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0923 THE LAYERED DWELLING

Description

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On Tsami Karatasou Street in Koukaki, a 1930s building with successive additions extend­ing into the 1950s is transformed into a field of dialogue between old and new.

The existing shell, already the result of multiple transformations, is approached as an architectural pa­limpsest in which each period has left its trace. The proposal does not seek to smooth out these differences, but rather to highlight them through a strategy of layering.The main gesture is a green solid addition placed on the roof—an intervention that rests discreetly upon the pre-existing structure, clearly expressing its temporal and morpholog­ical autonomy.

Correspondingly, at ground level, a second green cube is introduced, more grounded and in direct relationship with the courtyard, strengthening the experiential con­nection between interior and exterior space. Together, the two new elements form a con­temporary layer that coexists with, rather than competes against, the historic substrate.

The street facade is preserved exactly as it stands, as an act of respect toward the col­lective memory of the neighborhood. In contrast, the rear elevation allows for greater freedom, incorporating the reuse of old window frames and the integration of existing elements. The floors are retained, and through the insertion of inlaid elements, later inter­ventions remain visible, foregrounding the logic of reuse.

At the same time, a metal frame is added for the structural reinforcement of the build­ing, integrated with clarity into the new composition. Dwelling is thus conceived as an open-ended process in time, where the new is inscribed as a distinct contemporary trace upon an already complex historical structure.

Space

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Space

213 sq.m.

Location

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Location

Koukaki, Athens [GR]

Typology

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Typology

Dwell

Year of Completion

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Year of Completion

2023 - Pending

Design Team

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Design Team

Manos Babounis, Elli Papachristopoulou, Konstantina Eglezou, Nikos Rossis

Visuals

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Visuals

Maria Skeva, Paris Fakinos