Single house in Crete.

It is a single house of a four members’ family in a non-urban environment.

Great attention was given in the manipulation of semi-open and open spaces and in the exploitation of the view. The internal spaces are graded in the sense of “more to less private” and in the sense of “more to less open”. The boundaries of the bedrooms are absolute, based on complete elements - walls and doors - that ensure privacy while their openings to the view and to the semi-open and open spaces contribute in their independence. The spaces of living-room, dining room and kitchen are distinguished strictly with limits that signify -in a rigid way- the change of space allowing at the same time the free movement and visual communication. Arrangements such as open passages as well as internal windows permanently open (as those located in both sides of the fireplace that separate the living-room from the central corridor) or even internal windows that open and close according to needs (as those that connect the kitchen with the dining room) and small changes (two steps) in the height of flooring that reinforce the significance of the living-room and increase its visibility are all manipulations carefully selected to balance the spatial qualities of “private” and “common” and of “closed” and “open”.

2. MAIN FACADE

3. 1ST SIDE FACADE

The manipulation of facades avoided any unnecessary superficial stylistic choices. The concept of this house is primarily based on the composition of its spaces and in the gradation of qualities from the “internal and closed” to the “internal and open” and from it to the “semi-open” and “open” as well as and in the gradation of “private” to “common”. This central choice that became the main target, together with the means of achieving it (that is to say the types of boundaries selected as well as the quality and the handling of connections), produce a plastic result in which whatever further handlings were adopted remained strictly in the level of signifying the existing inherent balances of composition.

Avoided were any morphological manipulations such as reproductions of certain historical forms or even intense morphological references to specific architectural examples of the past. Instead what were taken into account were the scale, the balance of volumes and the character that is recognized in the architectural tradition of Krete and the Mediterranean.

4. GROUND-FLOOR PLAN  -  (EXTENSION PROPOSAL)

5. 1ST FLOOR PLAN  -  (EXTENSION PROPOSAL)

Particular effort was made so that the future redevelopment and extension which includes two autonomous “studios” (when the children will have grown) will be incorporated naturally in the existing structure of the house allowing the creation of a complete and balanced composition and not just an attachment.

  Hotel complex in Crete.

Architectural proposal for the construction of hotel complexes in four neighbouring plots with predetermined the ability of sharing a common operation.

Solution is subject to the following engagements:

1. Given the fact of a partial integration of one initial plot in a “settlement” the segmentation resulted to particularly oblong plots.
2. All regulations referring to urban engagements with regard to the placement of a building into a plot are in full force.
3. According to regulations there is an engagement for 6 free metres of open view from each building.
4. The common spaces should be taken into account separately for each plot.

The shape of the ground (with inclination that varies from 10-20%) imposes changes of heights and adaptation of the inclination.

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The proposal is based on an “every two properties” common manipulation towards the sharing of a side-wall that will give architecturally unified units of linear - escalated growth.

This common side-wall will allow the joint use of common spaces while exists the ability of minimizing any losses of space with suitable arrangements of the ground floor. Further to this the proposal succeeds to resolve:

• the problem of the intense linearity of the narrow and long shape of the plots,
• the problem of the distance of the buildings from the borders of the plots,
• the problem of free view.

The main units are two storey buildings or three storey buildings (exploiting the bent of the ground). One floor (it is two properties with one common side-wall) has capacity of 24 rooms (12 in each property).

The remainder units (swimming-pool area) cover the parallel activities of recreation of  the complex.

The typical room dimensions are 3,40m x 4,00m (or 4,00m x 4,00m with the wardrobe). The rooms of the upper floors are accessible from internal corridors while those of the ground floor have exterior access.

The dimensions of the bathroom of each room are1,30m x 2,00m.

Block of flats in Nea Smyrni

TYPICAL FLOOR-PLAN (1ST VERSION)

It is a five storey block of flats in Nea Smyrni with two versions of typical floor-plans. The first version gives a single, 3-bedroom apartment on each floor (it is presented in the above image) and the second version gives a 2-bedroom apartment and a ”studio” on each floor.

Commercial and Services Building located in Marathonos Avenue.

DESCRIPTION:

The building has total surface 702,60 m2 distributed in three levels (234,20 m2 x 3). The Ground floor and the 1st Floor accommodate main uses (234,20 m2 + 234,20 m2 = 468,40 m2). The Basement accommodates auxiliary uses (234,20 m2).

The plot of 2342,00 m2 is facing Marathonos Avenue. The design of the building is making the most out of its great visibility from Marathonos Avenue. A large open space in the front, facing the avenue, with a surface of 800 m2, is an ideal parking area for the customers and haw special licence to be directly connected to Marathonos Avenue with all necessary arrangements of individual vehicle entrance and exit. The part of the plot, at the back of the building, is separated from the neighbouring properties with walls of armed concrete. It forms a free space of 1,2 acres that faces a local road of a settlement of the area. To this part of the plot ends a ramp coming from the basement of the building. The ramp is connected to the local road with a private road that runs along one side of this back side of the plot.

The construction is an armed concrete building that has been designed and realised according to the highest standards in order to correspond successfully both to the greatest demands of static loads and to the most demanding specifications of earthquake activity. This makes the building a most wise choice for professional use. The building has provision for further addition of three more floors (possibility that exists only in case of change of terms of the urban regulations for the area).

SOUTH FACADE

PHOTOGRAPHS OF SOUTH FACADE

NORTH FACADE

PHOTOGRAPHS OF NORTH FACADE

DESCRIPTION OF THE 1st FLOOR:

At this stage it is a single space of 234 square metres, served by a pair of simple WC units and by a WC unit for individuals with kinetic difficulties.

DESCRIPTION OF THE GROUND FLOOR:

At this stage it is a single space of 234 square metres, served by a WC for public use as well as a WC and a kitchen designed for the personnel.

DESCRIPTION OF THE BASEMENT:

The Basement is divided in two areas.  The area of mechanical equipment, the boiler room, the boiler etc which occupies roughly 61 square metres and the area of auxiliary uses that occupies around 172 square metres and at the present stage remains in one single space.