core of the architectural composition.

 

Renovation Strategy

Facing a public square in Lendinara, the project presents a restrained and almost opaque exterior. A tall wall, marked by an irregular profile, recalls the layered history of industrial constructions in the area. The only visible opening – a small iron door – conceals the spatial richness beyond. Once inside, the perception shifts dramatically, revealing a lush, enclosed garden defined by high walls and climbing vegetation.

Located in a context where traces of past industrial activity coexist with residential fabric and green spaces, the project engages directly with its surroundings. The proximity to the public park and the historic garden of Ca’ Dolfin-Marchiori informs the architectural strategy, introducing landscape as an essential component of the dwelling experience.

 

 

Landscape Design

At the heart of the project lies the garden, conceived as an open-air room that organizes the entire domestic program. Created through the partial demolition of the factory roof and the repositioning of the new volume, this green courtyard introduces light, air, and visual continuity into an otherwise introverted structure.

The house develops as a compact, two-level volume inserted within the preserved perimeter walls. Its spatial configuration establishes a continuous dialogue with the garden, most notably through a double-height living space that opens fully onto it via a large, glazed façade. Framed by a timber lattice structure, this transparent surface mediates between interior and exterior, reinforcing the vertical rhythm of the composition and extending into the roof geometry.

 

 

Design Philosophy

The project is defined by a deliberate interplay between openness and enclosure, visibility and concealment. From the street, the house remains entirely hidden, while internally it unfolds through carefully framed views toward greenery. This sequence of spatial transitions constructs a controlled yet dynamic experience of movement and perception.

Materially and structurally, the intervention balances timber, steel, and glass within the existing masonry framework. The new construction echoes the industrial profile of the former building, while introducing a refined architectural language that emphasizes lightness and spatial continuity.

Guided by the notion of landscape as an architectural device, the design moves beyond nostalgic references to industrial heritage. Instead, it repositions the garden as a fundamental condition of contemporary dwelling – not as a decorative element, but as a necessary spatial and environmental mediator that defines the identity of the house.

Horizontal form

Located in Agios Tychonas, Cyprus, this private residence is conceived as a clear architectural composition of horizontal and vertical volumes that respond to the natural slope of the site. The building rests on an exposed concrete structural frame that establishes a solid base, while the white-rendered upper level introduces a sense of visual lightness. Continuous south-facing glazing and wooden louvers reinforce the relationship between interior space and landscape, creating transparency and warmth. The overall composition emphasizes horizontality, directing views toward the horizon and the infinity pool, which operates as a spatial extension of the interior living areas. The project’s architectural identity balances the raw texture of concrete with warm wooden surfaces and glass, establishing a contemporary dialogue with the surrounding natural environment.

 

Spatial Organization

The functional layout is structured around an open-plan ground floor where living, dining and kitchen spaces unfold seamlessly toward the outdoor terrace and swimming pool. This arrangement strengthens the connection between interior and exterior while extending everyday living into the garden.

The upper level accommodates the private areas of the house. Bedrooms and bathrooms are organized along a linear circulation corridor and are complemented by perimeter balconies that enhance privacy while encouraging cross-ventilation. The clarity of the plan establishes strong visual axes that guide the gaze toward the surrounding landscape, while allowing flexibility of use and a comfortable everyday spatial experience.

Bioclimatic Strategy

Environmental considerations are integrated into the project from the earliest stages of design. The building’s orientation and form respond directly to the climatic characteristics of the site, enabling passive regulation of temperature and daylight.

Carefully positioned overhangs and cantilevered elements, combined with adjustable wooden louvers, mitigate solar exposure during the summer months while allowing the lower winter sun to penetrate the interior spaces. Large openings facilitate natural cross-ventilation and passive cooling, while the exposed concrete structure operates as thermal mass, storing and gradually releasing heat to maintain stable indoor conditions.

 

 

Materials & Landscape Design

The architectural expression of the residence emerges from the dialogue between its material palette and the surrounding landscape. Concrete, wood, glass and white render are employed with restraint, establishing a balanced composition that reflects both modernist clarity and sensitivity to place.

Strategic planting around the perimeter contributes to the improvement of the microclimate, while the presence of the pool and landscaped surfaces enhances evaporative cooling. The overall form of the building adapts to the topography of the site, minimizing environmental impact while shaping a calm and open living environment.

Through this approach, the residence functions as a contemporary retreat where interior and exterior spaces merge seamlessly. Each volume, opening and material choice contributes to a spatial experience that prioritizes sustainability, clarity and a strong relationship with the natural landscape.

 

Domestic landscape

The redesign of this compact urban apartment emerged through close and meaningful collaboration with its users, aiming to create an environment that responds to contemporary needs for living, working, and everyday flexibility. The project is grounded in the idea that spatial quality is not determined by size, but by clarity of organization, the flow of natural light, and the conscious integration of functions.

 

Spatial Organization

The original layout was reconsidered through a process of spatial reprogramming, with the primary strategy focusing on the creation of a unified open-plan environment. The selective removal of walls allowed new visual connections and spatial relationships to emerge, enhancing both the penetration of natural light and the continuity of movement throughout the apartment.

A key element of the composition is the custom-designed opening between the entrance and the dining area. This architectural gesture functions simultaneously as a light filter, a transitional threshold, and a spatial organizer, introducing clarity to the spatial sequence while reinforcing the perception of depth within the interior.

Material Palette

The material identity of the project is defined through a restrained yet expressive palette of natural materials. Wood and marble are combined in specially designed built-in constructions that accommodate storage, work surfaces, and everyday functions.

