An existing, half-finished concrete shell in Athens’ swanky Kifissia neighbourhood has been completed and transformed into an elegant residential building of twin residences. The boutique development, for Malo Development and designed by Athenian architecture studio Block722, combines refined urban minimalism, calming interiors, natural colours and materials, and a sharp, bespoke grid, which defines its exterior.
The high-end building sits on a long and narrow, double-aspect plot beside a popular square in the area's heart. Set back from the street, and cleverly featuring bespoke fencing and a garage entrance at the front, the homes remain calm and quiet inside to promote privacy and serenity for their owners.
One of the residential units occupies the two lower levels of the building, and the second is situated on the upper two levels. An open-air terrace, landscaped with planting and seating, crowns the structure, offering long views of the neighbourhood and Athens’ skyline beyond. The garden at the rear, similarly landscaped, blends native planting and crisp, paved areas in natural stone.
The structure's façade is a centrepiece, crafted from a bespoke timber grid and textured, dark plaster created locally by expert craftspeople ‘to mirror the interior’s key colours and materials', explain the architects. The grid adapts to the front and rear façades and becomes balcony balustrades where needed, while maintaining the overall visual aesthetic.
Inside, surfaces feature luxury materials such as travertine, marble, and dark woods, used in an understated way; the sophistication is a signature for Block722, which featured in the Wallpaper* Architects Directory in 2016. Large openings bring in plenty of sunlight – something Athens offers in abundance – while cleverly designed artificial lighting enhances certain areas, creating the impression of natural lighting throughout. This allows the homes' calming minimalism and effortless interiors to take centre stage.
INFORMATION
-
Three new coffee makers for a contemporary brew, from a casual cup to a full-on branded espressoThree new coffee makers, from AeroPress, Jura and Porsche x La Marzocco, range from the defiantly manual to the bells and whistles of a traditional countertop espresso machine
-
Don't miss Luxembourg's retro-futuristic lab pavilion in VeniceAs the Venice Biennale enters its last few weeks, catch 'A Comparative Dialogue Act' at the Luxembourg Pavilion
-
A Berlin park atop an office building offers a new model of urban landscapingA Berlin park and office space by Grüntuch Ernst Architeken offer a symbiotic relationship between urban design and green living materials
-
Piraeus Tower is a Greek high-rise icon revived through sustainable strategiesThe restoration of the Piraeus Tower is completed in Greece, revealing a revived façade by local architecture studio PILA
-
Remembering Alexandros Tombazis (1939-2024), and the Metabolist architecture of this 1970s eco-pioneerBack in September 2010 (W*138), we explored the legacy and history of Greek architect Alexandros Tombazis, who this month celebrates his 80th birthday.
-
Tour House D in Athens, where interiors are peachy keenDesigned by Cometa Architects, House D in Athens is full of curvy, colourful character
-
Sun-drenched Los Angeles houses: modernism to minimalismFrom modernist residences to riveting renovations and new-build contemporary homes, we tour some of the finest Los Angeles houses under the Californian sun
-
Three Object Apartment embraces raw concrete honesty in the heart of AthensThree Object Apartment by DeMachinas is a raw concrete home in Athens, which confidently celebrates its modernist bones
-
Residence in Dionysos was conceived as a minimalist ‘cave refuge’ outside AthensResidence in Dionysos by Desypri & Misiaris Architecture is a family home designed as a minimalist refuge among the surrounding nature's pine tree-filled slopes
-
This Greek villa's superyacht aesthetics conceal two self-contained family residencesA Greek villa in the upscale Athens suburb of Filothei, House Symbiosis is home for two sibling families, designed in white, sweeping volumes by Direction Architects
-
A Filothei house rises to the occasion in its angled Athens plotA Filothei house by Kallos Turin is an Athens residence rising to the occasion on an angled plot
