The building is situated in Engomi, in a neighbourhood where lots of facilities, embassies and various services are located, in a walking distance from Nicosia’s city centre. The building is a house block composed of 5 apartments and a two-storey house on the ground floor. The plurality of the four different apartment typologies brings diversity in co-living, thus reflecting the vibrant spirit of contemporary urban life. The 3-bedroom maisonette has its own individual entrance, a parking space and a private yard. The upper floors consist of three twin bedroom apartments, one single bedroom apartment and one 4-bedroom penthouse on the last floor. On the roof, a common space area with a pool and a barbecue area has been designed.
The design is focused in the functionality and flexibility of the spaces for multiple possibilities and scenarios. Openings of various sizes on the external wall are providing viewpoints from the interior to the exterior and they function as frames that highlight the moments of everyday life. The wall that surrounds the building as well as the main structure is constructed of reinforced concrete and bricks. Exposed concrete ceilings, wooden floors and white interior walls in combination with the coloured framed windows are composing the main materials of the building. Good care has been given to the energy sustainability in terms of the direction of the openings, the sun protection and the natural ventilation of the interior spaces. The external wall acts as a second layer for the interior space and the covered verandas of each apartment, that filters the sunlight and the wind; creating in this way a pleasant microclimate for the residents.
What makes this project one-of-a-kind?
The project’s main goal is to set a completely new viewpoint on the concept of living and the complexity of social urban life. The point of our view affects drastically our perception of everything around us. The building is defined by a continuous vertical concrete wall which accommodates the units of the housing block. This element includes both the interior and exterior spaces in one definite form expressing the sense of protection around all aspects of domestic life while setting a large frame around it.
Credits
Architecture
NOA Architects; Spyros Th. Spyrou and Charis Christodoulou
Client
Private
Year of completion
2019
Location
Nicosia, Cyprus
Total area
630 m2
Photos
Agisilaou & Spyrou
