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Ivis (Back)

Ivis, 60m²

Varkiza, Greece, 2017

Photography by Yiorgis Yerolymbos

Located in a late 1960s apartment building in Varkiza, the traditionally vacation-oriented southern beachside suburb of Athens, this 60sm apartment had been preserved in its original condition, like a time capsule. Re-imagined as a summer apartment for a vacationing couple, our renovation/restoration tactic involved highlighting the apartment’s original 60s features, present in the black marble floors and the extensive amount of custom handmade woodwork. Simultaneously, we provided it with a fresher edge while subtly enhancing it with low and high tech features to meet the modern dweller’s standards of comfort and functionality.

We aimed to heighten the lightness of the space through the promotion of light penetration and the use of color: the doors of the entry vestibule and neighboring kitchen were removed; the interior window/serving station between the kitchen and living room was freed and widened, while its surrounding niches were painted sunshine yellow; all walls were tinted light blue and the ceilings bright white. The original wood paneling, bronze handles and lighting fixtures were stripped of their aged varnishes and returned to their original, satin luster.

Furthermore, color was strategically used to denote the existence of the interventions: all new metal details and structures were powder coated matte black to separate them from the original bronze, and all new inbuilt furniture was painted light blue or sunshine yellow.

In the living/dining room, the bent black metal shelves and TV system, as well as the free-standing couch and glass table were custom designed by AKA especially for this project and formally reflect a 60s visual language.