In a quiet part of Kolonaki, Athens, a 48 sq.m. apartment was transformed into a contemporary polymorphic hospitality atelier to be used both as a showroom and as a living space. We undertook the project as a unique whole: design, market research, construction management and full scale supervision. Our design was based on  a dialectic style to best balance Past and Present, a remembrance of Old Athenian apartment buiding as interpreted in contemporary terms, needs and lavish materials.

The linear structure of the existing apartment with a sole opening to the pedestrian way initiated the need for a uniform open space. The austere boundaries of single-use spaces was revisited and a 3-zone functional space emerged. Thus, a main living room was formed to face the verandah and the WC was used as a boundary between prvate and public spaces.  We used the back end of the apartment as the bedroom with an open-type bathroom. The central positioning of the  main entrance resulted a uniform circulation throughout the apartment.

We designed the living room as a multi-functional space to accomodate both a professional meeting space and a homey open kitchen and relaxing seating room. Professional space was of a prme importnce whereas private living space was meant NOT to look so homey. The aim was to look professional but to feel homey and cosy. The bedroom was designed to look professional as well: to look as a hospitality showroom  reminiscent of a 5-star hotel suite. In such a small space, we aimed to combine sleeping space, a small desk, clever storage and an open bathroom.  The boundary between livingroom and bedroom was the WC, deliberately intense and colourful with a hidden door to disappear and incorporateted at the same time.

We wanted the apartment to look and feel bigger, to manipulate human perception to our best interest, multiplying visual impact. This is why we used dark-finish mirror, custom design gypsum mouldings, custom design wooden skirting  and cove lighting. Marble finish large-scale tiles were chosen for the shower and the kitchen countertop as a reminiscence of old athenian apartments – we needed to stress the liaso between past and present, to make sure the present is a natural continuance of the prominent past.

The project was designed in 3 months time and fully constructed and completed in another 4 months.