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Architects: Desypri&Misiaris Architecture
- Area: 325 m²
- Year: 2023
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Photographs:George Sfakianakis
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Manufacturers: Alumil, AkzoNobel, Ariostea, Arrital, ByCocoon, CLEAF, Inalco, Lafarge, NIC design, Roussetos
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Lead Architects: Aristeidis Misiaris / Hera Desypri
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Mechanical Engineer: Idea Meletitiki, Alexandros Nikolaidis - Idea Meletitiki
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Light Design: Nea Polis, Vicky Dimaki
Text description provided by the architects. Nestled on the northern slope of Mount Penteli, amidst the serene pine-covered neighborhoods of Rea, lies the “Residence in Dionysos”. The project aims to respond to modern lifestyle while simultaneously evokes the sense of protection and familiarity of a primitive “cave refuge”.
The synthetic process draws inspiration from the archetype of primitive shelter. This archetype, deeply rooted in human history, linked with the concept of "dwelling", has shaped spatial preferences over generations, highlighting the enduring influence of our ancestral connection to the idea of home.
Even though our basic survival issues have been resolved in contemporary forms of habitation, the essence of the primitive refuge reintroduces a sense of nostalgia, inviting occupants to reconnect with the genuine and enduring aspects of human habitation. The “residence in Dionysos” proposes, within the context of contemporary architectural design, a symbolic and spatial transcription of this particular archetype—a intention aimed at remembrance and ultimately returning to the authentic, the primal, the enduring.
This rhetoric takes on architectural expression through a geometrically defined, tectonic, and Doric ensemble—an architecturally composed and cohesive whole characterized by enigmatic simplicity.
The suspended monolithic volume, crafted from exposed concrete, serves as the primary synthetic gesture. The prismatic shell encloses the private spaces of the residence. Meticulously designed aluminum panels allow controlled interactions with the external environment.
The use of exposed concrete allowed the creation of a monolithic volume. Earthy and timeless, with the roughness of its texture, concrete holds a profound symbolic significance.
On ground level, living spaces are organized in direct connection to the outdoors. The two contradictory qualities of space are connected by an atrium that acts as an intermediate space.
The orientation of the plot and the alignment of the residence along the east-west axis allow natural light to shape and form the spatial experience. As time progresses, from hour to hour and season to season, the ever-changing natural light continually transforms the space by illuminating different facets of the architectural composition.
In the evening hours, underlit, the monolithic volume disappears into the sky, protectively framing the life it encloses. The element of fire and the warm lighting highlight the earthy warmth of the dwelling. We hope that the residents, living and meeting in their contemporary shelter, will discover each time with a hint of surprise, the preciousness of simple things.
