Pylaia
Design of a housing complex in front of a listed industrial building.
(ONGOING)
The project is in a low-density area in the fringes of Thessaloniki. The specific plot is one with a gentle slope, above which lies a former silk factory, now a listed building.
The design’s primary concept is the organisation of a housing complex that develops a productive dialogue with the adjacent listed building. At the same time, the design attempts to generate series of intimate moments for the residents while creating protected views of the city that lies below. The overall premise was the seamless integration of the complex into the natural and manmade landscape of the plot and the overall neighbourhood. The complex consists of three distinct volumes, placed on the side edges of the plot, that adopt to the natural slope of the ground and the scale of the adjacent buildings while generating a generous central courtyard that gives prominence to the listed building.
The articulation of all three buildings is consistent creating the unifying expression of the overall composition. A concrete, inverted L-shaped element defines the outer envelope of the three volumes. This is an element that ‘protects’ the housing units below and directs the life inside towards the central courtyard. The ‘protected’ mass underneath is excavated, articulating smaller and lower volumes that inscribe a variety of enclosed spaces and define the outdoor and semi-outdoor terraces on all different levels. New local plants are added in specific, strategic positions of the main courtyard and the planted roofs. These enriched outdoor habitations generate the presence of a consistent environment of comfort and well-being.