typology: reconstruction
year: 2025
location: Αthens
size: 65 m2
status: completed
photo: Nikos Kouklakis
This year, we renovated a small single-storey house in Athens. Originally built in the 1950s for a single family, the house comprised a living room, a bedroom, a library, a kitchen, and a bathroom. The south-facing façade overlooks a narrow side street, while the northern aspect opens onto a small garden featuring an old fig tree.
All too often, such houses are demolished and replaced with apartment blocks Polykatokias —erasing the neighbourhood’s distinctive character. The area is dominated by the low-rise architecture of the 1950s–70s, characteristic of early Athenian Modernism. Its hallmark details—original window grilles, wooden shutters, terrazzo floors, marble basins and decorative breeze blocks (klostra)—are reminders of a fading urban identity. They evoke the image of a leafy Athenian suburb, an atmosphere we were determined to preserve.
This principle guided our approach to transforming the dilapidated structure into a contemporary living space. The renovation preserved the load-bearing elements, allowing us to retain many original features, including period glazing, flooring and the front door. All windows were converted into sliding doors, making the garden with its fig tree feel like an extension of the interior.
The living room was integrated with the kitchen, creating a space where one can cook whilst enjoying views to the outside. The mezzanine level was transformed into an additional children’s bedroom.
The property now features a perforated terracotta façade that both ensures privacy from the side street and provides shade on the southern elevation. Eventually, this terracotta screen will be softened by a climbing vine. A spiral staircase now leads to the roof, where we plan to create a summer terrace.
Through this considerate renovation, the building has been adapted for contemporary living while celebrating the unique characteristics of its urban setting.
