“Psychiko House” is a modern and striking private residence exhaling simple sophistication. Envisioned by London and Athens-based firm Divercity Architects, it’s situated on the same property as the existing family home, in Psychiko, an affluent suburb of the capital of Greece, Athens. The single storey Psychiko House, which spreads over 600 m2 on a 1000 m2 site, was completed last year and the results are amazing. It incorporates interesting architectural features that plays with scale and light, exploiting the tension between conflicting elements -curves juxtaposed with angular geometry, opaqueness and transparency, openness and intimacy.
Designed to offer maximum freedom of movement and flexibility, the exquisite residence is a playful environment of lights and shadows, with attractive, simple and rigurous volumes, where three different, large living zones are distinguished: a stone core inspired by the defensive rock of the Acropolis, an amphitheatrical upper floor, imagined as a pair of binoculars framing the expansive city views, and a transparent living area that occupies the space between them. Each area is linked with with the other through ribbon running through the site.
Because the owners are passionate about cars and art, the first zone houses the gallery for the owners collection of vintage cars and modern art. The amphitheatre -like upper floor comprisies the private areas of the home and a transparent and fluid living area, which occupies the space between them. The Psychiko House is sheltered from the surrounding buildings to the south through an opaque, linear, stone-clad boundary wall with views towards the intimate pool that follow the shape of the site and the structure.
The curving pool connect the front and the back of the residence and offers the chance of shared space with the house next to it. Finally, as it becomes wider, it forms the living space of the residence, which offers a dramatic expansive view of Olympic Park below. The interior spaces are filled with plenty of natural light during daytime thanks to floor-to-ceiling, framless windows, glazed partitions, skylights, and slatted blinds. High-quality materials and great execution ensure an astonishing modern, minimalist interior design. Check out these wonderful images below to discover more design details.
Photos © Erieta Attali
Project details:
Project name: Psychiko House
Architects: Divercity Architects
Location: Psychiko, Athens, Greece
Collaborators: Alkestie Skarlatou, lighting designer; Manos Vordonarakis, industrial design consultant; Sophia Vantaraki, space consultant.
Client: private, 1st prize in invited architectural competition
Project status: Complete, 2012
Site area: 1000m²
House area: 600m²
Design: 2007-2009
Construction: 2009-2012