Scale: > 20.000 m²

Athens Metro, Korydallos Station

The scope of work includes Architectural Detailed Design for the construction of Stations of Ag. Varvara, Korydallos, Nikaia and Municipal theater and Shafts of Komninou, Meg. Alexandrou, Taxiarchon, Pisidias and Panepistimiou.
The Architectural Detailed Design for each Station includes the design of the station itself with its entrances and the ventilation shafts in the station area, as well as Landscape Detailed Design of surface level (street/square), according to the relevant drawings of GOM.
Analytically the design includes:
-Architectural design of stations and shafts. Functional layout of each station, entrances, passenger areas, staff rooms, necessary technical equipment rooms and auxiliary rooms. Horizontal and vertical connections (corridors, escalators, staircases, elevators, emergency exits) that ensure on the one hand the unobstructed movement of users and on the other hand the evacuation of stations in case of emergency.
-Architectural finishes of stations and shafts. Architectural finishes of floors (including provisions for people with special needs), walls, ceilings, suspended ceilings (using materials with sound-absorbing properties), railings, handrails, entrances, etc. of stations and shafts, according to Final study and other contract documents.
-Landscape design of surface level (street/square) and integration of projects in the urban environment. Restoration and formation of surface areas of construction sites. Landscaping of the area, including location of entrances-exits covered with protective canopies, elevator endings, reconstruction of roads and walkways (with provisions for people with special needs), parking areas for bicycles and motorcycles, hardscape and softscape areas as well as urban space equipment (fountains, pergolas, playgrounds, benches, waste bins, bollards etc.)
-Typical and special details of stations and shafts
Landscape design areas:
AG. VARVARA 7.500 sq.m.
KORYDALLOS 21.500 sq.m.
NIKAIA 8.300 sq.m.
MUNUCIPAL THEATER 13.400 sq.m.

Underground Stations:
AG. VARVARA 11.500 μ2
KORYDALLOS 10.350 μ2
NIKAIA 11.500 μ2
MUNUCIPAL THEATER 13.300 μ2

Nicosia Mall

Nicosia Mall in Nicosia, Cyprus was designed to provide a unique experience of shopping, dining and leisure into one integrated unit. The main idea was to create a playful and contemporary environment, with a friendly and dynamic character, offering to the visitor a discreet sense of luxury.

Located in a 61.000 sqm plot in Lacatamia district, outside Nicosia’s urban fabric, with a strong nature presence, the issue of sensitivity towards the natural environment played a very important role to the designing procedure. Towards this direction, building’s volume was articulated as  a horizontal, linear and curved object, in a green and light blue exterior elevations color palette, creating a dominant but, at the same time, respectful building to the nature surroundings in which it was embedded.

With a total built area of 100.000sqm and more than 150 retail shops, bars and restaurants, 5 cinema halls, an open plaza of 8.000 sqm and 1700 parking lots, NICOSIA MALL is actually a full day destination for visitors of any age, interests and hobbies.

The building consists of two commercial levels – ground floor and 1st floor – with two extra supportive levels – basement and one mezzanine floor. Visitors enter the mall in both ground floor and 1st floor level, with a special exterior area treatment, through entrance canopies in flowing shapes, following the intension of keeping both levels equally important and commercially appealing. The basic layout in plan, develops a curved linear layout, engraving into two directions, in wavy and cuneiform geometries (”river”), offering a game of perspective and a progressive space discovery. This way, once you enter into mall area, it is never visible to its whole extend, giving the opportunity of surprise to the visitor, as one discovers it gradually along the way. Inside mall area, two water features – one vertical water “curtain” and one water jet – offer a conceptual connection between the two commercial levels and create a Zen environment, with their water sound and feel.

Foodcourt area consists of both interior and exterior area, with a veranda towards a great and unobstructed view.

