The Glade Office Campus is an unrealised competition-winning design for an 18,000-square-metre workplace development in Marousi, Athens. Developed by Urban Soul Project in collaboration with UNS for Prodea Investments, the project was selected as the winning proposal in the architectural competition. The design was not subsequently taken forward to construction and is presented here as an unbuilt architectural concept.
The project explored a workplace model in which architecture and landscape were conceived as a continuous environment. Its design was organised around three related ideas: Forest, Glade and Foliage.
The Forest formed a planted perimeter around the campus, creating a transition from the surrounding urban context while helping to filter noise and pollution. Moving through this landscape, the buildings opened onto the Glade: a sequence of courtyards, plazas and cascading terraces conceived as shared spaces for work, meetings and informal interaction.
A clear contrast was established between the outer and inner façades. Along the perimeter, the buildings were defined by a more controlled geometric envelope with vertical aluminium fins. These provided solar shading, reduced glare and heat gain, and helped direct views away from neighbouring buildings towards the wider city and mountain landscape. Facing the internal courtyards, the architecture became softer and more fluid, with planted balconies and terraces extending the landscape vertically through the campus.
The office floors were designed to support flexible workplace arrangements while maintaining close access to daylight, views and outdoor areas. Shared facilities included meeting and conference spaces, food and beverage areas, a gym, event spaces and a 100-seat auditorium.
Environmental considerations formed part of the concept from the outset. The design incorporated extensive planting and green roofs, high-performance glazing, external shading, photovoltaic panels, heat-recovery systems, bicycle parking and electric-vehicle charging infrastructure. LEED certification was established as a sustainability target during the design stage.