Furniture is approached as an architectural component rather than as independent objects. In this way, it becomes organically integrated into the spatial composition, reinforcing the sense of coherence and visual clarity within the interior. These integrated solutions enable the efficient use of space without visually overwhelming the environment.

 

 

Custom Elements

Particular emphasis was placed on flexibility and multifunctionality. Office furniture, storage units, and adaptable surfaces are carefully integrated so that the space can easily transform to accommodate different scenarios of use – from working from home to everyday living and social gatherings.

The final result is a bright and balanced domestic environment, where the clarity of the design, the consistency of the material palette, and the careful detailing transform a small apartment into a flexible and contemporary living landscape. Through targeted architectural interventions, the project demonstrates how compact living can be reimagined as a refined and cohesive spatial experience.

 

Inhabited shadow

Located next to the Sotogrande golf course, this house was designed to dwell inside the shadow, in-between the ground plane and the flat roof that hovers above. This generous cantilever not only provides shelter from the intense sun of Cadiz but also offers protection against the heavy rainfall arriving from the nearby Grazalema mountain range, the region with the highest precipitation in the Iberian Peninsula.

 

Design Philosophy

The design establishes four distinct architectural boundaries that define the spatial experience of the house. Below, the ground plane receives the imprint of the shadow. Above, the roof slab is designed with a water surface, functioning both as an aesthetic and a bioclimatic element. Peripherally, a continuous floor-to-ceiling glass façade allows for efficient climate control within the interior while maintaining unobstructed views and seamless movement towards the landscape. Finally, the inner core features a wooden volume that ensures the necessary privacy for the rooms while introducing warmth throughout the space.

 

 

Functional Layout

Access to the house is from the upper street, a strategic point that offers a privileged view of the landscape and the water surface on the roof -an unexpected feature that provides thermal and acoustic insulation. The water layer absorbs heat during the day and gradually releases it at night, reducing the need for artificial heating and cooling.

The roof and ground planes are subtly displaced to create a covered entrance leading to the main access, parallel to an infinity pool that extends towards the golf course. Internally, the program is organized around a central circulation core, which also incorporates skylights that bring natural light into the central spaces and guide movement towards the rooftop water surface.

 

 

Materials & Furniture

One of the primary design requirements was the use of materials that compose a warm color palette. As a result, the entire ground surface -both indoors and outdoors is clad in large-format off-white ceramic slabs, harmonizing with the wooden finishes of the core and the free-standing walls that define different interior areas. The furniture is dominated by natural wood and textured white fabrics, while linear warm white lighting highlights the overall composition.

Throughout the day, sunlight washes across textured surfaces and natural materials, accentuating depth and shadow while reinforcing the continuity between interior and exterior spaces. During the evening, a carefully composed artificial lighting scheme takes over through discreet, indirect fixtures integrated into ceilings, walls and architectural details. Warm, low-intensity lighting highlights key spatial elements and circulation paths while maintaining a soft ambient glow that preserves the serene character of the residence, allowing the architecture and material palette to remain the focal point of the spatial experience.

The design aims to minimize the building’s footprint on the environment, creating a living experience within the shaded zone defined between the two primary planes. Through a simple architectural gesture, the house orchestrates an experience with a strong identity and a timeless character.

 

Urban shelter

Located along one of Mashhad’s main boulevards, the project emerged as an architectural pause within the density and disorder of the city, seeking to reintroduce calmness, intimacy and balance into a fragmented urban landscape. The residence is conceived not merely as a five-storey building, but as a vertical garden and contemplative retreat. It negotiates movement and stillness, presence and seclusion, urban exposure and domestic introspection. An architecture that breathes with the city while offering refuge from it.

 

Context Integration

Situated at minimal distance from a major boulevard, the project confronts the intensity of traffic, noise and visual clutter that define this urban edge. The surrounding fabric is composed primarily of low-rise, aging houses of limited architectural value; The project was the first contemporary intervention on the street and therefore assumed a dual role: to act as a prototype for future development while remaining a respectful neighbor.

Within this modest green setting, a single Afra tree stood as the only trace of nature in the lane. Opposite the site, views open toward a row of auto-repair workshops and disordered rooftops, conditions that demanded careful mediation rather than confrontation. The project thus positions itself as a composed urban façade toward the boulevard, while cultivating an inward-looking domestic sanctuary for its residents.

 

 

Spatial Organization

The building’s spatial logic is structured around the interplay of light, greenery and privacy. Two primary volumes organize the program: a southern box accommodating private spaces and oriented toward optimal sunlight, and a northern box containing public functions in closer dialogue with the street. A continuous architectural envelope unifies these volumes into a coherent mass, negotiating between exposure and retreat.

As the first structure along the alley, the building establishes its own height datum in relation to pedestrian scale and anticipated neighboring constructions – an act of measured restraint rather than assertion. The presence of the existing Afra tree inspired the creation of a terrace that vertically extends this fragment of greenery across upper levels, enabling residents to cultivate their own planted thresholds over time.

By rotating the northern public volume toward this terrace, the design transforms the outdoor space into a central spatial nucleus rather than a secondary amenity. Anticipating future urban densification, the project avoids dependence on distant views, instead generating internalized qualities through layered sections, filtered light and spatial depth.

 

 

Material Palette

A permeable brick screen wraps the entire building, forming a porous membrane between dwelling and city. Behind it, a narrow green patio runs along the façade, introducing vegetation and diffused daylight into the interior while softening the harsh outlook toward the workshops across the street. This brick layer performs as a climatic and visual filter, moderating light, temperature and privacy, operating less as ornament and more as a responsive skin.