At the top of the building, a curved metal roof top cover creates a cost saving solution to MEP installations protection issue, while solving the problem of their aesthetically accepted hiding from public. This roof top cover provides an extra protection from roof solar overheat, offering a positive bioclimatic impact to the whole building.

Solar light tubes were installed through all mall corridor length, offering a very effectively diffused light to both commercial levels, during day time and at the same time providing a cost saving solution in energy terms, since during the day, the artificial light demands are kept very low.

Main materials in interior public areas are glass, mirrors, dry construction elements, ceramic tiles and timber and main colors are earthy beige with islands of strong colors shaking up the general colored serenity.

Building elevations configuration is based on the idea of double shell. Green sandwich panel with white repetitive pattern is the actual exterior shell and blue-grey vertical louvers protruding in a distance from green panel, create a movement effect, with a game of light and shadow, while walking along the façade. This different color and material combination ends up in a constant change of building color from green to blue and vice versa.

In the surrounding area of ​​the building, in addition to the open parking spaces, an elevated Plaza is created on the ground floor level, attached to restaurant shops and bars and offers to them a landscaped lounge area. The Plaza is ideal for expanded outdoor events, with the provision of temporary light cover in certain parts of the area, for concerts, game activities and outdoor exhibitions.

Makedonia Palace Hotel

The 5 * hotel MAKEDONIA PALACE is a historic, but also a emblematic, building located in central Thessaloniki, Greece, in the district of Nea Paralia, on Alexander the Great Avenue. It was built in 1972 based on the design of architect Konstantinos Doxiadis (1913-1975) and it is a characteristic example of 1970’s modern movement architecture in Greece.
The project concerns the total renovation and full retrofit of the hotel. It offers a capacity of 276 rooms and the building occupies a plot area of ​​approximately 14,350sqm, just 60m from the coastline. The building has a total surface of ~ 27.500sqm and a height of 33m and it consists of one underground and eleven above ground levels.
The main building has a rectangular shape with its main elevations oriented to the West with unobstructed sea views and to the East with panoramic city views. It consists of an rectangular building volume in basement, ground floor and mezzanine levels, housing the public areas and a smaller in plan, nine level tower, where the rooms and suites are located, plus a restaurant-bar on the upper level. Its main characteristic is the austere and simple geometrical arrangement of the white marble facades, as well as the semi-open spaces in front of the rooms.
In order to respect building’s architecture, most of the interventions were confined to the interior of the building and mainly oriented on finishes and decorative elements, with the exception of the ground floor, where significant rearrangements of public areas took place.
The main interventions were:
conference rooms relocation and retrofit, enhancing hotel’s conference character and upgrading its services in the field of high class events, restaurant and bar relocation to a privileged ground floor hotel area, offering upscale dining and leisure services, additional restaurant and bar area on the upper floor of the hotel, with a special aesthetic character with the most stunning view of the city, pool and auxiliary areas upgrading and a new canopy construction in main hotel entrance, as a new hotel landmark, along with functional and aesthetic upgrading of drop-off area.
In addition, extensive work was carried out on the maintenance of all building installations, with the aim of fully modernizing all areas of the hotel, exterior facades repair, as well upgrading landscape areas.
The unique location of the complex, which offers this outstanding connection to the sea and the city, as well as the simple lines, timeless rugged geometries and warm and earthy materials, create a canvas of relaxation and austere luxury throughout the hotel.
The materials used are mainly marble, wood, metal and glass in different versions and combinations, varying from space to space. The technology of materials used was the most current and sophisticated, always geared to special buildings.
Considering that MACEDONIA PALLAS is a building of historical importance for the city of Thessaloniki, the architectural proposal aimed at respecting its architecture and highlighting the most important elements that made it unique through time.

Kings Avenue Mall

KINGS AVENUE MALL is located in Pafos, Cyprus, a city that has been one of the most important ancient kingdoms on the island, a famous center of worship for the ancient goddess Aphrodite, with UNESCO protected archaeological wealth since 1980.

