Design Studio
APARTMENTS IN KIFISIA
TYPE
RESIDENTIAL
DESIGN
PANAGIOTIS PAPANIKOLAOU
PHOTO CREDITS
PANAGIOTIS PAPANIKOLAOU
LOCATION
KIFISIA, ATHENS
YEAR
2024
SIZE
120 SQM
The apartment is located in a 1980's building in Kifisia, which typologically belongs to the continuation of the modernist movement. One of the main characteristics of the apartment is the open plan along with the large windows, which provide unobstructed views of the landscape, as well as various wooden elements of the era, such as the existing flooring and doors. The main objective of the design intervention was to modernize the apartment, while maintaining the character of the original state and its connection to the modernist movement.
Highlighting natural light and the apartment’s relationship with the natural landscape were basic design priorities. Color becomes a key compositional element, creating distinct zones within the space and a constant play of contrasts between warm and cool tones. The selected color palette and materials are a subtle reference both to the natural landscape and the modernist movement. At the same time, a dialogue is created between existing and new materials with clear references to the era of the original condition. The existing wooden floors and window frames were preserved, while the new oak flooring interacts with the existing one and also unifies the private spaces.
In the main area, the designed wooden construction is inspired by the colors of the natural landscape and interacts complementarily with the existing floors colorwise. In the kitchen, a continuous variation between wooden elements and warm and cool tones is attempted, while in the main bathroom, a more neutral approach was selected regarding the materials, giving the leading role to the view towards the landscape. At the same time, a dialogue between the existing condition and the intervention is attempted through natural materials such as Naxos gray marble and elements referencing the modernist movement, such as cement-textured tiles. In the bedroom areas, a more gentle approach to materials and colors was also followed, again highlighting the natural landscape.
Finally, the same design principles were also applied to the neighboring apartment’s bathroom renovation, where natural materials such as Thasos marble and European oak play the leading role.