thanasis

Dedicated to a friend with a phobia of dentists, the new Piraeus location of Daras Dental was conceived to challenge the conventions of a typical clinic — reimagining it as a place of healing rather than suffering. Bright luminescent surfaces, warm wood tones, translucent materials, and domestic details combine to ease patient anxiety and create a more welcoming environment.

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Housed in a 1960s residential building near the harbor, the 110 sqm apartment was adapted into a polyclinic for three dentists and their staff. The original living–dining area was carved out and replaced with a wood and translucent channel-glass module containing reception, office, CT scan room, waiting area, and the primary clinic. Two additional clinics, bathrooms, and staff spaces were configured within the existing partitions of the apartment.

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The identity of the polyclinic emerges from the interplay of wood and glass, merging the typology of clinic and home. Rather than conceal the conversion, the design embraces the domestic origins of the space to foster comfort. Contemporary detailing nods to the modernism of the 1960s, the era of the building’s construction.

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Piraeus itself — home to Europe’s busiest passenger port and gateway to the Aegean — also informs the design. Glowing glass partitions evoke the depths of the sea, while circular windows and fine joinery recall the craft of yachts and cruise ships. A subtle mint-green floor bridges clinical and nautical references. Above all, light animates the space: luminescent ceilings create a fresh, clean counterpoint to the home-like amenity areas.