Built on a 1380sq.m. plot situated on the busy Vouliagmenis Avenue in Glyfada, Epsilon’s new office building is meant to reflect the company’s premium services and global reach within the shipping industry and asserts that a corporate workspace can be both elegant and contemporary.
The diaphanous shell of the three-level head office is enveloped by a curtain walling whose wavy and undulating geometry hints at the marine world.
Composed of aluminum honeycomb panels, these fixed vertical shades filter the natural light and frame the views to the outside. The different materials used, like the grey ceramic slabs and the thermal insulation, add diversity to the design. Particular emphasis was placed on varying the intervals between the panels, with their arrangement tailored to the function of each interior space. Additionally, two horizontal planes of differing heights were introduced to achieve a balanced proportion for the façade.
The building is topped by a floating metal pergola on the roof. Designed with fixed aluminum louvers, the pergola offers shade for the diverse activities hosted in this versatile outdoor space. A portion of the roof is planted, enhancing the building's energy efficiency.
The outdoor area along the front of the building was designed with the concept of a "plateia" (square or plaza) in mind, highlighting the building’s openness towards Vouliagmenis Avenue. Seating areas are arranged around planters with trees and low vegetation, providing spaces for informal meetings, short breaks, and social interaction for both employees and visitors or passersby. The cobblestone paving reinforces the "plateia" concept, softening the boundaries between private and public space and creating a buffer zone between the bustling Vouliagmenis Avenue and the building’s main entrance.
At the ground level, by the main entrance, the reception area is formed. Materials such as wood, Arabescato marble, black ceramic tile cladding, bronze details, and leather are woven together to create a tasteful and refined atmosphere.
The main staircase, which leads to the upper floors, is located after the reception area. The use of materials such as black sheet metal for the stair balustrade, combined with a wooden handrail and wooden wall paneling, maintains the cohesion of the building's interior aesthetics.
The communal kitchen with its dining area opens onto the landscaped garden at the rear. Adjacent to the building, an energy-efficient pergola with adjustable aluminum louvers provides shade for the kitchen's seating area. Additionally, on the ground floor, an office space with a separate entrance has been designed.
On the first and second floors, office spaces, meeting rooms, executive offices, and collaboration areas are arranged and separated by transparent glass partitions. Despite the building's glass shell and clear openness to the outside, the offices are organized around a central, double-height communal seating area, oriented away from the busy and noisy avenue.
The hanging indoor plants and the translucent elastic membrane on the ceiling of the double-height space create more of an atrium-like atmosphere—a space that encourages social interaction. These two floors are unified by the "atrium," as there is direct communication and visual contact.
In the workspaces and meeting rooms, sound absorption panels were installed in the ceilings, and acoustic panels were placed in the offices and on the walls to minimize noise levels.
In all areas, the furniture, decorative lighting, indoor plants, and artworks have been carefully selected to complement and enhance the atmosphere of the interior.
The two underground levels include parking areas, storage rooms, and spaces for electromechanical installations. Color is used on the floors and walls, complementing the raw, unfinished concrete ceilings and exposed elements such as electrical grilles and electromechanical installations.