The building’s fluid appearance emerges from a disciplined modular system, lending the mass a subtle dynamism: grounded among its older neighbors, yet gently inclining toward the boulevard as if acknowledging the city’s rhythm. Inside, the layout privileges flexibility and calibrated ambiguity. Rooms adapt to evolving domestic routines; furniture becomes a spatial mediator, and light itself operates as a subtle partition. The kitchen and living areas maintain partial opacity, extending the façade’s conceptual dialogue of “seeing” and “being seen” into the interior realm.

 

Geometric elements

Built amidst fields of wheat, the house is defined by the geometric treatment of three natural elements: Earth, water, and light. The composition becomes a sequence of different impressions throughout the day, and the poetics of space creates a detachment from the environment, as a layout raised above the landscape.

 

Design Philosophy

At once, a home, and imagery: the former attribute is experienced practically, and the latter becomes the source of ideas. One layout and one clear line, diagonally traced upon a simple volume, define the building. It is an elongated volume of bare concrete, placed in-between the ground and the sky. Its elegant character is described in simple lines, uniting and dividing.

The floor-to-ceiling opening maintains proportions which allow an unobstructed sky view. The building volume is subtracted from the soil, creating a seamless flow of open air space beneath – a gesture further accentuated with the water axis, perpendicular to the building.

 

 

Façade Morphology

The shell is introverted, with only a few incisions on its surface, and the dominant bare concrete is complemented with a screen of perforated, folded bronze shades. Contact with the outside remains at the disposition of the inhabitant. Each idea requires a practical application. The living experience is entirely introverted, with the materiality of concrete enforcing this impression. The bold gesture at the entrance -an oversized prism which absorbs a disproportionate part of the whole- acts as a bridge to the interior, with its geometry and size underlining the distance between public and private.

 

 

Materials & Sustainability

Incisions are few, and precise: one opening at the kitchen looks downwards; one light well at the end of the corridor accentuates a sculpture in space, and marks arrival. At the entrance prism, a vertical aperture is juxtaposed to the incision of the kitchen; as a result, each afternoon, a strip of light crosses through. Those elements are brought into a marked contrast with the other two faces of the volume, where the wall is expressed as absence.

The shading device is also a mechanism, a filter in an environmental approach. The ample height of the spaces alludes to vernacular architecture, where the large air volume stabilizes interior temperature. The thermal mass of the walls adds to this effect. The tectonic shell of the project wraps this interior in an austere line, without any superficial gestures.

 

Targeted interventions

Athena Residence is the renovation of a 1960s apartment in central Athens, conceived as a small-scale hospitality project within the dense urban fabric of Kolonaki.

 

Adaptive Reuse

Located in Kolonaki and completed in 2024, the project responds to the evolving reality of contemporary Athens, where domestic interiors are increasingly required to accommodate hybrid modes of inhabitation – daily life alongside short-term stays. Working within the constraints of an existing building and a tightly defined budget, the project adopts a strategy of light yet decisive intervention. Rather than pursuing formal transformation, the design prioritizes reuse, spatial clarity and long-term performance.

The original timber flooring was carefully retained and restored, grounding the apartment in its material past. New bespoke joinery elements in timber and brass organize the kitchen, storage and wardrobes as fixed architectural components rather than loose furnishings, reinforcing a sense of permanence and cohesion. Subtle reconfigurations of the layout enhance circulation, daylight penetration and spatial flexibility, allowing the apartment to adapt to shifting patterns of occupation without altering its structural logic.

 

 

Sustainability Approach

Operational energy formed a central pillar of the project’s sustainable agenda. In a city where much of the residential stock remains energetically inefficient, the renovation focused on substantially reducing operational demand instead of relying on superficial upgrades. High-performance glazing, low-energy lighting, photovoltaic provision and the replacement of the existing gas heating system with an air-source heat pump collectively led to a reduction of more than 65% in operational energy consumption. The apartment’s energy classification was upgraded from Z to B+, marking a significant environmental improvement within the existing shell.

 

 

Design Philosophy

Athena Residence reflects a broader architectural attitude emerging in Athens, one that values continuity, responsibility and careful engagement with the existing built fabric. Rather than extracting value through spectacle, the project demonstrates how targeted, precise interventions can enhance comfort, environmental performance and longevity. In doing so, it proposes an alternative model of small-scale hospitality: one embedded in the city’s everyday life, respectful of its material history and oriented toward durable, long-term use.

 

The courtyard as an extension

This project concerns the renovation of an apartment located in a 1970s residential building in Palaio Psychiko. The residence unfolds across two levels, ground floor and basement, and features an open-air courtyard at the rear, conceived as a natural extension of the domestic space.

 

Renovation Strategy

A fundamental architectural intention was to respect the morphology and materiality of the existing shell. No alterations were made to the exterior façades, apart from careful maintenance and the subtle enhancement of the original materials, preserving the building’s character within its urban context. The interior layout is structured around principles of clarity, fluid circulation and functional simplicity, prioritizing comfort and adaptability in everyday living.

 

 

Material Palette

The aesthetic direction follows a minimal approach, articulated through an earthy color palette, wood-effect surfaces and nuanced variations of texture across walls and built-in furnishings. Warm lighting reinforces a sense of calm, while concealed lighting elements and refined finishes in the bathrooms cultivate an atmosphere of relaxation and intimacy.

 

 

Courtyard Design

The uncovered rear space is transformed into a sheltered courtyard, where the preservation of the existing stone surfaces and the integration of built-in seating with planters strengthen the dialogue between interior and exterior. A generous opening in the living area visually and functionally unifies these two realms, culminating in a residence defined by quiet quality and a timeless architectural character.

