METAXOURGIO SUITES

Metaxourgio Suites is the winning proposal of a private competition for the creation of a short and long-term homestays block in the industrial neighborhood of Metaxourgio in Athens, Greece.

Our goal was to create a landmark building that meets today’s energy needs and requirements; a contemporary residential development that combines modern minimalism and refined urban living.

The development comprises five apartments developed in five floors. An underground garage caters for the residents’ parking needs. The ground floor hosts the lobby and reception, as well as a maisonette apartment opening towards the private green garden that helps connect indoors and outdoors. The rest of the levels are occupied by different apartment typologies, all equipped with a living area, kitchen, and at least four bedrooms. Every apartment has its own terrace as part of the living area. The private areas of each apartment are, mostly, oriented towards the rear façade of the building, ensuring privacy and calmness. At the roof terrace on the top of the building, a green oasis awaits the residents with an amazing view of the center of Athens. Vegetation, bar and sunlounges by the pool compose a captivating scene for every visitor.

The façade is completed with the metal and wooden perforated pergola on the roof terrace, which filters the intense sunlight and heat during the summer months and creates a protected outdoor area during winter. On the solid parts of the pergola solar panels will be placed to allow the building to transform into an upgraded and energy independent unit.

Interior spaces are designed to draw the resident to appreciate the city’s majestic view from every floor. This connection between indoors and outdoors is also achieved through the large, strategically placed openings, creating exclusive views of the cityscape and bringing inside the vegetation of each terrace.

The pedestrian sidewalk in front of the plot serves as a key feature, as it allows the building to become more extrovert and have the advantage of a green and open pilotis; a relaxing space for both residents and passers-by.  

With the plot located in the center of Athens, it was extremely significant to translate the city’s identity into our design. The dominant metal and glass volume of the front façade is a contemporary interpretation of the erker, one of the most known architectural elements of interwar Athenian buildings. The rounded embossed concrete surfaces of the front façade reminds us of the ionic fluted columns; an important aspect of Greek ancient architecture. Straight and curved lines, sharp and smooth edges create a sculptural synthesis that initiates a dialog between modern and contemporary architecture.

The final composition is a vertical prism of exposed concrete and embossed elements integrated into the Athenian landscape, using multiple architectural tools, like materiality, light, shadow, views and forms, to bring a sense of openness at a time when everybody has a closed and introvert behavior. A design balancing the development’s relatively large scale with the attention to detail; a blend of natural materials and refined luxury.