Athenian house renovation at Colonus | Michael Bakas

The project demonstrates the integration of a contemporary operation diagram into an existing shell of an Athenian residence, bearing the remarkable architectural quality of the 1930s. The maintenance of the atrium as the core of the house, around which daily operations are organized, is the main idea of the proposal. From a backyard in limited contact with the house daily life, the role of the atrium is upgraded, becoming the "heart" of the house, "shaping" internal organization with the natural light invading to the interior.

Introvert structure, symmetrically organized spaces, central axis of movement, are key components of the Athenian house typology, maintained and highlighted in this renovation proposal. The hallway is maintained as an entrance space and the living-room is optically integrated with the kitchen and the atrium via the continuous wooden floor. The wooden ceiling remains visible in the kitchen and is painted white in accordance with white lacquer kitchen surfaces. The bedroom is situated in the front of the residence with a floor made of old tiles, which are reused creating the atmosphere of a past era.