 

In-between zone

The residence is located in the region of Argolis, in Ermioni, on an amphitheatrical site offering views to the sea to the north and the mountainous terrain to the east. The design field itself dictated from the outset the manner in which the building would develop, shaping an architectural gesture that mediates between the road and the open landscape.

 

Spatial Organization

The building is organized to clearly define its boundaries toward the road and neighboring properties, ensuring privacy while remaining open and extroverted toward the surrounding vistas. The residence turns decisively toward the sea and the mountain, with the distinctive curve at its southwestern edge symbolically and spatially expressing this movement, while simultaneously marking the sequence of entry.

Interior spaces are arranged to secure direct visual connections with the environment. The ground floor accommodates the living areas, a guest room, and auxiliary functions serving the outdoor spaces, while the upper level hosts the bedrooms, maintaining both privacy and unobstructed views.

 

 

Design Philosophy

In front of the residence, a swimming pool extends along the façade, its geometry following that of the building and reinforcing the coherence of the composition. The water element operates as an intermediate threshold between the built structure and the natural terrain, visually amplifying the relationship with the horizon and intensifying the dialogue with the sea.

The overall configuration of the outdoor areas underscores the continuity between interior and exterior, transforming movement through the house into a sequence of experiences shaped by light, shadow, and framed views.

 

 

Material Palette

The selection of materials – stone, wood, and earthy tones – strengthens the connection to place and anchors the building within the landscape of Argolis. The architectural approach remains restrained and austere, employing clear geometries that allow the user to experience directly the relationship with nature – the sea, the mountain, and the land.

Through human scale and natural materials, the project proposes a contemporary understanding of luxury: simple, essential, and deeply intertwined with the environment and the lived experience of the landscape.

 

Civic framework

In the early 2000s, ‘Paspoel,’ a neighbourhood in Tongeren, Belgium, was seen as a poorly designed and poorly maintained social housing area lacking a distinct identity. Residents felt isolated within their apartments, surrounded by an underutilized, park-like landscape that was unsafe. The development included 192 homes spread across three monolithic blocks that were nearing the end of their lifespan. Faced with the decision to demolish or renovate, the Flemish Ministry of Housing opted for demolition, aligning with our client’s goal to significantly enhance social equity and living conditions.

 

Site Challenges

Because the site held archaeological significance, development was restricted to the foundations of existing buildings and the adjacent basement parking. Despite these limitations, the proposal envisioned an pioneering reimagining: a collection of urban villas, terraces, and a revitalized public realm that would serve as a new civic framework for the community.

The design integrates residents’ natural movement across the site – from the northeast to the southwest – within a ‘grid-like’ spatial layout. This creates a series of interconnected ‘outdoor rooms’ that frame daily journeys and spontaneous interactions amongst neighbors. These outdoor spaces encourage community bonding, stewardship, and healthy living through areas designated for gathering, playing, and growing.

 

 

Functional Organization

The ground floors, framed by buildings ranging from three to eight stories, offer ample opportunities for social interaction. Terraces with front doors navigate the sloping terrain, while wide ‘galleries’ allow neighbors to connect while overlooking gardens. The broad entrances of the urban villas extend over public spaces, providing shelter, pathways, and seating. New community rooms at ground level serve as venues for meetings and local events. Landscaped areas cater to all ages, featuring basketball courts, formal play zones, community gardens, and sheltered lawns for informal recreation. Trees line key pathways, serving as shelters and defining three communal areas. A pedestrian street at the heart of the project, lively with front-door activity, supports outdoor pop-up events.

 

 

Construction Strategy

A crucial aspect of the project was ensuring residents could remain on site throughout the transformation. Due to limited buildable space, a complex phased construction plan was implemented over ten years. The basement parking permitted initial phases to be built between the old structures, facilitating a gradual process of demolition, construction, and resident relocation.

The “Caring Neighborhoods” initiative launched alongside construction fostered cooperation among residents, volunteers, associations, and professionals. Emphasizing livability and community involvement, this program brought services closer to residents.

 

Clear details

The primary intention of the project was to create a residence that offers protection without sacrificing a sense of openness -an environment in which spaces are revealed gradually, guiding the experience from the urban frontage toward a luminous inner world.

 

Design Philosophy

The architectural composition is organized through horizontal volumes that slide past one another, forming shaded seating areas and carefully calibrated openings. These elements express the project’s central idea: a dialogue between transparency and privacy. Toward the street, the building adopts a more introverted stance, allowing only selective views outward. Near the garden, however, the architecture becomes almost diaphanous, as large sliding surfaces open entire façades, integrating the exterior into the everyday life of the interior spaces. Materiality follows the same logic: clean horizontal lines, textured plaster finishes, and solid surfaces convey stability, while expansive glazing introduces lightness and permeability.

 

 

Spatial Organization

Within the interior prevails a strong sense of continuity. The ground floor functions as a unified social field where the living area, kitchen, and dining space flow seamlessly into one another. The dining area, conceived as a double-height space, forms the spatial core of the house. A large skylight above allows natural light to penetrate deep into the interior, creating an ever-changing atmosphere that accompanies the rhythm of the day. This luminous void acts as a vertical connector, giving the home the character of an internal “courtyard” that links the different levels.

The upper floor accommodates the private functions. The master bedroom is positioned on the most protected side of the plot and is complemented by generous auxiliary spaces. The remaining bedrooms are designed as flexible units, offering independence to family members, while the attic functions as a workspace.

 

 

Material Palette

The interior material palette remains calm and earthy: warm tones, soft textures, and refined detailing create an atmosphere of balance and serenity – an architecture grounded in restraint and light.

