“SLIDING ILLUSION” is the upcoming residential project in Maroussi by GConstructions team and partners, designed by Fotis Gazepidis and Anna Chatziioannou. As always, its name as well as its design concept were not randomly chosen!
THE DESIGN CONCEPT
The design goal was a functional building that utilizes all the benefits of the plot to the maximum!
The plot surface is small and almost square, with just one main façade towards a quiet sidewalk street. However, on the other side of the street, opposite to the plot, there is a garden of around 2000 sqm, belonging to a three building complex. The garden has been well maintained for 20 years now, adding goodwill to the properties with a view over it. This certainly had to be a main factor of the design concept.
Concerning the floor plan, the “SLIDING ILLUSION” project consists of two rectangles, which border the communal spaces. The one rectangle includes the busiest rooms, which are the living room and the kitchen, while the other one the most private rooms, which are the bedrooms and the bathroom. The rectangles are connected through a bright, broad corridor, where the dining room is located.
Concerning the facades, bright, thin slabs seem like ripping the two main volumes of the building, thus creating the outside spaces, balconies. At this point, someone could understand where the title of this project came from. Between the slabs, at certain points, there are recesses and blinds, which seem like they are sliding along rails (slabs). Thus, creating the illusion to anyone who looks at the building for the first time, that the façade is interactive and changes, while really, all the details of the façade are immobile.
The main construction is based on columns allowing for covered parking spaces and building entrance (piloti), while the basement is only for storage rooms and mechanical equipment. The structure was decided to be placed just in the middle of the plot directly opposite to “the garden” with a minimum cover surface, letting it develop in height, maximizing planting spaces on the ground and providing access to the sun and air from three sides around. The majority of the openings and outdoor spaces orientated southeast, where balconies protrude from the façade, allowing the future residents to enjoy summer sun and view.
DESCRIPTION
The building consists of 4 levels of houses, a ground floor and a basement. Access to all properties is provided through a communal staircase with a lift that stops on every single level. This communal staircase is placed on the northwest back side, in the middle of the building, providing direct access without any space waste. Internally, apartments have been designed very efficiently, with such space distribution that satisfies potential buyers for bigger properties. All rooms have openings and access to balconies, while the majority of outdoor sqm is concentrated on the right side of the building providing ideal conditions for relaxation to its residents.
On the first and second floor, there are two almost identical apartments (flat A= 72 sqm indoor /22 outdoor and flat B= 74 sqm indoor/25 outdoor) while on floors 3 and 4 there is maisonette of 114 sqm with almost 60sqm outdoor space. Each property is accompanied by piloti parking space on the ground floor plus a large storage room in the basement.
IDEAL LOCATION
While all northern suburbs are considered by Athenians as a top location for living because they are quiet with plenty of space and green areas, Marousi has managed to combine the northern suburbs’ benefits with all the amenities and the style of modern life, being one of the most desired areas for living in the country. More specifically the “SLIDING ILLUSION” project gathers all of Marousi’s privileges, as all amenities ideally surround the building. Its neighboring area consists of new residential projects, while very important points of interest are nearby!
ON FOOT
- 2 minutes’ walk from OAKA, the main Olympic complex of Athens Olympic games 2004, full of sports facilities and free space where big events also take place there, such as important concerts and sport games.
-5 minutes’ walk from the interchange station of Neratziotissa which connects Marousi with the metro network of Athens and the suburban railway that takes you directly to Athens’ airport and port.
-5 minutes’ walk from the greater shopping malls and supermarkets. “Mall of Athens”, “Golden Hall”, “Avenue” are the best in the country and all are at a less than a kilometer distance.
BY CAR
-2 minutes by car to Kifissia’s Avenue that connects the northern suburbs of Athens with the city center (25 minutes) and the south suburbs.
-2 minutes by car from “L. Kifisia ring” which is the main highway interchange connecting Kifisias Avenue with Attiki Odo which in turn connects Marousi with Athens Airport (20 minutes) and the country’s national highways (5 minutes).
-2 minutes from the best private or public hospitals in the country. Ygeia and Iatriko Athinon are within 2km of the plot.
-15-20 minutes from the most important international schools in the country…. all of the schools provide school buses that serve the area of Marousi.
