Typology: Interior

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.

Renal Dialysis Center

The project concerns the construction of a new building, with an area of 1585 sq.m, for housing a 34-bed Chronic Dialysis Unit, in the area of Aktaio in Patra.
The plot on which the building will be erected is located on the Old National Road Patra-Corinth, in “Kastelokambos”, within the settlement of Aktaio, Municipal unit of Rio, Municipality of Patra and has an area of 2964, 14 sq.m.
The proposed building is arranged along the plot and consists of 2 levels, the basic Level 0 with access from the Old National Road and the lower Level -1. Due to the slope of the plot, the building is one-storey on the side of the road and two-storey on the back, while there is the possibility of direct entry-exit on both levels.
At Level 0 (ground floor from the road and 1st floor from the back) are located the two hemodialysis rooms of 16 beds each, which face the view of the Rio-Antirrio bridge, with the auxiliary support areas, the entrance-waiting area and the offices of director and head nurse. Internal communication between the patient rooms and their auxiliary spaces is ensured without interference with the entrance-waiting area.
At the main entrance of the building, there is an extensive sheltered space for the patients’ access.
At Level -1 (basement from the road and ground floor from the back) is located the administration with the possibility of an independent entrance from the low side, as well as the other auxiliary and mechanical areas, while an independent entrance-exit for supply and collection is provided.
The building consists of two volumes in displacement, of which the longest one leans along the road in order for the building to be exposed and better visible from the road, while in the retreating volume the appropriate recess is created for the main entrance. In addition, due to the slope of the plot, the building appears one-storey from the road and two-storey from the back with its side sides half-buried. This configuration led to the organization of the facades in two zones, one at the base of the building and one at the superstructure, using different materials and architectural elements.
Generally, the building is cladded on the base, with panels of a concrete texture that refers to a more “heavy material” and on the superstructure, with vertical strips of HPL panels, of variable dimensions and two colors. Due to the complexity in the layout of the stripes, two light shades of gray were chosen.
The sun protection of the spaces is achieved through perforated blinds in white shade, which while protecting from the sun do not obstruct the view. On the side sides for both sun protection and for the delimitation of the escape exits, pergolas in white shade are also provided.

Archaeological Museum

The NAMS design proposal responds to the principles set by the promoter and satisfies all the objectives set out in the call for proposals.

The building develops following the urban, local-national character of the National Road along which its eastern boundary extends, and its internal central mood to preserve and highlight the local findings.

At the same time, it needs to be seduced by ancient Sparta, but also by the Modern City. To dominate the entrance of the city with a continuous welcome, to invite, to embrace the visitor in the heart of its past.

Morphologically, the building can be read as a volume formation of archetypal structures: the body that carries the STOA, its elongated part leading to the AGORA close to the city, the conversation of the 2 buildings (old and new) forming the ATRIUM. The use of exposed concrete in the elements of the body is intensified by the form of the dense columns, while the choice of U-shaped glass alternating with vertical glass louvres gives a lighter, yet distinct facade in the new building.

The general organization of the uses turns the visitors’ areas towards the interior of the plot, near the archaeological site, and places the offices, workshops, storages to the east, towards the highway. The new building is connected with the existing one, through the entrance area at ground floor level, and through the ending of the Museum Exhibition at first floor level, providing an exit to the outside for a tour in the archeological findings.

The two buildings function as one, with the new one hosting the reception areas, the temporary exhibition and most of the permanent exhibition, and with the existing hosting multi-purpose and educational halls, the shop, the cafe, the exhibition of former factory HYMOFIX.

The design principles of the building and the immediate surroundings complies with the basic objective of bioclimatic architecture, which is summarized in securing a “high quality” acceptable indoor climatic conditions while reducing energy consumption.

The central idea of ​​forming the exhibition space is based on the key words “intersections” and “refractions”, describing spatially the meaning of the museological themes.

According to the above, the exhibition areas are developed on the basis of specific crossing paths and refraction areas. Lighting, which ranges from bright to dark and vice versa, contributes to the desired exhibition atmosphere, enhancing the experience, depending on the content.

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.

Energiers Shop

The project is about a kids’ wear shop of 220 s.q., which is locaded at the shopping center “Mediterranean Cosmos” in Thessaloniki.
The design of children’s stores is unique due to the fact that they aim at the same time at children, teenagers and adults. They must, therefore, create a friendly and appealing environment for all ages.
The “key” to success of such a design lies in the harmonious coexistence of dynamic and symbolic elements that are addressed to adolescents, with mild and reassuring forms that create a safe environment for little children, inside a simple and functional entity that facilitates and attracts adults.
Having as a basic principle the above, we chose a combination of dynamic design with lighter forms.
As a dynamic element we have defined the shop’s window, the “first image”. Big, red volumes together with smaller, dark grey (horizontal) ones, frame the glass surfaces of the window attracting, in this manner, the visitor’s attention with their colour and form. The fundamental parameter was the distinguishable placing of the store’s logo on both sides of access of the store.
The movable partitions on the back side of the window essentially function as a border separating the “outside” from the “inside”, as a type of visual transition to the main store space through their semitransparency. Moreover, they operate as a reference to the houses’ “shutters”, activating the desire and possibly the curiosity of the passersby to enter the area.
Through its organic morphology, the main internal store area is defined as a mild form. A second, internal shell, with curved edges, is proposed. It is a kind of “cocoon” that associatively refers to the warm pregnancy environment and causes a pleasant sense to the visitor and mainly to children.
This shell encompasses some organically outlined niches with children’s and adolescents’ images that both “enliven” the space and visually separate its individual sections.
The simplicity and functionality of the entity is ensured by two distinctive height zones: The first one, from the floor to the 2.25 m., a neutral zone in which the exhibit predominates, and the second one, from 2.25 m and higher, that is dedicated to the creation of an atmosphere through the projection of alternate images that depend on the type of exhibit – merchandise in the niches.
In its entire perimeter and up to the niches’ height limit, the shell is distributed in a system of metal guides, which have hanging or display mechanisms placed by the user, depending on the needs of each separate store. The shell is made of single sided plaster-board. For the floor laminate-type, pale light coloured wood, that does not attract the visitor’s attention but warms the space, is proposed.