 

Quiet framework

The architecture is conceived as a quiet framework that intensifies the relationship between interior space and the natural environment. Rather than competing with the landscape, the building acts as a device that frames views, regulates light, and heightens awareness of external conditions, positioning the house as a precise and deliberate insertion between forest, sky, and terrain.

 

Context Integration

The project is located in a low-density residential area near the Pacific Ocean. The clients requested a residence defined by spatial clarity, privacy, and a close relationship to the surrounding landscape. The site occupies the edge of a residential zone and is characterized by dense vegetation and long-distance views toward the sea. A mandarin orchard extends along the southern slope, while a mature bamboo forest defines the western boundary. The gently sloping plot measures approximately 5,200 m², and the primary design challenge was the precise positioning of the house within this expansive and largely undeveloped landscape.

 

 

Functional Organization

The organizing element of the project is a 20-meter-long swimming pool, 5 meters wide and reaching a depth of 2.5 meters. The pool establishes the main axis of the composition and is aligned directly with the mandarin orchard. All primary spaces are arranged in relation to this linear element, allowing visual continuity across the site and positioning the pool as both a spatial and orientational device. The reflective surface of the water mediates between architecture and landscape and remains perceptible from all major interior spaces.

Access to the house is conceived as a compressed sequence. Entry occurs through a partially enclosed approach that leads to a low-lit gallery. From this transitional space, a set of wide, heavy doors opens into the main living area, where the full length of the pool and the orchard beyond are revealed. This sequence of compression and release, articulated through contrasts in ceiling height, scale, and light, draws from principles found in traditional Japanese architecture. These contrasts are subsequently resolved into a consistent structural grid with a uniform height of 3.5 meters, establishing a clear spatial rhythm across the interior.

 

 

Material Palette

The tearoom is located at the most secluded point of the plan. It is intentionally darker and more enclosed than the surrounding spaces and is oriented toward the adjacent bamboo forest. The room reinterprets elements of the traditional tea house – natural plaster finishes, bark-covered timber, and references to the work of Sen no Rikyū – a through a contemporary lens, emphasizing restraint, proportion, and material presence.

The program also includes a wine cellar, two guest bedrooms, and a fitness room, all integrated within the same structural and material logic. A restrained palette of materials and a high degree of detail control reinforce the minimalist character of the project.

 

 

Prefabricated elements

The project exemplifies an approach to residential architecture in which buildings are conceived as integral parts of their landscapes, while simultaneously advancing sustainable construction methods and future-oriented living models.

 

Design Philosophy

The residence was developed in close collaboration with the clients and explored on screen as part of a nationally recognized architecture and design program, marking a milestone in the adoption of prefabricated residential construction within a mainstream context. Particular emphasis was placed on the clarity and predictability of the construction process, with off-site fabrication allowing for strict cost control, precision, and consistency between design intent and delivery. The approach demonstrated a forward-looking model for self-built housing, in which efficiency, quality, and economic certainty are aligned.

 

 

Spatial Layout

Set within a private rural plot, the single-storey dwelling is organized to support long-term adaptability and contemporary family living. The program unfolds across four bedrooms, generous living, dining, and kitchen areas, complemented by a snug, office, and utility spaces. Additional functions are accommodated within a series of outbuildings, including a garage, gym, and workshop, which are arranged around landscaped garden zones. These outdoor spaces are shaped by the subtle rotation of the floor plan, creating varied orientations, framed views, and sheltered external areas.

 

 

Material & Construction

The building envelope is clad in black charred timber sourced in the UK, allowing the dwelling to visually recede into its natural surroundings. This material strategy balances contextual sensitivity with a strong contemporary presence, reinforcing the relationship between architecture and landscape.

The house was delivered as five prefabricated volumetric modules, installed on site within a single day. This off-site construction strategy enabled high levels of build accuracy, reduced on-site disruption, and minimized embodied carbon. Sustainably sourced timber, integrated solar systems, and a lightweight structural assembly further reinforce the project’s environmental performance.

 

Playful light

The project concerned the renovation of a 70m² second-floor apartment near Lycabettus Hill. The design follows an open-plan layout, allowing natural light to penetrate deeply into the interior. To organize the unified space, emphasis was placed on transitional areas through the use of vibrant colors and textures. The kitchen was treated as an integrated piece of built-in furniture, while metal partitions and doors were designed to accommodate different living scenarios. Distinctive features of the 1970s apartment were preserved and complemented by more vibrant and industrial elements, resulting in a layered collage of materials.

 

Renovation Strategy

The primary intervention was the relocation of the kitchen in order to optimize the apartment’s spatial organization. In its original position, the kitchen obstructed the entrance, lacked visual and functional connection with the rest of the apartment, and suffered from insufficient light and limited size. Its relocation enabled the creation of an elongated entrance hallway and a generous, multifunctional storage element incorporating an entrance bench, wardrobe, washing machine, and general storage. The kitchen was conceived as a functional object rather than a separate room – integrated into the open plan and discreetly supporting everyday activities. It is directly connected to the dining area and positioned opposite the balcony door to benefit from improved natural light.

 

 

Functional Layout

The apartment is organized into three distinct zones. The first zone, comprising transitional spaces such as the hallway and storage areas, functions as a chromatic frame for the more restrained main spaces. A key intervention involved the removal of the wall separating the bedroom from the living area, revealing the building’s structural elements, including the central column and beams. In place of the original partition, a four-leaf metal door with fluted glass was introduced, referencing traditional wooden sliding partitions commonly found in Athenian apartments. The ribbed glass enhances the 1970s aesthetic while allowing light to diffuse throughout the space and providing privacy when needed.

