Residential micro-unit
Residential - Athens, Greece
2026
Invited competition
Lead architects: Ilias Oikonomakis, Angelos Siampakoulis
Team: Claire Dutreuil, Saga Persson
This project explores the integration of architecture and furniture as a unified spatial system, drawing conceptual inspiration from Saint Jerome in His Study, where domestic interior, knowledge, and constructed environment are tightly interwoven within a single frame.
At its core, the design proposes a compact yet highly adaptable living environment in which spatial performance is achieved through precision rather than scale. A custom-designed architectural wall operates as the primary organisational device, consolidating sleeping, working, and storage functions into a continuous infrastructural system. Within this integrated framework, a reclining bed and foldable desk enable the space to transition fluidly between day and night configurations, maintaining both efficiency and clarity of use.
Service functions are concentrated along this single infrastructural spine, allowing the remainder of the interior to remain open, flexible, and visually uninterrupted. This spatial liberation enhances the perception of volume and light, transforming a limited footprint into a generous and breathable environment. Storage is fully embedded within the architectural thickness, extending vertically to utilise the full height of the space and creating a continuous, carefully calibrated interior envelope.
Material selection reinforces the project’s emphasis on restraint and precision. A refined palette of light-stained plywood, natural marble, and glossy ceramic surfaces introduces a balance of warmth, tactility, and reflectivity. These materials are not applied decoratively but are instead used to define hierarchy, rhythm, and atmospheric quality within the interior.
Large corner openings establish a direct visual and spatial connection to the exterior, extending the perception of space beyond the physical boundaries of the room. This relationship is carefully modulated through layered shading systems that ensure privacy and environmental comfort while preserving the clarity of the opening.
The project ultimately proposes a redefinition of compact living: an interior where architecture, furniture, and infrastructure are indistinguishable. Through integration and precision, it transforms limitation into opportunity, producing a highly efficient yet atmospheric domestic environment.