New office-building attached below ground to a listed neoclassical historical building within a c.650m2 plot & restoration of the exterior shell of the listed building. Kaplanon 11 Athens. (1993-95)
The new building was only attached to the listed Historical Monument below ground, thus the vertical to the plot Staikou street was aesthetically extended in the plot. Thus it most appropriately frames the listed building and hides the post-world war II, blind high rise neighbouring constructions. The elevation of the new wing, clad with natural materials, quite intentionally shared the same axis of symmetry with the listed building. The human scale was evident in the small, classically and harmoniously proportioned windows of the new building, with exceptional curtain walls to reflect the image of the classical listed building opposite. Innovative abstracted custom designed detailing throughout including hidden frames in all openings, while most appropriate masonry cladding extensively utilized in the elevation of the new wing with warm colours, compatible with the new plaster re-construction of the neoclassical building. The extensive parallel restoration of the four elevations of the rare free standing historical neoclassical edifice, was executed after additional reinforcement and with the colour embedded in the plaster. In addition, grain-reinforced-cement was utilized for all cornices and mouldings to ensure stability and longevity. The project was subsequently put on hold, most notably in the interiors, due to changing circumstances.
From a functional perspective, the top floors of the new wing were primarily intended for office use-with dense functional provisions for this purpose with alternative layouts etc, while the ground floors were more suitable for recreational activity in direct relationship with the open spaces and garden as they profited from several entrances in both high and lower ground storeys, as the rear-garden is at a much lower level from the street. The old ‘garden gate’ now also offered access to the entrance of the underground private parking space, accessible through an elevator (still to be installed) at the rear of the plot. Basement levels, also included high quality symmetrical gallery-exhibition space with appropriate functional and legal provisions for primary use. Alternative plans for use as a hotel with various densities of occupation as well as detailed plans for restaurant at the lower levels,were also subsequently executed. A project of 2000 m2 in total with 1600m2 primary-use spaces of which c.800 belong to the listed building.
Intervention in the Alpha Bank Listed Buildings of Ex Ioniki & Laiki Bank to restore their functional and aesthetic integrity.
Alternative proposals to convince the owners of Alpha Bank of the importance of the restoration of the original integrity, symmetry and independence of the interiors of the two early 20th century listed buildings by A. Metaxas that had later (1958) been integrated with interconnection-distortion of their main public-receiving spaces while both owned by the Ionian Bank.
Besides demolition of inconsistent previous internal interventions, elimination of additional 5th floor spaces of Ex.Laiki building, and electro-mechanical upgrade of the whole complex, the project involved re-design of the main transaction space of both buildings to accommodate for open plan without counters. This involved elimination of black-marble column pedestals and intervening counters, as well as elimination also of the later (1958), beige Ioannina-marble column-covering veneer. In the Ex.Ionian Bank, the space was completely re-designed as only the glass-ceiling had survived but all elements in the room had been altered with very limited clues surviving. (a single photo of 1939 showing only the position of the old clock). In Ex.Laiki building the new design involved appropriately fluted in front compatible Dionyssos marble, rectangular columns well controlled dimensionally so as not to intervene with neighbouring marble original elements in the 1st floor overlooking gallery. (Clues as to the material, were found at an other location in the building close to the main entrance). This finishing was coupled with strengthening of the structural system at places, including carbon fibre enhancement of the eight free columns in the central space. Both buildings, after re-gaining their original integrity and independence, were connected with a new glass bridge at an elevated ground-floor level.
Restoration of the Listed Classical Building of ex. ‘Laiki‘ (Popular) Bank (Owner Alpha Bank) after the February 12, 2012 Arseny & Complete Destruction.
After the fire of February 12, 2012, the extreme temperatures not only ruined all architectural decorations including valuable original marble décor and intricate plasterwork, bronze lighting fixtures and all electromechanical installation and furniture, but also weakened the structural system of the only recently restored building, completed in 2008. The need for very careful dimensional coordination based on the architect’s proposal by all teams of collaborating engineers was mandatory as existing surviving pierced Pendelic marble under restoration did not allow for expansion of the width of the marble columns beyond circa 1cm on each side. Furthermore for aesthetic reasons all gypsum detailing could not expand in size by a bare, well controlled minimum. This set the tone for the complete redesign of all visible marble and gypsum decoration , throughout the main completely destroyed section of the building. Furthermore the first floor main administration spaces though saved from direct devastation by the fire required complete re-decoration and restoration due to change in dimensions by need for lateral enhancement of the structural system. This also applied to the basement floor which was completely re-designed with multi-coloured white marble and red-porphyry veneer to counter-balance the expanded in size structural system which needed significant widening at this level. Serious discrepancies of the structural system of the building that had not been remedied by the previous restoration, as no weakening was then evident to convince the owners for the necessity, were now remedied with very precise solutions at each point.
Intervention in the Listed Historical Building of the Nicoloudis Mansion and Arcade on Panepistimiou 41 Street
(Eleytheriou Venizelou), 1998-2000
Restoration of the listed important historical Nicoloudis Mansion and Arcade, the first commercial arcade in Athens. This involved the surviving two thirds of the original complex, as the Stadiou street section had been demolished two decades earlier. The building was found in disarray, both in the state of the exterior and in most internal spaces. The project was coupled with structural enhancements at places to provide additional resistance against earth-quakes, the provision of an additional egress stair-way, new modern office-interiors suitable for use by Alpha Bank, the building’s owner, and the corresponding mandatory full upgrade of all electromechanical installations. The new double modern elevators served in parallel as an enhancement of the structural system, while all other enhancements were as discrete as possible. Open plan, mandatory for the bank’s needs and most easily implemented in the 1st to 3rd floor where the internal structure of the listed building had mostly perished, was successfully implemented while the 4th and 5th floor historical residences with high ceilings and the classical décor surviving, were meticulously restored and adapted to elegant professional tastes.
The intervention included at a later stage with the fortunate agreement of the inspired owners, an innovative introduction of a 2-storey space centrally, next to the main-stair-way, between 2nd and 3rd floors in order to resemble previous form of the building with less intensive occupation (the space had been later enclosed, as it was originally a central open court for lighting). In addition, ‘restauro-lasur’ colouring was provided for the main-stair-way and main–elevation, and the colour was elegantly embedded in the plaster at the rear elevation, at locations where that was technically possible. The new electromechanical installations, were introduced discretely, with a minimal abstracted approach consistent with the minimal treatment of the open-plan office area. Worn plaster decorations in the arcade were replaced consistently, marble décor was cleaned and completed when missing, while shop façade elements were reconstructed based on consistent drawings, with precision and care.