 

 

Material Palette

The original mosaic floor, uncovered but heavily damaged by previous interventions, was replaced with turquoise tesserae tiles that enhance light reflection in these intermediate and darker areas. Birch veneer, selected for its expressive grain and warm yellow tones, was used for the woodwork, while the entrance threshold is defined by a burgundy accent.

The second zone includes the primary living spaces – living room, dining area, and bedroom – where the existing oak parquet flooring was repaired and retained. Other elements were designed to contrast with and emphasize the warmth of the wood, incorporating industrial finishes such as exposed concrete, metal elements (including sliding doors and shelving), glass, and chrome glossy details in lighting fixtures and hardware.

The third zone, encompassing the kitchen and bathroom, features Dionysos marble as the dominant material, a reference to materials already present in the apartment. In the kitchen, the marble was applied to both countertop and backsplash, creating vivid reflections that contrast with the matte off-white lacquered cabinetry. In the bathroom, 40×40 cm marble tiles were used to introduce a more playful interpretation of this timeless material.

 

Structural honesty

The project constitutes a new residential composition on the outskirts of Chania. The proposal is developed as a set of two autonomous building volumes, organized around a clear structural logic and characterized by the extensive use of exposed reinforced concrete. The architectural language of the complex is grounded in the honesty of the load-bearing structure, transforming construction into a primary morphological element and creating a discreet yet dynamic presence within the Mediterranean landscape.

 

Design Morphology

The volumes are shaped through the interplay of solid and void, generous balconies and deep overhangs that filter natural light, provide shading, and enhance the bioclimatic performance of the residences. Large openings and carefully articulated cuts in the building envelope frame views and strengthen the relationship between interior spaces and the natural surroundings, fostering a sense of calm and clarity.

 

 

Material Palette

The interiors are designed with an emphasis on functionality, spatial flow, and simplicity. Natural materials, understated surfaces, and neutral tones compose a restrained aesthetic that highlights the character of the exposed concrete and supports a way of living closely connected to the land and the local climate. Transitions from private to semi-outdoor and outdoor spaces are smooth and seamless, reinforcing a sense of continuity and openness.

 

 

Design Philosophy

Recently completed, the project stands as an example of contemporary Mediterranean architecture that combines efficient construction methods, material economy, and a clear architectural expression. In particular, the design proposes an accessible, contemporary model of living, where structure, light, and landscape exist in a continuous dialogue.

 

Daily living

The overall approach conveys a contemporary residence of high aesthetic quality, where comfort, functionality, and materiality coexist in harmony, offering a living environment characterized by identity, calmness, and timeless value.

 

Design Philosophy

The apartment is located in the heart of Thessaloniki, on Palaion Patron Germanou Street. The new floor plan has been organized into distinct zones, responding to the everyday life of the family. A spacious common area, with direct access to the two openings on the main façade, accommodates a large kitchen with an island and dining area, along with a comfortable living room. A concealed bar and a small home office, flanked symmetrically by storage units for daily use, stand out for the character they add to the space.

Particular emphasis was placed on storage solutions, which were carefully designed both in terms of their external appearance and internal configuration, ensuring maximum spatial efficiency. The master bedroom includes a walk-in wardrobe, an additional workspace, and a private en-suite bathroom. Two children’s bedrooms and a larger shared bathroom complete the layout of the residence.

 

 

Custom Elements

Starting from the apartment’s existing morphology, a series of custom-built elements were designed to “dress” and resolve areas that required intervention. A characteristic example is the large structural beam that interrupted the open-plan space, which was reinterpreted as a coffered slab and seamlessly integrated into the overall composition. The decision to rely exclusively on custom-made furniture allowed for complete design freedom, without constraints in materials, dimensions, or standardized solutions, ensuring spatial coherence, functionality, and a unified aesthetic identity.

 

 

Materiality and Lighting

The combination of distinctive and diverse materials formed the core of the design concept, adding character and visual interest throughout the apartment while maintaining a balanced and harmonious result. Material transitions were used as a narrative tool, marking the passage from one space to another – such as the patterned tile in the entrance and hallway, which acts both as a clear threshold and as an introductory element to the living areas. Natural and artificial lighting were carefully studied to enhance textures and materials, while also shaping the appropriate atmosphere for everyday living.

 

 

Three design phases

The project focuses on the redesign of the living area, guided by the principle of preserving the existing floor plan to the greatest possible extent. The original layout comprised a clearly defined entrance hall and a closed kitchen, connected to the private quarters via a corridor. The main challenge lay in reorganizing the shared spaces to create a more open, functional, and contemporary environment, without compromising the apartment’s inherent character.

 

Functional Layout

The first phase of the intervention is defined by targeted, small-scale operations with a substantial spatial impact. The removal of the door leading to the private areas allows for the reconfiguration and functional enhancement of the kitchen. The demolition of the entrance hall partitions unifies the space and strengthens the spatial sequence from the entrance toward the living area. Simultaneously, the kitchen is directly linked to the dining and living zones, forming a continuous, open-plan environment for everyday life.

A defining feature of this phase is the introduction of sliding plywood partitions. Operating as a flexible spatial filter, they allow the kitchen to be visually and functionally concealed, when necessary, while adding material depth and warmth to the otherwise restrained, predominantly white interior.

 

 

Custom Elements

Following several years of inhabitation, the need for additional storage emerged in the form of a bookcase along the wall adjacent to the entrance. The proximity of the door to the private areas presented both a limitation and a design opportunity. In response, the second phase introduces a modular shelving system composed of three interconnected units of increasing scale. This gradual progression accommodates books of varying sizes, with the largest module positioned closest to the door.