With a total built area of 90,000sqm, the mall is built on a plot of 46,000sqm, at the intersection of Apostle Pavlou Avenue and King’s Tomb Street, in an area of ​​intense tourist development, within an urban context and has more than 120 shops, restaurants and bars, 6 cinema halls and 1100 parking spaces.

Given the urban environment in which the building is located, the architectural proposal was orientated towards a smooth horizontal volume layout. It consists of two commercial levels – ground floor and 1st floor – with three additional auxiliary levels, two basements and one mezzanine. Visitor entrances have been created at both commercial levels, through the proper configuration of the surrounding area, which are marked and protected by large, curved geometries, with the aim of making both levels equally attractive.

Mall’s layout in plan is developed in a linear layout of two basic axes, in wedge-shaped geometries, with fluctuations in the width of the main shopping corridor, in the idea of flowing river. A special water feature at the confluence of the two main plan axes, which depicts the image of continuous, but mild and almost dreamy rain, as an additional reminiscent of Pafos’ relation with water.

The area of ​​Foodcourt consists of an open and closed section, with a terrace with unobstructed views of the city and the sea.

A metal curved canopy was installed on the top of the building to cover and protect the MEP installations. This canopy works as a bioclimatic shell for the whole complex, as it protects the roof from overheating, contributing positively to the energy performance of the building.

In the main customer commercial corridor, natural light is ensured during daylight through the ceiling of the Mall, with the installation of solar tubes, contributing significantly to the energy saving of the complex, while at the same time delivering a unique lighting effect through the diffusion of light caused by the solar tubes incorporated mirrors.

The materials used in the interior spaces are aluminum, glass, illuminated transparencies, dry building elements and ceramic tiles, while cool colors were selected – in gradations between gray and ice white.

The outer shell of the building consists of a composite thermal insulation panel in shades of gray. Main entrance and foodcourt side elevation has a configuration of the barcode effect, in gray metallic shades with linear light sparkles, while for the rest of the main elevation, large scale vertical aluminum blinds were used in a vivid green and blue gradient color palette.

In the surrounding area of ​​the building, apart from back of house areas of loading bays for catering and service of shops and shopping center, the idea was to create a linear park with extended flower beds, as well as vertical “green” walls. This vertical greenery forms a perceptible boundary between front and back of house areas and creates the impression that nature is climbing up the building.

During the excavations for the construction of the project, findings from a Roman bath complex, with tanks and floor remains were discovered which, according to the instructions of the competent Department of Antiquities of Cyprus, were removed and transferred with modern methods to a specially selected section of the plot and are exposed to public, protected from climatic conditions.

Papafi Cultural Center

Our proposal aims at satisfying all requirements and specifications set by the tender, and at the same time provide a contemporary and innovative building complex, which will meet all functional, technological and aesthetic needs of today and will become a landmark in the area.

Design concept

The design concept starts from a compact building volume, which breaks up, then separates, then is displaced, then bends due to the interaction with the urban fabric, resulting in the penetration of the urban space inside the plot and among the two volumes. The breakup and bending of volumes causes also the “breakage” of the ceramic shell inside, alternating the linearity of the shell with vertical panels and glazing.

The building is “offered” to the inhabitants through the creation of free public spaces, squares, sitting areas, green areas and various additional activities developed around it. The planted roofs replace the old ceramic roof of the existing building, which remains as a reminder in the choice of shell material.

Architectural design

The complex consists of two elongated bended buildings: K1, a four-storey building and K2, a three-storey building. The complex includes also two basements, the first with a parking area of 83 slots and the second with technical and auxiliary spaces. The complex is served by four main cores of vertical communication. The allocation of the various uses in the two buildings is described below: Building K1, Ground floor: Day Care Center for the Elderly, Citizen Service Center and Guest House; 1st floor: Community Medical center and Guest House; 2nd floor: Municipal Library; 3rd floor and mezzanine: Municipal Gym. Building K2, Ground floor: Nursery and Memory Space-Archive; 1st floor: Nursery; 2nd floor: Offices of fourth Community and Associations and Multipurpose Hall. An outdoor cinema is located on the terrace of building K2. The two buildings are connected through an elevated bridge and a grid of external corridors/balconies and staircases.

