In this project Lena Sparis architecture & design office was called to fully renovate a mid-century Athenian apartment overlooking a large park. The owners, a writer, and a photographer/coffee aficionado wished to create a spacious two-bedroom apartment taking advantage of the beautiful views of the park.
-text by the authors
The program included a large living and dining area, a kitchen with a breakfast-café area and barista station, a writer’s corner, and an accessible bathroom. The client’s use of a wheelchair demanded large rooms and unobstructed motion routes through the apartment.
To achieve these requirements several of the interior walls were eliminated creating larger and brighter spaces that facilitated the program. The new kitchen area is the result of the unification of two existing spaces in the back of the apartment. The opening of a large balcony door in the kitchen allowed morning light throughout the apartment. An L-shaped wall with colorful cabinets accommodates all kitchen appliances and storage, as well as the barista station where the clients’ artisanal coffee preparation equipment is located.
A bespoke metal frame movable island adds a working surface while allowing for extra flexibility. The breakfast area and its proximity to the barista station were envisioned as a miniature café within the apartment. Both the barista station and the island are free of cabinets underneath in order to allow wheelchair access.
The living area located along the façade of the building was also expanded through the unification of two existing rooms creating one continuous living and dining space with visual access to the park. The large space between the kitchen and the living room acts as a hub connecting all apartment functions and holds the writer’s corner, created by combining a vintage shelving system with a custom-designed desk to match. The auxiliary spaces on the left of the entrance corridor were also reconfigured to create a guest bathroom, a laundry room, and an accessible bathroom.
The use of bold colors and the mix of mid-century architecture and contemporary furniture give the apartment an eclectic and joyful character.
Plans
Facts & Credits
Architecture Lena Sparis architecture & design
Project title Park view apartment
Project type Apartment renovation
Project location Athens, Greece
Photography Giorgos Vitsaropoulos
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