Constructed from plywood and grey-blue Formica, the bookcase introduces a subtle chromatic accent while remaining consistent with the material language established in the first phase. The door, initially white and visually disruptive, is clad with vertical plywood strips, allowing it to dissolve into the overall composition.

 

 

Ancillary Spaces & Materials

A third phase of design and construction addresses the growing need for additional storage through an extension of the existing shelving system. The new intervention adheres to the proportions and formal logic of the original structure, while responding to the evolving functional requirements of the residents.

The extension integrates multiple functions: generous book shelving, enclosed storage, a dedicated area for removing and storing shoes upon entry, and a discreet arrangement of coat hooks. Rather than introducing a conventional wardrobe element, the design proposes a solution that maintains its spatial clarity and visual balance whether in use or left empty.

The seamless integration of the extension into the existing system is critical to the project’s success. Particular attention is given to the calibration of width and depth, ensuring continuity and coherence. The three central shelves of the new structure echo the proportions of the three sliding plywood partitions introduced in the first phase, establishing a subtle dialogue between different temporal layers of the project. A corner shelf acts as a connective element between old and new, while mobile plywood boxes on castors beneath the main shelves provide flexible and adaptable storage solutions.

 

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.

 

Stone-built form

The project is a 120 m² private residence located in Xiro Chorio, a rural settlement on the outskirts of Rethymno, Crete. Set within an olive grove, the house is conceived as a contemporary stone-built structure that draws directly from the principles of traditional Cretan architecture, both in terms of form and materiality.

 

Design Philosophy

The building is shaped as a compact, solid volume defined by load-bearing stone masonry. The use of locally referenced stone lends a strong tectonic presence and anchors the residence to its natural and cultural context. Thick stone walls, deep-set openings, and strategically placed apertures evoke traditional construction techniques, while precise detailing and clean lines introduce a contemporary architectural clarity. The roof geometry follows a simple gabled form clad with traditional ceramic tiles, reinforcing the archetypal silhouette of rural Cretan dwellings.

 

 

Spatial Organization

Subtle variations in height and volume reflect the internal spatial arrangement, particularly through the incorporation of mezzanines in two of the bedrooms. These mezzanines exploit the building’s section, allowing interior spaces to develop vertically while preserving the compact external form. The residence is organized to accommodate three bedrooms, with a clear hierarchy between private and shared areas.

 

 

Materials & Custom Elements

Openings are carefully positioned and dimensioned, establishing a controlled dialogue between interior and exterior. Narrow vertical and horizontal slits frame views of the landscape, regulate natural light, and reinforce the sense of enclosure characteristic of stone architecture. Deeply recessed window frames further emphasize the thickness of the walls and the sculptural quality of the material.

The interiors are designed as calm, tactile environments where natural light interacts with stone surfaces, enhancing the authenticity of the materials. Overall, the project represents a contemporary reinterpretation of Cretan rural architecture – a restrained stone-built dwelling that respects traditional typologies while responding to the needs of modern living. The result is a timeless, grounded home, inseparably connected to its context.

 

Multilayered structure

The residential complex is comprised of eleven units organized around a system of nested spatial layers. At its core lies the “Void Core,” acting as a conduit for light and air. This central element is surrounded by the primary living “Space,” which is further wrapped by the “Buffer” – a zone formed by circulation corridors, staircases, and storage. Enclosing the system is the “Case,” the outer shell that defines and protects the living areas.

 

Context Integration

The site is located adjacent to a railway line within a densely built residential neighborhood. As a result, the design addresses the need for enhanced privacy and noise mitigation, while ensuring ample daylight and natural ventilation. In contrast to conventional rental housing – often characterized by repetitive, standardized layouts that overlook site-specific conditions – this project promotes spatial individuality, aesthetic diversity, and adaptability to context.

 

 

Functional Layout

The primary living areas, including the living, dining, and kitchen spaces as well as the bedrooms, are enveloped by the “Buffer.” This intermediate layer, composed of corridors, staircases, and storage zones, mediates between private interiors and external conditions. In select units, the living spaces extend outward, establishing subtle visual and spatial connections with the surrounding environment. Bathrooms are strategically positioned between adjacent units, forming an additional layer of acoustic and visual separation that enhances privacy.

At the center of the building, the “Void Core” channels light and airflow deep into the complex, improving environmental performance while shaping the overall massing. By dividing the project into two volumes, a lane-like passage is created within the site, allowing even centrally located units – typically prone to enclosure – to maintain a relationship with the outdoors. This volumetric articulation, together with canopies that define the ground and upper levels, mitigates the perceived scale of the complex and ensures a more harmonious integration with the surrounding low-rise context.

Staircase Design

Rather than functioning solely as circulation elements, the staircases are conceived as spatial devices that modulate external influences, contributing to improved acoustic, luminous, and thermal comfort. In the maisonette units occupying the third floor, the staircases extend beyond their conventional linear role. They expand at intermediate points to form annex-like spaces that complement the main living areas. When viewed from the exterior, this strategy generates a distinctive articulation of projecting walls, lending visual lightness and dynamism to the overall volume.

 

“Soul-specific” design

“An interior design project, even for a single apartment, carries with it the same complexity and responsibility as larger projects: it means interpreting desires, memories, and aspirations to transform them into space. It’s never about applying a pre-established model, but about building, step by step, a unique identity capable of generating quality of life. Each time, the result is different, surprising, and, to use a term from contemporary art, truly ‘soul-specific’.”

