One Athens Apartment Building
Conversion of Doxiadis Office Building-ATI to apartment building
One Athens is an exclusive residential development in a prime Athens location. The 26 apartments, duplexes, penthouses and townhouses come with five-star facilities, including a concierge, private gym with indoor pool, playroom and screening room, and a stunning roof garden with sweeping city views.
An icon of modern Greek architecture, the building was originally designed in 1957 as the headquarters of the visionary architect and urban planner Constantinos Doxiadis. The building had been abandoned for over 20 years when we were invited to revive its fortunes. Our challenge was twofold: the sensitive revival of a landmark imprinted on the city’s collective memory, and the conversion of an office building into high-end residences.
Our approach was inspired by Doxiadis’ theory of Ekistics: he believed urban architecture should create a sense of community through open, engaging buildings that can accommodate a variety of lifestyles. Doxiadis studied the history of human settlements, but embraced technological evolution to shape the cities of the future.
Maintaining the elegant simplicity of the structure, the new design is faithful to Doxiadis’ legacy but forward-looking in its cutting-edge design. We preserved the original grid construction, but updated the modular façade with alternating panels of marble, translucent
concrete, and glass to distinguish the open-plan interiors. The interplay of materials creates more versatile, private, and composite spaces, combining intimacy and transparency. The interiors have a dual aspect, bringing both the forest and cityscape into sharp relief, and reconnecting the building with its surroundings.
Set on a steep slope, four buildings of escalating height are set around a central courtyard, originally modelled on a Greek village square. In this spirit, the entire ground floor is dedicated to communal spaces, revolving around a marble-clad atrium.
