A former brutalist textile workshop becomes a house-studio in Athens

On the semi-basement level of an Athenian polykatoikia—a widespread reinforced-concrete residential typology typical of the 1970s—Alexandros Gerousis designs a house-studio for an artist, replacing what was once a storage space used as a textile workshop. The floor plan reveals the change of use while maintaining a decidedly free layout, despite the clear distinction between the more enclosed, screened residential areas and the large open space intended to house the atelier. Here, the exposed structural frame of reinforced-concrete beams and columns dominates the space with a strong visual impact that immediately evokes Brutalism.

Mediating between the public core and the more intimate areas is the kitchen zone, defined by an extremely minimal veined marble counter that integrates the sink and induction cooktops, and echoes the marble used in the bathrooms. Lightening an environment already charged with material intensity are the large glazed openings with black steel frames that provide access to the courtyard, recalling mid-century industrial windows. The entire building services infrastructure is left exposed and, together with the choice of a lighting system based on neon tubes, reinforces the industrial character of the space, embracing a raw, functional ethos rooted in modernism. The original terrazzo flooring from the 1970s design has been preserved in order to respect the site’s historical identity, acting as a connective element throughout the apartment and creating a sense of continuity between the different spaces.