The volume organization of the complex reflects the general concept. The complex is “wrapped” around by a second skin/shell consisting of linear ceramic elements, alternating in solid or perforated zones according to the needs of lighting and visual isolation. This solid shell is interrupted on the inside facades and replaced by a vertical curtain wall consisting of solid and glass panels.

The building complex is designed following the bioclimatic principles in order to achieve the best possible sustainability performance and consume the less possible energy, while thermal and visual comfort is offered to its users.

Landscape design

Landscape design is related also to the general concept. Public space penetrates the complex, creating triangle squares. Hard and soft scape interconnect resulting in a mosaic of materials and colors. Proposed materials match the ones of the building that is ceramic flooring and concrete in different textures.

Fashion City Outlet

The project concerns the renovation of an existing shopping mall (formerly PANTHEON PLAZA) that started operating in 2008, in the area of Larissa, on a plot of 108,000sqm, 4km outside the city, on Konstantinos Karamanlis Avenue (formerly Old National Road Larissa-Athens).
FASHION CITY OUTLET is the first discount shopping mall in Thessaly and the renovation aimed to create an attractive destination for the wider area, different and updated compared to the formerly existing shopping area. The proposed interventions, which mainly focus on the facades of buildings, the sanitary areas, the flooring and the equipment of the shopping center, utilize elements of a simple but luxurious aesthetic with modern materials, so that the visitor while wandering in the commercial areas center, would have the feel of a walk on an urban shopping street, full of snapshots from a friendly and youthful metropolis.
The complex, that has a total built-up area of ​​21,000sqm and underground auxiliary spaces of approximately 9,500sqm., offers 90 shops and café-restaurants, 3 cinemas and an expanded foodcourt area for dining and leisure.
In terms of function, shopping center’s layout is retained and comprises of 16 independent ground-floor buildings among which the movement of visitors evolves, like a walk in a pedestrian way. Among the independent ground floor buildings of the complex, the existing pergola made from composite timber curved cross segments, mounted on either side on the roofs of the buildings with retractable membrane-tents on top, is also retained.
Grey and red are the basic colors used in this renovation both in the aisles of the visitors and on the perimeters of the buildings, while the decorative claddings through the mall corridor has references to world-fashion themes, with delicate catwalk figures on the decorative fronts mounted over glazing shopfronts or on large-scale impressive lighting fixtures at the complex’s entry points. Addition of awnings in strong red and white shades alongside the shops enhance the image of the promenade on an urban pedestrian street, with references to major cities of world fashion that have been incorporated on large surfaces of the new floors. Along the shopping lane, seating areas are created for the temporary stop and relaxation of visitors, with a strong look of nature through planting along the mall.
Foodcourt area has been developed in a more industrial look, with decorative claddings referring to construction site containers image, in an intention to create, through contemporary aesthetic, a comfortable space for leisure and recreation during the visit to the mall.
On the building facades to the perimeter of the complex, the existing exterior shells, which consisted of composite thermal insulating steel panels, are cladded with corrugated steel in different shades of grey, in patchwork geometry. Along these facades, glass vitrines are installed, with special lighting and decorative coatings and varying shades. These elements project logos or products, while at the same time they offer an interesting color and light variety to the whole complex.
At the entrance points of the complex, a special dichroic membrane was placed in large-size glazing, creating a special visual effect, with almost illusion reflections and light analysis in different shades that constantly change with the movement of the visitor.
The surrounding parking area was fully redesigned and upgraded, giving approximately 1500 parking lots, and extended maintenance works were also executed to the flooring, equipment and signage of the entire complex.

