ROOMS
AGIOS ATHANASIOS
CLIENT
ROOMS
YEAR
2002-2005, 2019
PHOTOGRAPHY
CREATIVE PHOTOROOM
Awarded the National Architecture Prize in 2007.
The project is located on a commercial avenue connecting Highway with the center of Limassol. The building functions as a furniture and home equipment showroom, and as office spaces.
First Phase (2002-2005): The idea was based on the design of a structure with the characteristics of an ‘object’ that functions as a’ landmark’. The structure resulted from the idea of ‘a folding surface’ in this case bare reinforced concrete, which generates the functional entities of the building (storage, showroom, offices) starting from the basement storage space, encasing the ground & 1st level showrooms and unfolding to the 2nd floor to envelope the administrative space.
To the observer who moves along the frontal facade the concept is recognized with ease as it is dynamically projected, however on the interior the visitor is faced by successive surprises – discovering interior courtyards were one can detect the play between internal and external space. This introversion is evident on the rear façade of the building. The opening of the ‘fold’ is oriented to the North while the enveloping sides are on the East-West axis. The interior courtyards are exposed to the South while the Western sun is blocked with just the necessary openings for natural ventilation. The chimney effect is implemented as the cold air transfers upwardly dispersing through the Ground and 1st floor spaces to the skylights above where it exits. Louvers, both vertical and horizontal, are used as sun filters were appropriate.
Second Phase (2019): The need for additional office space resulted in the creation of an additional floor “hovering” above the existing building. The new floor was designed with a totally different concept, as a perimetrically-louvered volume, so that it doesn’t alter the concept of the initial structure. Between the first and second phases, a mechanical area is created, while on top of the new addition, a roof garden offering panoramic views of Limassol crowns the project.
