Ioanna Vlachaki

ZP43 is a 50-square-metre penthouse apartment in central Athens, set within a typical post-war residential building dating from the late 1960s. The project begins with the material qualities already embedded in the apartment: oak parquet, terrazzo flooring, structural concrete and traces of the building’s original construction.

Ioanna Vlachaki Studio developed the renovation through selective removal, precise additions and a strong emphasis on craftsmanship. Existing materials are restored, extended and reworked, and new elements are introduced through a restrained palette of walnut, stainless steel, greek marble, terrazzo and off-white lacquered surfaces. Material continuity and close attention to making shape the project throughout.

The new plan opens the living room, dining area and kitchen into one continuous space connected directly to the terrace. Removing previous internal divisions brings daylight deeper into the apartment and gives the compact interior a greater sense of depth. The kitchen and central island organise everyday activity at the centre of the plan.

The building’s original construction becomes an active part of the interior. At selected points, structural columns and sections of the ceiling slab are revealed, retaining the rough texture and board marks of the concrete. Surface-mounted galvanised steel conduits carry the electrical infrastructure across these areas. Each route is carefully bent and assembled on site, following the geometry of the structure and making the technical layer of the apartment visible.

Craftsmanship is central to the treatment of the floors. The original oak parquet is preserved and restored across the main living and private spaces with new additions. Existing terrazzo is extended with a newly made mosaic floor produced with local craftsmen, continuing through the opened hallway and into the bathroom. Its aggregate, proportion and finish were developed to establish continuity with the original flooring.

The kitchen forms the principal architectural object of the living space. Custom walnut cabinetry follows the perimeter, combining rounded corners with a stainless-steel worktop, small-format white ceramic tiles and a long timber shelf. Above, a curved illuminated panel framed in wood introduces a softer geometry, and a continuous slotted band integrates technical requirements into the architecture.

At the centre, a custom island combines a rounded walnut base with a top in Greek Kavala marble. The stone was selected for its material character and for its connection to the client’s family origins in Kavala, giving the choice a personal dimension within the project. The island brings together food preparation, dining, working and gathering within a single custom-made element.

The island is paired with vintage Gerd Lange Flex 2000 chairs for Thonet from the 1970s, sourced from Backtothefuture in Athens. Their black moulded seats and dark timber frames introduce a specific piece of design history into the interior.

The bathroom concentrates many of the project’s material investigations into a compact space. One central element is a reused marble basin carved from a substantial block of Dionysso marble. The outer faces retain a raw, almost quarried texture that preserves the irregularity and weight of the material. The basin rests on a custom made cast exposed-concrete structure with integrated walnut storage beneath. The terrazzo floor continues into the room and meets cementitious wall surfaces, bringing marble, concrete, aggregate and timber into close contact.

Above, the ceiling becomes a luminous architectural surface. A custom walnut grid frames diffused light panels and produces a soft, homogeneous illumination with the quality of natural overhead light. Translucent perimeter openings reinforce the effect and give the bathroom an unexpected sense of height and openness.

The bedroom continues the same language through custom-made elements. A low walnut bed is paired with a timber wardrobe finished in off-white lacquer, its outer corner formed as a continuous curve. A slotted band above the wardrobe incorporates technical requirements into the furniture, and a concealed walnut sliding panel regulates the connection between the private area and the main living space.

Lighting is treated throughout ZP43 as another layer of materiality. Integrated luminous surfaces are combined with selected fixtures including the Hashira Linear Pendant Lamp, Raw by Norm Architects for Audo and the ONO Flush Mount Lamp 350 by Aspekt Office for HAY.The artworks featured throughout the apartment are by T. Ross, becoming part of the material and spatial composition of the interior. 

Across the apartment, architecture, furniture and infrastructure are developed with the same attention to making. Rounded timber edges, galvanised steel conduits, hand-finished terrazzo, carved marble, exposed concrete and integrated light are connected through carefully resolved junctions. ZP43 brings the raw qualities of the existing Athenian apartment into direct contact with new crafted elements, creating a compact interior defined by material continuity, precision and the visible presence of how things are made.

Athens, 2026.