More With Less explores renovations that bring architectural charm to the space with intriguing as well as affordable design solutions.
Situated next to Finopoulou Hill in Athens, Ierapetras Apartment by Studio Lok, reimagines the relationship between a 1950’s interior and its urban landscape. The layout is redefined to connect living spaces with the hill’s greenery, framed through existing openings that become integral to the interior experience. Guided by a profound respect for original materiality, restored terrazzo and oak parquet floors form a canvas for a bold palette of intense colors—where minimal gestures yield spatial clarity and renewed domestic quality.
Situated at the foot of Finopoulou Hill, this 70 sq.m. first-floor apartment—housed within a typical 1950s Athenian polykatoikia—reinterprets the dialogue between the modernist interior and the surrounding urban landscape.
The redesign stems from a clear intention: to strengthen the visual and spatial connection between the living areas and the adjacent greenery.
The existing openings are preserved and strategically emphasized, framing views of the hill that become a central component of the interior experience. Key to this approach is the pursuit of uninterrupted visual continuity. The removal of the storage loft restores the apartment’s original height and volumetric clarity, while the demolition of the entrance hall partition expands the living area, establishing it as the primary spatial core of the residence. In direct relation to this space, a flexible office zone is introduced, designed to function equally as a secondary bedroom. The intervention is guided by a deliberate respect for the apartment’s original material palette.
The terrazzo flooring and oak parquet are meticulously restored, forming a historical substrate upon which a bold chromatic strategy unfolds.
Intense, saturated colors are applied to introduce a distinct pop sensibility, generating a dynamic interplay between old and new.
Within this reconfigured layout, the bathroom is enlarged, the main bedroom is slightly reduced in area, and integrated storage solutions are carefully incorporated throughout.
Lighting plays a pivotal role in shaping the spatial narrative.
Throughout the day, natural light interacts with the vivid color surfaces, continuously altering perception and atmosphere. By night, artificial lighting accentuates textures, depth, and spatial transitions.
This carefully orchestrated interplay reinforces the project’s central theme: a nuanced dialogue between materiality, color, and the framed presence of the natural landscape.
The Ierapetras Apartment exemplifies a thoughtful reworking of the Athenian polykatoikia, where minimal gestures yield spatial clarity and renewed domestic quality. By restoring volume, preserving material memory, and foregrounding the presence of Finopoulou Hill, the design refines everyday living.
Facts & Credits
Title Ierapetras Apartment
Typology Interior, Renovation
Location Athens, Greece
Status Completed, 2025
Architecture Studio Lok
Photography Vasso Paraschi
Text by the authors