The Urban Lofts building, located next to the Technopolis complex in the Gazi area in Athens, consists of lofts apartments designed with an industrial aesthetic, with a particular focus on rough and raw materials, such as concrete and steel.
Over the years, the surrounding area has become a place of culture and arts, a lively place throughout the city round the clock. The proximity to the city center of Athens, the privileged position in relation to the Piraeus street and the highways, makes it an attractive place not only for recreational but also for residential purposes, aimed primarily at individuals or couple families.
A commercial space is located on the ground floor, while the rest of the building is split into five houses: four lofts per two floors and a penthouse at the top floors. The central vertical motion is conducted via a shared stairwell. Apart from the aforementioned central architectural choices of the industrial design and two-storey blocks, the building, as a whole and as parts, operates in a bioclimatic fashion, making the most out of solar energy. The large openings are combined with both permanent and folding sunshades, offering the additional possibility for the inner and the outer spaces to work as one.
On the building facade, the folds of reinforced concrete, additional to their morphological role, help to create welcoming outdoor spaces for residents. The combination of folds and metal blinds creates a canvas in the foreground of the building, while the neutral surface of the glass frames forms the background. On the top floor, the open space is dominated by the water element. The highly favorable view of Technopolis, Kerameikos, the Acropolis and the Lycabettus Hill in conjunction with the element of water and the industrial design, create interesting urban associations, an urban sophistication.
The innovative program ‘Green Lofts’ of Alpha Land Developers has been applied to the design of the Urban Lofts building, consisting in the use of bioclimatic design, energy saving systems and environmentally friendly, fully recyclable materials.