Airport Towers

The project concerns a building complex consisting of a big scale Shopping Mall along with residential and office buildings, with a total build area of 440.000 sqm underground spaces and 580.000 sqm over the ground spaces. It is located in a plot area of approximately 78.000 sqm, in the north-west side of Erbil in Iraq – one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world – just one kilometer away from city’s airport.
The proposal is based on a City in the City concept. Mall’s articulation with Residential and Office uses, gives the whole premise a dynamic and lively character. The intention is to create an architectural context that will develop into a tempting integrated urban destination for the whole province. Shopping, leisure, relaxing, all visitors’ needs satisfied in a commercial and entertainment Center that will combine high-class services with exquisite recreation and will attract both tourists and permanent city habitants.
The shopping Mall, a linear crest emerging from the ground, like a dominant “citadel” creating a delicate basis on which multi-storey buildings are rising up. Office volume is formed like a geometrically minimal solid form and articulated in horizontal shapes that sketch a calm background in front of which Residence towers twist like upright glowing prisms in different colors. The whole complex is set up like a tectonic synthesis that is articulated like precious stones – Erbil’s Jewels – floating to the sky.
Inside the Mall, main public corridor is formed like a River Oasis, a rapture in the fabric of nature, a challenge to discover the amazing, blending nature and tradition with contemporary aesthetics, offering the visitor a whole new experience.
Mall buildings facades and main features are articulated as a combination between solid and transparent, folded in a delicate metal “lace”, inspired by the shapes created from tree shadows in the woods.
Nature, Water and Sky Light are the main inspirational elements used to quilt building’s indoor and outdoor public spaces.
A raised Plaza on Mall’s roof is the main open square, creating the impression of a “corniche”, a leisure promenade that attracts visitors and modulates the “peak” through this new retail experience, giving the impression that nature is “climbing” over the whole premise. This Plaza offers the city a leisure place for all climatic conditions, with areas completely open and others that can convert from outdoor to indoor.
This sequence of hanging gardens promotes nature’s image in long distances away from the building, acting together with glowing gem Towers, as an insignia for the whole district.

Prefecture Services

The building complex that houses the services of the Prefecture of Thessaloniki includes office spaces, extending in four levels, ground floor shops, two basements with 307 parking spaces and auxiliary spaces. The complex includes also three listed buildings with public uses.
The concept idea for the volume organization of the new building complex is the creation of two main axis-walkways, vertical one another.
An additional defining element for the façades’ organization is the requirement for “an accurate and effective sun protection of the building” according to the competition specifications.
The sun protection of the South West elevation is achieved by the construction of a second skin, at small distance from the basic elevation, consisting of movable horizontal and vertical metal louvers.
For the same reason, in the North West and South East elevations, a second skin is also constructed consisting of ceramic elements (solid in front of the solid parts of the elevations and perforated-louvered in front of the openings).
This treatment implements the basic aesthetic principle for a clear distinction between the «old» and the «new», at all levels. The elevations acting as the background for the landmarks, from 26 Oktovriou and Kefallinias streets, are totally neutral and completely different, without any competitive, supplementary or relevant aesthetic elements. Additionally, the ceramic skins for North West and South East elevations were selected in order to mark and implement the functional, integrating and aesthetic axis of the important monuments (FIX, GAS COMPANY, MYLOS) through a unified ceramic texture, which characterizes the three monuments.

