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Marmara

Reclaimed marble remnants, used to recall the courtyard of the Mediterranean houses, make charming this holiday apartment in Kefalonia, by Architecture Research Athens.

The interior renovation of a one-bedroom, attic-level apartment on the island of Kefallonia was driven by two primary concerns: on the one hand, the creative reuse of locally available materials; on the other hand, the playful and sensuous nature of the interior, to be used as a summer house.

The primary architectural element characterizing the transformation of the apartment is the floor, newly composed of reclaimed marble remnants (left-over pieces from quarry extractions to bathroom countertops to marble baseboards), salvaged by hand from a local marble yard.

Three cubic meters of material that would have otherwise been discarded provide one of the cheapest possible solutions to a major budgetary item. Smooth and cool to the touch, the marble surface provides soothing relief from the hot summer climate. The variety of shapes and colors, carefully juxtaposed on-site through a process of “continuous composition”, forms a lively visual anatomy that both unifies the interior space and stimulates the visual field, eliminating the need for superfluous decorative elements. As a material technique traditionally used to pave makeshift outdoor spaces, the marble pieces with terrazzo infill, applied throughout the main living area, recall the interior courtyard of various Mediterranean housing typologies.

The playful inversion of indoor and outdoor space recurs throughout the plan in the form of the visual relationships established between the main living area and the programmatic “islands” dotting its periphery. The shower niche is only partially concealed from the entry stair by a large marble arch, enhancing the natural circulation of light and air. The kitchen is designed as a free-standing furniture element, the “nude” appearance of which is enhanced by voids allowing visual connections to pass through it.

AREA, Architecture Research Athens, Marmara, Kefallonia, Greece. Photo © AREA

The remaining inbuilt furniture pieces are similarly composed of plywood, designed with simplicity and unencumbered by conventional detailing. A bench, five meters in length, is supported by wood elements that have been recycled from previous furnishings found in the apartment. It accommodates all positions, from sitting to lounging, and also provides added bedding when required.

A custom dining table consists of two marble remnants, one oval and one square, supported by unadorned reinforcement steel (rebar). Its hybrid form serves multiple roles within the apartment and is used for both work and pleasure, accommodating up to four people.

AREA, Architecture Research Athens, Marmara, Kefallonia, Greece. Photo © I. Roufopoulou

AREA, Architecture Research Athens, Marmara, Kefallonia, Greece. Photo © I. Roufopoulou

AREA, Architecture Research Athens, Marmara, Kefallonia, Greece. Photo © I. Roufopoulou

Argostoli_Floor_Diagram

AREA, Architecture Research Athens, Marmara, Kefallonia, Greece. Floor scheme

MarbleCuts_grey

AREA, Architecture Research Athens, Marmara, Kefallonia, Greece. Floor concept

C:\Misc\Kefallonia\Argostoli\Anakainish\Drawings\Argostoli_Section_150512 A3_A3 (1)

AREA, Architecture Research Athens, Marmara, Kefallonia, Greece. Section

Marmara, Kefallonia, Greece
Program: apartment
Architects: AREA, Architecture Research Athens (Styliani Daouti, Giorgos Mitroulias, Michaeljohn Raftopoulos)
Project Architect: M. Raftopoulos
Completion: 2015

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Marmara

Reclaimed marble remnants, used to recall the courtyard of the Mediterranean houses, make charming this holiday apartment in Kefalonia, by Architecture Research Athens.

Argostoli_Floor_Diagram

MarbleCuts_grey

C:\Misc\Kefallonia\Argostoli\Anakainish\Drawings\Argostoli_Section_150512 A3_A3 (1)

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