The building has the use of a classic type hotel and was built under the 2761 / 01.04.1995 building permit number. A four-storey building with basement, ground floor and three floors (A’ B’ & C’), of mixed area of 369.68 sq.m., 339.06 sq.m. & 339.06 sq.m. respectively.
The present project aims at the aesthetic and energy upgrade of the outer shell, the overall rearrangement of the interior spaces, the functional exploitation of the roof as well as the management of a total footprint in the wider area.
Regarding the access to the building, the main entrance on Charilaou Trikoupi is moved, the existing fencing is abolished, and a declaration zone is formed within the garden for embarkation and disembarkation of cars.
Extensive modifications are made on all aspects of the building which is treated through a dual architectural language: The ground floor as the most public part of the hotel that gathers the common areas becomes more extroverted and transparent. The openings of the two fronts as well as the side to the terrace at the back of the building are maximized, creating a sense of integration with the surrounding area. An elongated metal roof defines the main entrance. The three guest room floors (A', B' & C') remain more compact and introverted, maintaining a sense of privacy. Through partial cutting of the single balconies, the horizontal reading lines of the building are negated, and smaller balconies are created that correspond to each opening. The unified materiality of balconies and frames visually defines a “reading rhythm”, which is intensified by the use of vertical architectural elements. The canal-coronation of the existing building is deposed and the combination of the new built parapets on the roof with the vertical blinds highlight the buildings height.
In the area of the roof, the uses are removed from the boundary of the building through a perimeter planting zone. At the same time, for the protection of the outdoor living room and bar, an ascetic metal pergola with blinds for shading is added, attributing an imaginary coronation on this part of the building.
Elements of the façade, such as the balconies and the roof of the main entrance, are transformed into elements of lighting showcasing the building while acquiring a new identity.
Returning to the interior and its vertical traffic, the existing elevator is enlarged and a new one is added next to the secondary staircase. Both elevators are six (6) stops, serving all levels of the building to meet all accessibility standards.
To serve the purpose of preparing and composing a Structural Adequacy Study, mandatory checks were carried out for all of the above mentioned. An extensive reinforcement of the foundation with sandal beams, construction of sheaths of injected reinforced concrete in the basement, creation of two new cores of reinforced concrete walls in the positions of the elevators, reinforcement of all columns and certain beams through sheaths of ejected concrete and reinforcement of beams through carbon fiber took place.
In the shell, a dry masonry system is applied, while an external thermal insulation of 10cm is placed for the energy upgrade of the facades, as shown by the “KENAK study”. Opening and fixed aluminum frames of electrostatic painting are installed in addition to the profiles with thermal break and double crystal energy glazing specifically added to fully meet the requirements of the Building Energy Performance Regulation along with the enhanced acoustic needs. For the internal partitioning of the hotel's premises, dry building partitions with high sound isolation coefficients were used, following the acoustic study. Similarly, on the ground floor, glass partitions were placed (with double glazing for sounding), while in the library area a mobile soundproofing wall was added to isolate the area of the Business Center when needed.
Moving to the floors, tiles were applied on the ground floor, marble on the central staircase, reinforced vinyl tiles in the basement, carpets in the multipurpose space and in the corridors of the guest room floors, reinforced vinyl flooring in the bedrooms and ceramic tiles in the wet spaces. Custom wooden structures can be found in all areas of the hotel combined with details of marble and metal reflecting the sensitivity of the design and creating the scenery inside the building.
