Extroverted geometry

Simple linear geometries, clarity of form, brightness, and a sense of freshness are combined with functionality and warmth to shape the design of the “Pick Up” all day coffee & brunch. Conceived through an extroverted spatial approach, the project emphasizes the relationship between interior and exterior, establishing an active dialogue with the street and the surrounding neighborhood. By employing a restrained palette of low-cost materials – terracotta brick, glossy white ceramic tiles, polished cement screed, and birch plywood – the space articulates a timeless aesthetic through a contemporary architectural lens.

 

Spatial Organization

The composition is structured into two primary zones: an open bar dedicated to coffee and food preparation, and a seating area for guests. This clear functional division enhances usability while maintaining visual continuity across the space. A linear built-in bench in terracotta, fixed constructions clad in ceramic tiles, and a custom-made installation composed of reused broken tiles contribute to a cohesive and adaptable interior environment. The arrangement prioritizes both efficiency and comfort, reinforcing the social character of the café.

 

 

Material Palette

White-painted interior surfaces operate as a neutral background, allowing the tactile presence of terracotta and the reflective quality of glossy ceramic tiles to emerge as dominant elements. The polished cement screed flooring, rendered in a concrete tone, introduces a sense of material density and continuity, grounding the interior composition. The integration of greenery further enhances spatial freshness, strengthening the connection between inside and outside while softening the mineral palette.

 

 

Brand Design

The design logic extends seamlessly to the exterior, where the façade becomes an active component of the project’s identity. A custom-made circular sign, crafted from terracotta and white ceramic tiles, serves as a focal point, visually anchoring the café within its urban context. This gesture consolidates the project’s material language and reinforces its presence in the streetscape, completing a unified architectural narrative that bridges interior atmosphere and public interface.

 

Industrial footprint

The refurbished apartment is located in a former industrial building from the 1950s in the Guinardó neighborhood of Barcelona.

 

Existing Structure

Originally designed as a small open-plan workshop, the space’s most compelling feature was its structural framework -concrete frames supporting slabs of concrete joists and ceramic vaults- partially concealed by layers of modifications over time. The renovation began with the removal of these later additions, unveiling the building’s original architectural essence.

 

 

Spatial Organization

The reorganization of the space is defined by two custom-built furniture elements that highlight the existing structural grid, establishing a clear distinction between the original architecture and the new interventions, between the permanent and the ephemeral. These elements structure the interior layout, maintaining a sense of permeability, allowing natural light to reach the deepest areas of the apartment, and integrating essential storage solutions.

The program is arranged into three distinct zones, following the rhythm of the structural framework. Entry is through the kitchen, the brightest area, which opens onto the main façade. At the core of the home lies a flexible, 40m2 multipurpose space, spanning two structural modules. The final zone houses the bedroom and bathroom, with the latter designed as a self-contained, almost intangible volume. An existing door has been repurposed for bathroom access, while certain original industrial elements anchored to the walls remain untouched, preserving the site’s historical memory.

 

 

Material Palette

Materiality plays a defining role in the project, with exposed ceramic walls, pine wood furniture, and new stoneware flooring that extends seamlessly throughout the apartment. A secondary tile format is subtly introduced to mark transitions, emphasizing key thresholds within the space.

 

Reflections of the past

The project showcases a private residence in Amsterdam that maximizes its available floor space. Located in the vibrant De Pijp district, the building’s upper floor was previously an attic, unsuitable for habitation.

 

Existing Shell

In order to transform this space into a livable area, the previous owner raised the roof by approximately fifty centimeters before selling it as a renovation project to the current owner. The roof elevation was achieved by constructing a ring of rough masonry around the original structure and laying largely renewed roof beams on top. This approach -creating a new level on top of an old foundation- became the guiding principle of the design. The space is deliberately “cut through” at a height of 95cm above the floor, establishing a clear visual and material distinction. Above this cross-section, everything is new, featuring smooth, insulated, and rendered walls. Below the line, the original elements are left exposed, preserving their raw, unfinished aesthetic.

 

 

Material Palette & Functional Layout

The material interplay, such as dark mirrors, rough bricks, and unfinished zinc sheets, creates a striking composition. The zinc panels reflect ample light but with a soft, blurred effect, while the dark mirrors offer sharp reflections with less luminosity. This duality presents the upper section as a reimagined space and the lower section as a reflection of its past.

Upon entering the apartment, visitors step into a fully black-painted hall. The original staircase remains raw and unfinished, while a custom perforated zinc staircase hangs 95 centimeters above the floor, leading to the roof terrace. Light from the roof hatch filters through the perforations, illuminating the dark entrance below.  At the top of the stairs, the living room draws the eye outward through a floor-to-ceiling sliding glass door, spanning the entire width of the building. The concealed framing within the walls, floor, and ceiling creates an almost frameless glass facade, replacing the previously small windows.

