This project is about a renovation and restoration of an existing building in the center of Thessaloniki. The plot is placed on Ethnikis Aminis Str., one of the historical axes of the city.
Dealing with the project, we wondered how we could approach hospitality, especially in a difficult economic environment, with a multifaceted building program in our hands, under the limits guided by the existing plot and structure.
We had to take into account the prestige of the owner and the extrovert character of the new user. How could an architectural proposal, transform an old and “mute” building into a regenerated active shell interconnected with the city. We thought of the concepts of ‘recycling’ and transformation. We searched ways to reuse the existing building, by reinforcing it and altering his shape, using elements from the historic facts of the area, translating them into a contemporary means of expression.
We chose the concepts of transparency, alterability and architectural identity, in order to give a unique character and shape to the building. The consecutive roofs reflect the neoclassical era of the street. We wanted to transform the existing building, in order it to offer a dynamic spatial experience and accredit a public character to the area, despite its private nature.
The existing building is encountered as a simple primitive volume. All the existing structure, except of the pillars and beams, are being removed. The remaining structural system is being reinforced, and a new facade is upgrading aesthetically the building, making it more energy efficient simultaneously. A new level that adds necessary space, combined with the new roof contribute in the rise of the building’s height. A semitransparent mesh acts as a second skin to the building, working as a shading mechanism, adding a sense of elegance to the building.