neiheiser argyros revives run-down office building in athens with multicolored compositions

‘Art 1 Office’ designed by neiheiser argyros and developed by hellenic properties

In Athens, Greece, an existing 40-year-old work complex is stripped back to its essence and completely reimagined for the present as ‘Art 1 Office’ by Neiheiser Argyros (design) and Hellenic Properties (development). What used to be a confusing and run-down muddle of geometric clashes is now untangled and rearticulated into twelve separate blocks, each with its cladding logic and interior atmosphere.

At the front, the renovated building adopts a more subdued material expression, with discrete variations of white, grey, black, and gold. A new curtain wall covering the tallest front volume is coupled with generous cast-in-place terrazzo steps, marking the front entrance.

At the rear, the color palette becomes more playful; pale turquoise tiles coat the elevator volume, stripes of black and white adorn the main staircase complemented with yellow windows, a pink hue awashes the service area and finally, blue metal panels define the open office spaces. ‘Splashes of colors are distributed throughout the building, both indoors and outdoors,’ adds Neiheiser Argyros.

injecting new color, material, and spatial expressions 

Structurally, the Neiheiser Argyros team reoriented ‘Art 1 Office’ to take advantage of its location, adjacent to a natural park, with new large openings cut into the existing solid walls, each framing views and bringing in ample daylight to compensate for the low ceilings. Meanwhile, a green roof and circular pergola crown the building, hosting smaller outdoor shaded working spaces, a bar, and a large event area where new forms of exchange and dialogue can unfold. 

upward street view | image © Giorgos Sfakianakis

‘The building incorporates a range of sustainability strategies – high-performance insulation and windows, the use of local natural materials, low energy MEP systems, charging stations and bike parking, and integrated photovoltaic panels – and achieves the local A+ highest energy efficiency grade,‘ note the architects. 

As for the interior, the existing black marble flooring has been restored, while ceilings have been stripped back to expose the original, irregular concrete framework. This combination of rough and refined materials creates both a balance and common thread across all floors, letting the custom furniture pieces on each level exude its unique identity; these include large marble seating on one floor, a bright red perforated metal library on another, and two large crisscrossing hotdesk tables on a third. Finally, on the ground floor, a spacious red terrazzo staircase connects to a light-filled mezzanine level, while also functioning as an amphitheater for events and projections. 

a multicolored composition | image © Giorgos Sfakianakis

aerial view of building and roof garden | image © Giorgos Sfakianakis

roof garden | image © Giorgios Sfakianakis

interior lobby view | image © Lorenzo Zandri

interior office view | image © Lorenzo Zandri

co-working floor | image © Lorenzo Zandri

red-painted staircase | image © Lorenzo Zandri

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image © Giorgos Sfakianakis

image © Giorgos Sfakianakis

image © Lorenzo Zandri

image © Lorenzo Zandri

image © Lorenzo Zandri

image © Lorenzo Zandri

image © Neiheiser Argyros

image © Lorenzo Zandri

image © Neiheiser Argyros

image © Neiheiser Argyros

image © Neiheiser Argyros

image © Neiheiser Argyros

image © Lorenzo Zandri

image © Lorenzo Zandri

image © Lorenzo Zandri

image © Giorgos Sfakianakis

project info:

name: Art 1 Office

location: Athens, Greece 
architecture: Neiheiser Argyros

client / developer: Hellenic Properties 

design team: Xristina Argyros, Ryan Neiheiser, Eleni Vagianou, Iason Ntounis,
Sofia Avramopoulou, Tasos Theodorakakis, Alkisti Michelatou, Andreas Anagnostopoulos

structural engineering: T-Protasi – Aggelos Melekos

mechanical engineering: Energy Design – Dimitris Katsarelis

landscape design: Landworks

main contractor: Diolkos

cladding/tiles: Textures and Tiles

building equipment/windows: J.D. Papathanasiou

sanitaryware: Papapolitis

paint: Kraft Paints

furniture: IMS Design Lab

lighting: Halo

photography: Lorenzo Zandri | @lorenzozandri, Giorgos Sfakianakis | @g_sfakianakis

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edited by: lea zeitoun | designboom