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Three Residence Complex : Athens Property
Contemporary Greek Residential Development: Property design by AKKM & Associates Architects
3 Jan 2014
This property in Greece is one of our picks from
Buildings of 2013 : Architecture of the Year
e-architect’s selection of key architectural developments posted on the site in the last year
19 Feb 2013
Athens, Greece
Design: AKKM & Associates – Architecture and Urban Design
The plot has an area of 585m2, it is risen by 2,5m from the street level and ascends further towards the back. The Three Residence Complex building that has been constructed includes, apart from the basement, two one-storey apartments 150 and 125m2 each and one 300m2 maisonette.
photo : Sylvia Diamantopoulou
Three Residence Complex, Athens
The absence of a central stairwell and the use of external walkways, stairs and ramps instead, allows for alternative circulation routes around and through the building.
One of the primary objectives was to minimize the building’s coverage in order to maximize space for gardens. The two apartments on the first two floors are aligned as a block parallel to the street, separating the site as well as the outdoor spaces into two sections. Due to the land’s incline, the front garden adjoins the first floor whereas the back garden is adjacent to the second floor.
photos : Sylvia Diamantopoulou
The third apartment has two levels and a view of the sea towards the west from the top floor. In order to take advantage of it and at the same time create a larger yard with a pool, the last level was rotated to form a right angle with the building’s lower concrete volume. This adaptation to two directions is what led to the use of a metal frame that projects from the concrete volume. The surfaces that emerge underneath, create a 6th façade that can be viewed from the lower floors but also from the street. For the exposed to the western sun openings, sliding shades offer protection. A series of windows on the north-eastern side ensure the air’s circulation.
photos : Sylvia Diamantopoulou
The complexity associated with integrating structure and fabric in this project called for a very close collaboration between engineer and architect from the initial concept and throughout the design life of the project. It required an in-depth understanding of each others’ aspirations, limitations and constraints, with the finished product being highly engineered and optimised solution. This building is in many ways the architectural expression of its structural frame with a purity of form derived from the simple load path created to support the large overhang, which is one of the building’s key features.
images from architect
The two distinct sections of the building, the solid and the lighter metal construction, are emphasized by the use of different materials. However, both the solid section’s raw concrete and the metal construction’s cladding share one rule: The wooden planks run along every surface, either as the concrete’s formwork imprint or as the actual finishing. With time the natural fading of the wood will approach the colour of the concrete, contributing to the unity of the whole.
Three Residence Complex Athens images / information from AKKM & Associates
Location: Athens, Greece
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