Reused materials + earthy colors complete D36K apartment by Alan’ Architects in Mavili Square, Athens

The D36K apartment is a 69 m² residence on the fifth floor of a 1966 apartment building in Mavili Square with south-west and south-east facades, built in accordance with the character features of the period. The landlords requested a contemporary residence that would meet the needs of the time and be suitable for a young couple to live in.

The initial plan, envisioned by Alan’ Architects, was to transform the use of the apartment spaces by adding the unnecessarily large and unused entrance area to the living room and the old kitchen. A small room for a child or work was gained from the old kitchen and an open kitchen was created in the living room with the space gained from the entrance. This created a more functional apartment according to the landlords’ request. A dynamic and simple design was sought with inspiration from the pre-existing materials in the apartment.

“Architects chose a new beginning spring theme and earthy colors for the project to reflect the spirit of the young couple”.

In renovation projects, Alan’ Architects prioritize maintaining and reusing materials that can be upcycled and bear traces of the period. They reused a valuable marble sink from an old Athenian house in the bathroom, and they maintained and repaired the parquet floors, mosaic balcony floors, and interior doors.

The open kitchen uses a shelving system and conceals all white goods to create a working area with simple furniture. This keeps the weight of the kitchen from spreading into the living area. The apartment is very sunny due to its location, and the narrowing of the entrance area due to the reduction of the entrance area was solved with the daylight from the facades of the apartment. This daylight is gained by the window opening above the cloak unit and the open entrance to the kitchen.

Facts & Credits:

Project title: D36K apartment, Typology: Interior | Apartment renovation, Location: Athens – Greece, Architecture: Alan’ Architects | Burcu TÜM, Collaboration: Vasiliki Pantazopoulou – Berker Ergüden, Status: Completed 2024, Text description: Alan’ Architects, Photography: Alina Lefa