Refurbishment of Commercial Streets

It is about the Refurbishment of Commercial Streets “FASHION STREET & HUB AREA”, “Mediterranean Cosmos” mall. The refurbishment concerns the two levels, Level 0 and Level 1, which have commercial use. The interventions include the construction of a new floor, ceiling, a gate between the two commercial areas, new claddings, new sitting benches and finally removal of the fountain in “HUB” area and the construction of new water feature.
The purpose of the new proposal was the introduction of a unified design in both areas and the simplification of individual morphological elements.
The new floors were designed in three zones, starting from the entrance in “Fashion Street” and ending at “Hub”. Ceramic tiles in three shades were selected, while in Level 1 and in the perimeter of the balconies and bridges kerlite tiles were placed.
The ceiling of “Fashion Street”, in the central double height part, consists of three rows of metal blinds in five shades of gray. The middle row consists of blinds of various heights, among which illuminated polycarbonate sheets are placed.
This ceiling extends until the “Hub” area, where the geometry is changed and the circular roof is filled with square metal frames, intersecting at random layout, creating an effect of optical vortex.
The gate that was built between “Fashion Street” and “Hub”, separated the area between the two commercial zones.
The perimeter parapets and bulkheads were cladded with lacquered wooden panels.
The existing fountain of the “Hub” was removed. Instead, 16 closed cylindrical plexiglass tubes were constructed, inside which equal number of water jets were placed.
Finally, sitting benches made of corian were constructed throughout the length of “Fashion Street”, while in the “Hub” a large semicircular bench of the same material was placed.

Old City Foodcourt

The project concerns the construction of a dining area (foodcourt) in part of the existing building C of the Shopping Center OLD CITY, the renovation and extension of the sanitary facilities and the aesthetic upgrade of the study area. The Shopping Center is located at 25 Zahou Street in Volos.
The proposal objectives were the unification of the different elements in space, the mild intervention in part of the facade of building B, the maintenance of the main circulation axis and the marking of the entrances to the foodcourt.
The unification of the different elements in space is achieved through the use of a three-dimensional element (blind), which functions morphologically in three dimensions, either as roofing or as cladding. The blind in its repetition and with its different types gives the feeling that the dining area expands, through the integration of the corridor of the basic movement and the cladding on the wall of building B. This creates an episode, an experience to the user, an identity to space.
The axis of the basic movement of the foodcourt is maintained and strengthened by the construction of two gates at the entrance and the exit of the foodcourt, which on one hand gives a sign to the visitors for the existence of “something new” and on the other hand includes protective elements both in terms of safety and wind protection (safety roller, air curtain).
The foodcourt area consists of four shops with a single ancillary space (BOH).
The sitting area includes two types of seating. The first type includes fixed seating (linear and L-shaped) that are placed on either side of the existing walls creating small hotspots of privacy, while the second type includes light and flexible mobile equipment that can be easily transformed according to the needs of the foodcourt.
Finally, the use of a green element, both in horizontal and vertical surfaces aims at creating a friendly and pleasant environment while at the same time gives the feeling of continuity of outdoor space inside the foodcourt.

Energiers Exhibition Stand

The current study has to do with the design of an exhibition stand for the “ENERGIERS” company.
Generally speaking, exhibition stands are rather complex, usually indoor, constructions. This complexity has to do with the dual purpose of an exhibition stand, which is (through the impression of being a shop) not only to project the firm’s identity among other stands, but also to advertise its products.
For these reasons we focused on prevailing the same design principles as the ones used at the shop of the same company. These design principles are the “dynamic” facade in accordance to the “smooth” internal space. In order to maintain that dominant nature there is a need of expanding the shop windows to both sides of the structure by constructing new projection benches.
The stand’s use of space is distributed along two zones. The first one includes the shop windows and the second the exhibition of the products. The basic morphological characteristics are the sliding panels of the exhibition stand’s facade, the gaps at the ceiling which have the shape of the recesses used in the shops, the shop’s windows benches at both sides of the structure.
As mentioned before the spatial organization of the exhibition stand shows a division between two functional parts; one projecting the stand to the visitors and a second one for the exhibition of the products. This partition also accommodates a small storage unit following the same design principles. A customer service desk and a number of seats have been allocated in front of this unit. The central area of the stand includes a sitting- socialization area surrounded by free movement exhibition space.
The exhibition stand’s furniture conceptualization follows the same design principles as the ones used in the store’s furniture in order to provide simple and fast manufacturing.
These are the curvy forms, the differentiation of the colors on the surfaces (which leads to a more prominent outline of the furniture) and the use of the firms basic colors (light gray, dark gray, red).
U shaped counters in two different sizes are recommended in order to minimize the space use and to create more projection surfaces for the products.
The design of the customers service desk, which is placed in front of the storage unit reminds, morphologically, the cashier furniture used in stores.
Structurally it has two basic elements. The first one which is at the front, visible to the visitor, a rectangle shaped with rounded corners surface and the second one is a service bench at the other side, not visible, with storage spaces.