As Athenians, we are intimately acquainted with both the advantages and shortcomings of the polykatoikia, or apartment building. Modern Athens sprung up in the 1950s from the ruins of cottages and townhouses, knocked down to make way for affordable blocks of flats that could accommodate the city’s expanding population. While the polykatoikia is most often associated with densely populated downtown areas, our apartment buildings tend to be located in the leafy northern suburbs or along the highly desirable coastline.
Surrounded by natural beauty, the spatial design is outward-looking, drawing in the sunlight while carving out private niches through cantilevered balconies, intelligent screens, and protective walls. Balancing security and seclusion with ample space for social and communal activity, each apartment forms a discrete part of a unified whole.
As Frank Lloyd Wright said: “The horizontal line is the line of domesticity.” Designed on a simple grid system or as stacked horizontal volumes, the structures exude a feeling of harmony and conformity. Bold horizontal lines blur the transition between indoors and outdoors, accentuating the sense of space and calm. Open-plan interiors offer a clean slate with no unnecessary ornamentation; a neutral palette that allows the occupants to make their own mark on the versatile spaces. Built to last with a timeless quality, these are buildings that will age well and adapt to the changing needs of their owners.
As Athenians, we are intimately acquainted with both the advantages and shortcomings of the polykatoikia, or apartment building. Modern Athens sprung up in the 1950s from the ruins of cottages and townhouses, knocked down to make way for affordable blocks of flats that could accommodate the city’s expanding population. While the polykatoikia is most often associated with densely populated downtown areas, our apartment buildings tend to be located in the leafy northern suburbs or along the highly desirable coastline.
Surrounded by natural beauty, the spatial design is outward-looking, drawing in the sunlight while carving out private niches through cantilevered balconies, intelligent screens, and protective walls. Balancing security and seclusion with ample space for social and communal activity, each apartment forms a discrete part of a unified whole.
As Frank Lloyd Wright said: “The horizontal line is the line of domesticity.” Designed on a simple grid system or as stacked horizontal volumes, the structures exude a feeling of harmony and conformity. Bold horizontal lines blur the transition between indoors and outdoors, accentuating the sense of space and calm. Open-plan interiors offer a clean slate with no unnecessary ornamentation; a neutral palette that allows the occupants to make their own mark on the versatile spaces. Built to last with a timeless quality, these are buildings that will age well and adapt to the changing needs of their owners.