Villaggio Hotel

The project concerns the Design of Villaggio Hotel, a five-star hotel, located at Doha, Qatar. The total hotel room capacity is 213 guestrooms comprising of 132 standard rooms, 40 executive rooms, 10 junior suites, 20 one-bedroom suites, 10 two-bedroom suites and one presidential suite. The total built up area of the Hotel is 50.635 sq. m.
The hotel extends at 8 levels. Basement including 300 parking spaces, ground floor including the entrance lobby, cafes, restaurants, ballrooms and other common facilities, a partial service mezzanine, a second mezzanine including club lounge, specialty restaurant, gym-spa and certain guestrooms with private gardens, 3 main floors with guestrooms and a rooftop restaurant. Guestroom floors are organized in two wings, parallel to the main roads in the north-west end of the site. At mezzanine level an extended terrace is provided including a swimming pool with pool bar, restaurant’s outdoor spaces and planted areas.
The building has two public entrances: a main entrance for the Hotel (west façade) and a ballroom entrance (east façade). Both entrances include sheltered spaces in front of them. A third service – staff entrance is provided with loading bay, which is optically isolated through a special peristyle formation.
The main lobby of the hotel constitutes a tall double height space, which unifies the various levels giving grandeur and luxury to the building. Additionally all guestroom floors are unified through openings created at floor slabs. The formed vertical spaces (atriums) are covered by glazed roofs bringing natural light inside the building. The main lobby is directly connected to the adjacent Villaggio Mall.
The building is served at all levels by a central vertical communication core with 6 main lifts and three service cores, each of which includes 2 lifts (for clean – soiled materials/waste) and an attached escape staircase. There is no interference between FOH and BOH circulation.
The basement garage is accessed by two separate ramps, one for entrance (east side) and one for exit (west side). The parking layout is suitable for parking either by valets or by self-parking.
Landscape design includes sheltered drop off areas in front of the two entrances, reflected pools, parking spaces and planted areas.
The morphology of the building has references to the Renaissance period, according to client’s requirement. Facades’ configuration follows the typical division ‘base-stem-head’. Balconies and windows follow a symmetrical and repetitive arrangement. Façades are enriched with many decorative elements such as arcades, pilasters, columns, capitals, lintels, cornices, balustrades, statues and other ornamental features of the period. Decoration is heavier at the ‘base’ and gets lighter at the ‘stem’ of the building. The ‘head’-third floor appears as a mansard roof with dormer windows. A grand dome at the corner of the building signifies the importance of the building and emphasizes its monumental character.
Internal public space design follows the same style of the façades, highlighted by elaborated decorative features (curtains, rugs, special furniture, chandeliers etc.). The big atrium connecting the lobby with the guestroom floors carries a façade relevant to the exterior thus connecting perceptually inside with the outside.
Mezzanine terrace is enclosed by an arcade which is the continuity of the relevant decorative element of the façade, providing privacy to the area. A similar arcade with glass windows acts as a screen that divides the public terrace from the private guestroom gardens, isolating public from private use. The isolation is enhanced by dense planting on both sides of the screen.
The proposal aims at providing the hotel with a strong identity that will make it the focal point of the district.

Second World War Museum

A vessel, an ark, a shelter, or maybe a missile, or even a gigantic bomb breaks into pieces and deforms after a violent attack, an assault, an explosion …
It is a rapture in the fabric of history, a tragedy …
Among the fragments a new, open, transparent, outward looking construction regenerates the total environment. It is the recovery, the reestablishment of History.
It is the future.
A modern museum is no longer conceived only as an institution for storage of memories and display of knowledge. Furthermore it is no longer just a building in the city.
A modern museum is a civic status or a national symbol and it enlivens city life. Although it was initially conceived of as a resting place for valuable objects, historic representations and different artifacts, it has turned into an “agora” to animate the best impulses of the citizenry by functioning as a space that caters to the urban experiences.
There are three basic program areas: Exhibitions, the agora and the open space.
That is why the building is broken up into three parts: the old vessel, the new construction, and the void between the broken parts.
Exhibitions are located in the old broken vessel. This is the past. Agora breaks and dissolves the vessel, extends and enlarges its limits into the urban space becoming progressively an important part of it. A 40 meter high observation tower, a landmark of the new era is located by the main entrance. Agora is the journey to the future through the past.
The void between parts operates as an orientation and connection space, giving entries from both directions along the main axis. The void becomes a flexible and multiuse element (instrument) that unifies the surrounding environment which functions at the present time.