On a beneficiant, inexperienced website in one among Athens’ smarter northern residential suburbs, a wierd concrete presence rises. The lengthy, comparatively low construction options uncommon, virtually retro-futuristic types, screens that body massive openings and uncovered textured concrete that make it clearly stand out from its neighbours. Locals comprehend it effectively. This isn’t your typical Greek workplace constructing; it’s the former headquarters of AGET Iraklis, one among Greece’s best-known cement producers. It was designed in 1972 by one of many nation’s most celebrated Twentieth-century architects, Alexandros Tombazis (see W*138).
The architectural landmark is emblematic of its creator’s fashion and early explorations of concrete and Metabolist structure rules, reminiscent of the usage of modular design and know-how – this a part of Athens additionally options his Iliako Chorio (which means ‘Photo voltaic Village’, a Nineteen Eighties experiment in environmental structure) and his personal workplace. The AGET constructing was left empty for seven years after the corporate moved out in 2010, but it surely has now been given a brand new lease of life by native architect Georges Batzios.
(Picture credit score: GIORGOS SFAKIANAKIS )
Tour a Greek brutalist gem reborn in Athens
‘I used to be on the island of Kythnos for work, and the consumer referred to as me up out of the blue,’ remembers Batzios, who arrange his boutique studio within the central Athens neighbourhood of Petralona in 2013, following a world profession that included stints with »
Designed by Greek architect Alexandros Tombazis in 1972, the previous HQ of cement producer AGET Iraklis has been renovated for a brand new proprietor, restoring as a lot as doable of the unique David Chipperfield in London and Jean Nouvel in Paris and New York. ‘The consumer and I hadn’t met earlier than, however he’d seen my work, particularly my work with concrete, and appreciated it, and he wished to ask me to submit a proposal to a contest for the workplace constructing’s renovation. It was a stunning shock.’
(Picture credit score: GIORGOS SFAKIANAKIS )
The consumer, a part of a non-public firm, was looking for the precise architect to carry the construction into the twenty first century with out compromising its design intention and integrity. Batzios entered the competitors and received, presenting a proposal that may work with the constructing’s strengths and concrete character, which through the years had been undermined, painted over and added to. The architect typically makes use of bare concrete in his studio’s combine of economic and cultural work, and he was delighted {that a} celebration of the fabric was central to the transient. ‘It’s not frequent in Greece for a consumer to ask for uncovered concrete,’ he says. Renovation works began on website in 2017.
(Picture credit score: GIORGOS SFAKIANAKIS )
‘The constructing is a uncommon instance of brutalist structure in Greece,’ says Batzios. ‘Our purpose was to respect and restore as a lot as doable the present design’s intention, and preserve key options, its “bones” and textures. Nevertheless, by way of the inside, we didn’t need to create one thing that will get fully misplaced within the unique. As an alternative, we took drastic, assured steps to carry to the floor a sequence of areas that we really feel had been at all times there, within the unique constructing’s “unconscious”.’
(Picture credit score: GIORGOS SFAKIANAKIS )
The architect studied Tombazis’ unique drawings, and his interventions mix effortlessly with the outdated design. He first gutted the constructing and cleared any additions that compromised the unique design’s conceptual energy. Whereas the principle concrete body was of nice high quality and in wonderful situation (‘Tombazis was a grasp in his use of concrete,’ Batzios factors out), its floor was much less so.
The constructing is a uncommon instance of brutalist structure in Greece. Our purpose was to respect its key options
Georges Batzios
Batzios analysed the concrete combine to supply a therapy with native specialist Poriotis that may cowl harm, whereas recreating a floor texture as near the unique as doable (this therapy additionally helped with temperature administration and vitality effectivity for the undertaking). He reworked the principle entry to broaden the unique foyer, restore its water options and create a dramatic entrance. The constructing’s convention corridor has additionally been expanded, with a service room to accommodate fashionable applied sciences.
(Picture credit score: GIORGOS SFAKIANAKIS )
Guided by the ceiling’s concrete grid, a brand new inside route was plotted by way of the double-height floor stage, which additionally contains administration areas and assembly rooms. This trajectory is organized round a central axis, named by Batzios the ‘Golden Manner’, and incorporates a hanging, redesigned round staircase of gray Cretan marble that connects all ranges.
Terra gray and gray Evoian marble have been used on all of the vertical surfaces of the central axis, making a modern however tactile end. The 13,000 sq m constructing spans two extra flooring of workplace house – the marginally recessed second flooring was added in 1978. The constructing’s new tenants have entry to outside sports activities pitches on the tree-filled campus grounds, and an outdated heliport facility has been transformed into an organization fitness center.
(Picture credit score: GIORGOS SFAKIANAKIS )
Every part has been executed with meticulous consideration to element, from the way in which the marble slabs had been reduce, in order that the veins seem steady in massive surfaces, to the concrete’s precise hues. ‘The truth is, one of many greatest challenges was that the unique grid, round which the constructing was designed, was not very exact, so we needed to redesign every little thing in CAD in nice element in order that our interventions match precisely and the alterations are seamless,’ says Batzios.
Main each the design and undertaking administration helped him get by way of this. ‘We obtained concerned in all points of the undertaking. This allowed us to have nice high quality management over the outcome, but additionally meant that every little thing went by way of us. I’m unsure I’d like to do this once more!’ he says, laughing. Now totally refreshed and open for enterprise, this piece of experimental Greek Twentieth-century structure is prepared for its subsequent chapter.
georgesbatzios.com
A model of this characteristic was first revealed in Wallpaper* November 2020
Supply: Wallpaper
