Architecture

This selection of Greek architecture and interior design demonstrates exceptional sensitivity to the existing built environment and nature. Some projects are set within cities: careful renovations of spaces that have long been part of inhabitants’ lives, infused with new purpose by architects attuned to contemporary needs and the future of urban life, especially in different parts of Athens. Others are located in natural settings on Greek islands, where nature remains largely untouched or where the spirit of place is potent in itself, such as Santorini’s iconic white buildings with blue details. These new works possess a unique expression and soul, yet their differences thoughtfully blend with their surroundings. Their distinctiveness is expressed as the most harmonious response to their local context. Architects listen deeply to what already exists and integrate modern life and contemporary spirit with full respect, making novelty an inseparable part of the local environment. The chosen projects emphasize what is present: they do not conceal but highlight, do not cover but reveal and interpret.

Katerina Valsamaki Architects’ Slot House nestles into Tinos’s landscape, blending traditional stone and concrete with thoughtful courtyards that connect interior and exterior spaces.

Urban Soul Project’s Neema Santorini breaks the Cycladic mold with a bold metal “thread” weaving through interiors, where red accents and natural materials craft a tactile, vibrant experience.

So Far Studio’s Frabala renovation highlights preserved mosaics and industrial textures, linking past and present with subtle, warm materiality.

KLAB Architecture’s Boubas Butcher Shop reinterprets traditional butcher aesthetics using marble, wood, and modern cladding, keeping meat the focal point amid minimalist craftsmanship.

Georgios Apostolopoulos Architects’ Moden Café in Athens marries pastry heritage with contemporary calm, using neutral tones and an open kitchen stage to celebrate craft and community.

threshold’s Troias Apartment in Kypseli opens fragmented space with light-enhancing partitions and a striking tomato-red floor, creating a modest urban living framework.

Neiheiser Argyros’ New Aigli Zappeiou honors Athens’s historic café with terraces opening to the National Gardens, offering modern minimalism that foregrounds social life and nature.

K-Studio’s Southwand House in Peloponnese blends Messinian stone traditions with modern modules, celebrating outdoor summer living through courtyard-filled volumes.

Design

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Each BIG SEE Focus presents a curated selection of recent architectural and design projects from a single country in South-East Europe. It’s not a survey of trends or styles — it’s a selection of works that reveal depth of thinking, sensitivity to context, and the capacity to shift perspectives.
We look for projects that respond to constraints with creativity, engage cultural complexity with clarity, and offer more than just aesthetics — they propose ideas.
Focus is not just a showcase, but a curatorial responsibility: to highlight the works that prove why South-East Europe matters — not only culturally, but creatively.