Apartment Block
Client: Private
Area 780 m2
Location: Paphos Centre
Study: 2017
Πελάτης : Ιδιώτης
Συνολική Επιφάνεια : 780 τμ
Τοποθεσία : Κάτω Περβόλια Πάφος
Μελέτη : 2017
Located In the western coasts of Cyprus, Paphos town is one of the most beautiful locations for holiday or permanent residence in the island.
The development aims to create a complex where an artificial scenery of everyday communal activities is complemented with the landscape views of the sea and the city. The residents can thus enjoy a modern lifestyle in a well designed complex space, within a beautiful landscape of a small but contemporary city in the Mediterranean sea.
At a property located close to the city center of Paphos, with sunset sea views and nature all around, this modern complex of 780 square meters is designed to have 6 separated apartments of 130 square meters with balconies and a communal swimming pool area on ground level, together with a barbeque area and roof garden on the terrace. The complex is developed in two floors, each with 3 separated entranced apartments, while providing storage spaces and parking lots on an open ground floor area (pilotis).
The apartments are situated between intermediate open air common spaces, escalators and elevators. The idea is to provide individual access areas to every apartment entrance through open spaces with view points either to the common swimming pool area or/and to the beautiful sea/ sunset views. Movements occur in relationship to green areas, nature and common activity spaces. The relationship of the interior spaces with the exterior is one of the basic values of the design thus enhancing the Mediterranean lifestyle of living activities in open air most of the year.
Each apartment contains an open plan kitchen, dining area and living room together with 3 bedroom spaces and 2wc/shower/bathroom. Every room has its own natural lighting with windows turning either towards the sea view and the city or to private gardens or common spaces of the complex.
Complementary storage spaces and parking lots are situated on the ground level in distance relation with each apartment. These functions are hidden from the central open area and swimming pool through architectural elements that provide a discrete layer of protection and privacy.
The complex is designed to be energy efficient. The shell is insulated with materials that produce low thermal conductivity whilst the openings (windows) are double glazed. The balconies exposed to the southern sun are protected with wooden louvers thus creating a mesh which suggests a light architectural element on the solid structure of the building. A big area of the roof is covered with soil (roof plants/ aromatic bushes/ small trees) in order to enforce thermal insulation and provide a microclimate around the building.
Additionally, non passive elements, such as photovoltaic panels are situated on the roof in order to take advantage of the sun. Special mechanical systems are applied to collect the rain water and reuse it for the needs of the building function.
The complex's structure is reinforced concrete combined with lighter materials such as metal or timber. Brick walls and thermal insulation cladding are also used.
Design suggests a minimal architectural gesture of solid and firmed surfaces and volumes, natural materials such as concrete/ wood and plaster combined together in a unified whole. The aesthetic approach is based in the traditional Cyprus structures of volumes with differentiated openings. At the same time large scale openings to the north or behind wooden louvers are designed to create the notion of the unity of inside and outside spaces.