07/04/2023
Residence 29 | Ano Petralona | Athens
www.ifostudio.com
Architect Engineer: Ifigenia Dimitriou
Architectural Firm: ifo studio architects
Collaborating architect: Emilio Bendermacher
Civil Engineer: Konstantinos Toubakaris
Mechanical Engineer: Maria Mageirou
Construction Company: Kube Contractors
Project Supervision: Ifigenia Dimitriou
Interior Design: Susanna Brenner
Furniture and Equipment: Ifigenia Dimitriou, Susanna Brenner
Photography: Yorgis Yerolymbos
Owner: Susanna Brenner
The building is located on Achaion Street, in the area of Ano Petralona. In this neighborhood, thanks to the preserved neoclassical and interwar houses, the atmosphere of the old Athens neighborhood is maintained. The owner's desire was to create three independent residences in a single building through vertical expansion, namely a residence on the ground floor and two apartments on the upper floor. The main goal was to preserve the existing facade and integrate it into a modern construction. With the aim of highlighting the scale of the existing building and despite the possibility of building more levels, two high-ceiling floors were created. In designing the new facade of the upper floor, the vertical axes of the ground floor were followed, emphasizing the central part of the entrance door, with the creation of an architectural projection (erker). The distinctive separation of the two building phases was sought, on the one hand with the texture of the surfaces of the levels and on the other hand with the construction of shading devices at the height of the crown of the existing building. In addition, the internal courtyard on the north side of the plot was preserved. The new building was constructed from metal frames, mixed reinforced concrete slabs, and dry construction filling elements.
The ground floor house of 85 sq.m. is divided into two zones, which open onto the large internal courtyard. The eastern zone consists of the communal spaces and the western zone consists of the private ones. Access to the floor is centrally located on the entrance axis and is achieved through a reinforced concrete staircase, which is illuminated by a skylight located at the end of the staircase. On the floor, there are two duplex apartments of 35 sq.m. and 45 sq.m., which end in the balconies on the facade. Inside, a simple, minimalist design was applied, with basic materials such as metal, wood, and cement. A single cast floor runs throughout the interior of the house and ends in the courtyard as an extension of the ground floor house. Most of the furniture was designed in the form of compact constructions, which are integrated into the space. The existing wooden interior doors were maintained and repositioned in various parts of the house, while the new doors were constructed in the same form as the existing ones. The same philosophy was followed for the wooden windows on the facade. Overall, the construction meets all the requirements of a modern house, while by preserving and highlighting selected historical architectural elements, the house harmoniously integrates into its environment.
