PROJECT DETAILS
Design: DEKI studio design
Project: Urban Home
Project date: June 2023
Location: Galatsi, Athens
A Residence in Dialogue with Its Context_
The apartment is located in the wider Kypriadou area, a neighborhood where contrasting spatial narratives coexist: the original low-rise, green residential fabric and the later dense, multi-story urban development. The owner recognized in this apartment an immediate reflection of this layering, a cityscape where time, materials, and scales intersect. The renovation was approached not as a neutral interior intervention, but as a process of harmonizing the residence with the context to which it belongs.
The design sought to translate the character of the neighborhood, the coexistence of old and contemporary elements, the earthy materiality, and the simplicity of everyday life, into a contemporary interior space that engages in a subtle dialogue with its surroundings. The apartment is conceived as an interior extension of the urban experience. The spaces are defined by clean lines, neutral surfaces, and materials that reflect the urban character of the area, without resorting to imitation or nostalgic references. The kitchen, living area, and private spaces form a unified composition, where functionality and materiality take precedence over form.
Material choices serve as a primary storytelling tool: wood introduces warmth and a human scale reminiscent of older residences; gray and cement-like surfaces reference the contemporary urban fabric; and black details act as structural anchors without decorative intent. In the bathroom, terrazzo reinterprets traditional materials in a contemporary form, bridging past and present.
The design does not seek spectacle, but everyday familiarity. Storage volumes are integrated into the architecture, lines remain clean, and spaces allow for multiple uses without strict constraints. The result is a residence that does not stand apart from its environment, but belongs to it. The renovation functions as a subtle architectural gesture, where the interior reflects the character of the Kypriadou neighborhood. This home narrates not only the lifestyle of its occupant, but also the place to which it belongs.