Nestled between Exarcheia and Kolonaki, at the foot of Lycabettus Hill, Athens-based studio Oikonomakis Siampakoulis architects has transformed a typical 1970s apartment into a bright, art-filled home for two young professionals working in the arts and communication industries. The 85-square-metre residence has been reimagined as an open, fluid space that celebrates materiality, light and contemporary Greek design. The clients, avid travellers and collectors, arrived with a precise brief: their home should accommodate a rich collection of artworks, design pieces and inherited furniture — a mosaic of memories and influences gathered from around the world. Responding to this, the architects approached the renovation as an exercise in revival rather than replacement. Original elements such as the brown marble, colourful terrazzo floors and a carved marble sink were carefully preserved and woven into the new design, linking the home’s modern sensibility to its 1970s heritage. The reconfigured layout dissolves the old partition walls to bring daylight deep into the apartment. The living, dining, kitchen and entry areas now flow seamlessly, anchored by a series of custom-built interventions. At the entrance, a white metal structure replaces the former corridor wall, framing a portion of the original brickwork and offering a striking display for selected artworks. Cooking and gathering form the heart of daily life here. A bespoke tiled kitchen island stands at the centre, bridging the dining and kitchen zones. Its sculpted form creates an intimate workspace and social hub, while handcrafted marble shelves and recesses accommodate books, utensils and small art pieces. Above, a suspended metal shelving system casts shifting patterns of light and shadow, visually linking the kitchen to the rest of the home. Throughout, honey-stained oak cabinetry provides warmth and continuity. Cleverly arranged around the existing airshaft and new transom windows, the cabinetry introduces natural light into the once-dark bathroom and study. This way it creates an ever-changing play of illumination as the sun moves from the northeast-facing bedroom to the southwest living areas. The result is a home that feels at once personal, contemporary and deeply Athenian.
Oikonomakis Siampakoulis architects bring light and art into a 1970s Athenian apartment
