Housing Complex

Project Name: Housing Complex
Construction year: 2002
Website:
Address: 28th Oktovriou and Dodekanissou Streets, Vrilissia , ATHENS - Greece

Architect(s) : MOB architects (www.mobarchitects.gr)
Project Category: Residential

Latitude: 38.0336
Longitude: 23.8276

Housing Complex

Concept

The housing complex consists of two independent building volumes that are arranged parallel to Dodekanisou Street and are connected by balconies at the second and third levels. The open space between the two buildings has been developed into a communal garden. The south-east corner of the site includes a swimming pool as a continuation of the communal garden area.

Description

The issues that influenced the volumetric treatment of this housing complex are the following:
• a dissimilar functional arrangement on each floor of the building (ie. two-level apartments on the ground and first levels and single-level apartments on the second and third levels) resulting in varying window arrangements for the same location on different levels,
• a desire for maximum verandah space, which varies in size depending on the use of the room that the verandah adjoins,
• a minimum site coverage to provide space for the central communal garden and the swimming pool.

In response to the issues outlined above, the following approaches were adopted:
The height of the building has been divided into two horizontal zones. The first horizontal zone (ground and first levels) is based on the expression of the column grid. With this technique the surfaces of the lower floors create vertical bands with the windows, balconies and semi-enclosed spaces sized independently from each other in accordance with their function.

The second horizontal zone (second and third floors) is expressed as a more or less solid vertical planes that visually unite the verandahs of the secondary spaces and elsewhere as thin horizontal and vertical elements that project from main building volume to enclose the verandahs associated with the living spaces.

The living areas are also expressed with elevated ceilings and roofs. The verandahs, projected planes and roofs are visually connected with horizontal perforated elements.

Contributed by MOB architects