thanasis

apartment on dinokratous st.

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It was a long climb to reach the apartment on our first visit. After ascending the stairways of Lykavittos Hill — the tallest in Athens — we arrived on Dinokratous Street and stepped into a grand modernist lobby from the 1960s. From there, a descent led us into a dim apartment defined by narrow corridors and an air of neglect.

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The original layout reflected its era: standard-sized bedrooms and living rooms, always anchored by a formal foyer. While such logic worked for spacious apartments with abundant daylight, here it constrained the 55 m² plan. The kitchen and bathroom were compromised, while the bedroom claimed a disproportionately large share of the footprint. Of the three windows, two faced only into a dark lightwell, leaving the apartment starved of natural light.

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To transform the space, most of the internal walls were demolished, allowing daylight from the single south-facing balcony door to penetrate deep into the plan. The private spaces — bedroom and bathroom — were relocated and tucked to the rear (north side) on an elevated platform that conceals heating, plumbing, and electrical systems. By consolidating services into this zone, a compact POD emerged: a core containing all the inner workings of the apartment. A rounded, chamfered corner forms a distinct threshold in and out, while the lime-green flooring of the elevated platform amplifies scarce daylight, brightening the bedroom.

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In the newly opened southern zone, the original terrazzo slabs, hardwood flooring, and timber windows were carefully restored. The kitchen — now placed at the heart of the apartment where the bedroom once stood — is centered around a round island in dark green marble and lacquer, establishing both a visual focal point and a social hearth for gathering.