To enhance the perception of space, the design introduces a single defining volume within the apartment. While the living area and master bedroom remain open, all other functional spaces -including bathrooms, a guest room, a laundry area, and toilets- are concealed within a reflective, monolithic block. A pivot door, finished in the same materials, allows seamless access. One section of the mirrored cladding is actually reflective glass, offering a semi-transparent view from the living room into the bathroom. A skylight above the shower creates the unique experience of bathing beneath an open sky, flooding the space with natural light.

 

 

Sustainability Approach

The fully retractable glass facade on the southern side of the apartment provides passive heating. The 17cm floor insulation, insulated walls, and externally insulated roof maintain a stable indoor climate. A single, large net curtain can cover the entire rear facade, hanging from curved rails that allow it to be drawn without obstructing sunlight. Furthermore, an electric roof hatch above the entrance can be opened on hot days, aiding airflow. The perforated zinc staircase beneath the hatch reflects sunlight, while the ability to release warm air at the highest point of the space creates natural ventilation. This concept, inspired by tropical architecture, ensures the residence stays cool in summer while superior insulation minimizes heat loss in winter. Consequently, the apartment’s gas consumption for heating is just one-fifth that of a conventional apartment.

 

Small-scale inhabitation

The two-family house was constructed on a small, narrow, and elongated plot between two existing -and quite mundane -buildings, situated in the coastal city of Agios Nikolaos, in Crete.

 

Design Philosophy

With the only volumetric possibility being the treatment of the building’s main façade, the design concept from the beginning sought a small scale approach befitting the size of the plot. It focused on the archetypical elements of a traditional residence: the pitched roof and the open external staircase, as reminiscent of the houses in a small village where external stairs lead to the “upper floor”.

This small scale approach engages in a dialogue with the overall character of the town, where nature prevails, and emphasizes the value of minimal design against the phenomenon of intense and rapid urbanization -a common issue found in highly touristic areas in Greece.

 

Functional Layout

The first residence is developed on the ground floor and features a courtyard for ventilation and outdoor living. The second one is developed across two levels, comprised of a first floor  and an attic. The entrance to both residences occurs through a secondary, shared courtyard, facilitating daily “conversations” amongst tenants. Specifically, residents can communicate both through the front courtyard and as well as via the numerous balconies.

 

Materials & Morphologies

The building is constructed with reinforced concrete, which remains exposed throughout the house interior. Two cantilevered volumes protrude from the main façade, creating small canopies that shelter the staircase and balconies. One of them enters the interior of the residence, emphasizing the continuity between inside and outside, while interrupting the double-height living room space and forming a cozier interior.

Contrasting concepts

Two identical properties were combined to establish an optical store in the suburbs of Thessaloniki. The distinctive green hue that defines the space is inspired by the natural tint of glass, a result of iron oxidation inherent in the material.

 

Spatial Layout

The building’s symmetry was preserved and accentuated by emphasizing key structural elements, including the two “eyes” on the façade, the central cross-shaped beams, and the dominant central support. The floor plan was designed around a central feature -a massive block of stacked glass surfaces that anchors the space, serving as both a display and storage area for products. This element acts as the store’s “control center,” organizing its core functions -storage, optical testing, and checkout- while defining a circular flow of movement around it.

 

 

Custom Structures

The custom seating is seamlessly integrated into the central element, designed to visually “disappear” when not in use. Mirrors, essential to the store’s functionality, also play a key morphological role, strategically positioned at the core to break the continuity and geometric “weight” of the structure. Product displays are arranged in two main internal showcases, extending along both surfaces of the side walls.

 

 

Design Philosophy

The exterior features a low-profile curtain wall, providing an unobstructed view into the store. A handcrafted curtain surface frames the openings, subtly directing the gaze outward. At the back of the store, the archive, optometry laboratory, and ancillary spaces are symmetrically arranged within the existing shell, enclosed in two separate, semi-private volumes for protection and organization.

The interplay of geometry, spatial relationships, and movement is designed to evoke simplicity, drawing attention to materiality and the immersive experience of exploration. Glossy surfaces contrast with the raw, unfinished shell, emphasizing the passage of time and the evolution of the space. The hybrid nature of the interior is further expressed through fractured mirrors and glossy, green-painted surfaces, creating shifting visual compositions that change dynamically as one moves through the store.

The core concept was the “correlation of dual existence” -the fusion of contrasting spatial ideas, elements, and materials. It explores the interplay between the natural and the artificial, the precise and the imperfect, the fragile and the sturdy, the solid and the fragmented, the partial and the complete, the unfinished and the definitive, repetition and uniqueness.