FLUX – Reconstruction of an office space in Piraeus | Tsolakis Architects

The reconstruction project regards an office space located on the coastal front of Piraeus. The main principle of the reconstruction is to disassociate the space from the compartmentalisation hitherto associated with it, by creating a new spatial experience for the user, charged with dynamic elements of exploration and discovery.

The motion between the public and private workplaces is reinterpreted under modern conditions of accessibility and openness. This motion is summarised in a merging and filtering gesture, which is embedded in the geometric analogs of the “funnel” and the “curve”. The stasis-observation condition is realised via the welcoming funnel, providing a wide perception of the space; respectively, the curve leading to the individual parts of the office space implies the motion-exploration condition.
 
The sense of filtration is achieved through the segmentation of visual stimuli. Upon the user entering the reception, the overall sense of space is gradually developed through the curved limit that acts as a filter. The curvilinear boundary alternates between opacity and transparency, light and shadow, providing the flowing spatial condition in which the user discovers the space. Through its parallel displacement, this limit furthermore productively influences the geometries of the individual elements of the space.

The dynamics of continuous exploration are also reflected in the alteration of the materials running through the space as a whole. The physical footprint of the stasis and motion is inscribed in the differentiation of material and color between main and auxiliary spaces. Accordingly, chromatic variation is also featured on the roof; the changing pattern, in turn, propagates rhythm and liveliness throughout the workplace.

Unification and separation elements alter the space, providing for adjustments to the closed and open meeting room, depending on the user's needs. This further supports the capacity to envisage the workplace in terms of personalisation, in the contemporary era of volatility.

Photography: P. Voumvakis