Constructed in 1972 in the northern part of Athens, this historic office building was originally designed by Greek architect Alexandros Tombazis and stands as one of the best examples of the brutalist movement in Greece. For many years it served as the home of reinforced concrete company Aget Irkalis before being bought out by the largest concrete company in the world (Larfarge Holcim). The building was vacated in 2010 and was to be demolished in 2017 until a private company, following a closed competition, slated it for a radical reinvention to be undertaken by Georges Batzios Architects.
The architects began the process of reinvention with a deep cleaning of all the building’s surfaces and an analysis of the composition of the original concrete. It was subsequently decided to apply a 6mm cement-based skin to the entirely of the building’s concrete surfaces. The works were implemented by a local fair-faced concrete artisan. Further to this, a magnetic scan determined the extent to which the structural frame would need repairs. It turned out only 5% of the building’s structure required reinforcement. All external frames were replaced with modern thermal break aluminium frames and thermal insulating glass.
The next phase looked at the overall concrete appearance of the building. Previous tenants had painted the building with a beige/yellow colour that masked the original brutalist identity.
By contrast, a different approach was taken to the interior, which was not seen as a faithful reconstruction or return to original form but rather a drastic spatial rearrangement intended to create new spaces within the existing frame.
The intervention was guided by the existing 1.2mx 1.2m grid which relates to the dimensions of the modules that make up the waffle concrete ceilings. Further to this, the grid also applies to all architectural and electromechanical elements of the building.
Other interior interventions include the implementation of a clear and functional accessibility axis, the modernization and redesign of water elements inside the building, as well as changing the direction of the central staircase to widen paths of travel.