Pier Currà, Founder Pier Currà Architettura

 

Design Philosophy

Every corner of this apartment in the historic center of Forlì tells a story of creativity, color, and memory. The renovation transforms a 1960s home into a vibrant living space where a vintage soul meets contemporary pop accents, resulting in interiors that are both surprising and expressive.

 

 

Functional Layout

The double-height living room, flooded with natural light from a large window, forms the heart of the home. Morning light bounces off surfaces and details, enhancing the bold chromatic contrasts. The space is shaped by custom-made furniture that becomes architectural in itself: the striking orange staircase doubles as a sculptural bookcase, while the bespoke storage unit at the entrance acts as a visual and functional filter between the lowered hallway and the living area.

The kitchen celebrates color and craftsmanship. Entirely custom-designed, it is defined by deep blue cabinetry paired with a stainless-steel worktop. The flooring pays explicit homage to the 1970s through optical-patterned tiles, while a glass-brick wall filters light and introduces rhythmic geometric textures.

 

 

Materials & Furnishings

Throughout the apartment, interior design oscillates between memory and innovation. Original elements, such as the large window and the ceiling clad in exotic wood slats, have been carefully restored and enhanced, while bold color choices and bespoke furnishings create a cohesive narrative across the spaces. Pastel-toned bathrooms with cement tiles and red taps, a master bedroom distinguished by a custom burgundy wardrobe and white paneling, and an upper floor featuring a study that overlooks the living room and opens onto a balcony with a flower box, all contribute to a layered and imaginative domestic landscape. The result is a home that embraces its original identity while reinterpreting it with energy, personality, and lightness.

 

Concrete frame

An existing concrete structure forms the point of departure for the project. Such frames became a familiar presence in the Greek landscape following a regulation that allowed building permits to remain valid if only the structural skeleton was constructed. By the time the project began, this concrete frame had stood unfinished for more than a decade. Its reuse was a deliberate choice, directly addressing issues of sustainability, economy, and legislation – concerns that are particularly pressing in the context of overtourism in the Cycladic islands.

 

Reuse Strategy

The intervention was based on a strategy of subtraction and addition using elementary geometries. Only the necessary portions of the existing structure were carefully removed, while new L-shaped and rectangular volumes were introduced to establish formal and programmatic clarity. This measured approach produced a solution that both transcended the limitations imposed by the site’s past and navigated its complex regulatory framework.

The plot is characterized by its flat terrain and proximity to the port and village. Surrounded by neighboring developments on all sides except the western edge – which is expected to remain undeveloped due to its protected forestry status – the site lacks the extroverted qualities typical of a seaside plot. As a result, the house is conceived as a balance between introversion and openness.

 

 

Functional Layout

At ground level, volumes are arranged around a central pool to form an inner courtyard, mediating between privacy and openness toward anticipated or existing construction. This configuration moves away from a conventional sequence of enclosed rooms, proposing instead a communal mode of living in which water becomes the focal point of daily life.

On the upper floor, the living area and master suite are oriented toward both the active port and the island’s northern landscape. A large opening frames views of the port, allowing daily activity to remain visually present. An external staircase provides independent access to the upper level and the roof, where unobstructed views extend across the surroundings. With its restrained geometry, the house emerges quietly, maintaining a measured dialogue with its context.

 

 

Sustainable Design

Beyond standard strategies such as cross-ventilation and high-performance thermal insulation, a skylight positioned above the interior staircase transforms it into a passive cooling tower. Photovoltaic panels generate sufficient energy for autonomous operation, reducing reliance on the local grid. Native trees and vegetation, selected for their low water demand, help filter views toward neighboring hotel facilities, ensuring privacy while acknowledging the realities of building within an existing village fabric.

 

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.

 

Spatial transparency

The calmness, transparency, and clarity of this project create an atmosphere of repose within the heterogeneous and burdened environment of the city and the apartment building.

 

Existing Layout

The apartment is located in an apartment building dating back to 1967, in Kolonaki. The typical floor plan of the period defined five distinct spaces: bedroom, living room, kitchen, bathroom, and entrance hall. A double-leaf sliding door between the bedroom and the living room unified, to a certain extent, the two main spaces, while all areas were connected through the hall. Under these conditions, the service zone of the entrance and wet areas was cut off from natural light and from views toward the exterior environment. The equal distribution of surface area between the two main spaces, along with their rigid boundaries, limited habitation to small rooms with restricted visual connections and natural light.

 

 

Spatial Organization

The new layout unifies all individual spaces of the apartment, retaining only the bathroom as a separate room. From the entrance, the city becomes visible through the balcony door and window, which are now aligned consecutively along the interior façade facing the street. Solid partition walls are replaced by perforated metal elements of slender sections, such as the bookcase that occupies the center of the plan, as well as by movable elements, including sliding and concealed doors, allowing natural light to diffuse throughout the space and visual connections to multiply. All new vertical surfaces -sliding partitions, metal bookcase, wardrobes, cabinets, and curtains- extend from floor to ceiling, unifying the space in section as well and creating hidden niches and storage areas.

 

 

Materials & Custom Structures

Each individual point of this small dwelling accommodates more than one activity. The kitchen worktop also functions as a dining table, while the desk doubles as a seat for gazing out of the window. During the day, the bed becomes part of the living area, while at night it is isolated within a quiet white sleeping box. The central metal structure has two faces, and the television, as part of it, rotates 180 degrees around a vertical pole.

The walls, ceiling, structures, movable partitions, and fittings are all white, aiming for homogeneity and clarity within a small space composed of multiple elements. A mirror surface, placed perpendicular to the exterior façade, expands the space, multiplies the opening of the balcony door, and reflects the city’s exterior into the interior.