/ Interiors Urban Apartment Transformation

Urban Apartment Transformation

Year

2018

Location

Athens

Status

Concept

Team

Louis Barault, Anastasia Choli

In this project we tried to surpass the context of a typical renovation and enter the “slippery” path of transformation. The 190 square meter flat is on the third floor of a 60s athenean apartment building at the heart of the city. It is designed for a four – member family with two children. The modern couple both work in the advertising industry and are deeply interested in literature and contemporary art.

Our design approach focuses mainly on converting a set of closed and defined spaces into a big living area organized under the “open plan” discipline. By eliminating unnecessary non-bearing walls and corridors, natural light and life flood the open space. The open kitchen becomes both a gathering point for the family and a transitional zone between the living area and the more private sleeping areas. Two elements, integrated into the apartments'’ aesthetics become the highlight of the living zone. Firstly, the “invisible” glass partition wall between the dining area and the sitting area, consisting of 200 two cm thick glass strips glued together. This “non” wall creates a light diffusion game spread throughout the open space. Secondly, the 7 meter long bookcase intensifies the unity and length of the living area, highlighting the love of the couple for books.

Tones of gray on the walls and ceilings provide the ideal background for the objects and art items of the couple’s collection. Dark grey is also integrated into the fish bone oak flooring. This flooring technique pays tribute to the typical flooring surface of the majority of Athenean apartments of the 50s and 60s. The presence of Volakas marble on the kitchen floor and walls accompanied from several bronze elements and finishings enrich the materiality of the living space. In the bathrooms the minimalist approach reached its limits allowing to the superb texture of Greek marbles to become the aesthetic protagonist.