With the Loft aesthetics

The Votanikos Lofts complex, which is located in Votanikos a short distance from the Kerameikos underground station, was created to offer quality habitation in the city centre. The main façade of the complex faces east and has a unique view of the Acropolis. It consists of five independent houses that follow the typology of lofts, while at the ground floor there is a garage.

There are two-storey houses on the first and second floors, a residence on the third and fourth floors, and another two-storey house on the fifth and sixth floors, which has exclusive use of the terrace. The central vertical movement is represented by the shared stairwell and elevator. The basic architectural objective was to create simple and functional homes with integrated rooms, bathed with the light of the eastern side of the main façade.This led to the minimization of all internal walls, and very few internal doors were used.

All residences are dominated by a single open plan space that serves as a living room with a fireplace, dining room and kitchen. During the construction, the materials that were used – large surfaces of white plaster, industrial light grey floors, dividers of sandblasted glass and metal elements for stairs and railings– evoke the image of a modern apartment loft. Kitchens and bathrooms also adhere to a minimal aesthetic.

All houses have central heating with natural gas from independent individual boilers, and have gas hook-ups in the kitchen.

In the main spaces, maximum apertures are formed by superimposed aluminum windows, which are shaded by retractable awnings. Another important element is the communication with homes with large balconies that face the east, which extrapolates the living room activities to the outdoor space. All houses have cross-ventilation and are protected from the sun by vertical blinds.

The outer façades of the complex are dominated by the presence of metal elements on surfaces of grey and white plaster. These elements, such as railings and chimneys, contradict the strict oncoplastic structure of the complex and are in keeping with the area’s ‘industrial’ character.