Residential building in Glyfada
Residential - Glyfada, Greece
Private commission, 2021-2022
Set within a typical 600 sqm longitudinal plot in Glyfada, this project reconsiders the conventions of contemporary Athenian residential development. Commissioned to design a multi-family building, our approach deliberately departs from the reductive, all-white minimalism that has come to define the area, proposing instead a more expressive and enduring architectural language.
The resulting 990 sqm structure unfolds across four levels, articulated as a cohesive, monolithic volume finished in green cement - a material choice that reinforces both presence and longevity. Rather than adopting the ubiquitous linear balconies with glass balustrades, we developed a series of layered outdoor and semi-outdoor spaces conceived as natural extensions of the interior. These spaces introduce depth, intimacy, and a sense of inhabitation that resists the anonymity of conventional apartment living.
Integrated planters are embedded throughout the façade, establishing the building as a living organism. Over time, vegetation is intended to appropriate the architecture, transforming it into a vertical garden that evolves with its residents - an adaptive, ever-changing identity that enhances privacy while softening the building’s urban presence.
Crowning the structure, a pitched roof - an atypical gesture within the Greek residential context - creates the opportunity for double-height living spaces at the penthouse level, introducing spatial generosity and a distinct architectural silhouette.
Responding to the plot’s northern orientation and the client’s concern for natural light and ventilation, we introduced a central atrium that opens towards the south-east. This internal void acts as the environmental and spatial core of the building, drawing daylight deep into the plan while enabling cross-ventilation across all primary living areas.
At ground level, the building is elevated on pilotis, liberating the footprint to accommodate a communal landscape. A pool, enveloped by dense planting, forms a secluded oasis - an inward-facing retreat that contrasts with the surrounding urban fabric.
The project is conceived as a complete microcosm: a carefully orchestrated ecosystem where architecture, landscape, and inhabitation are intrinsically linked. Through this synthesis, the building not only differentiates itself from its context, but meaningfully elevates it.
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