Workshop, store and gallery

The pentagonal shape of this store, with a three-sided display window façade was both a dream and a nightmare in one. The program asked for a closed kiln - storage area, a private kitchen and an open office-lounge area to be housed along with a workshop table, a reception desk and enough shelving for display, with minimal interventions and on a budget. Piece of cake!

Not wanting to sacrifice even an inch of the large display windows and the radiant light they brought in, we opted to arrange the privately used areas along the existing walls. We introduced two similarly sized but clearly distinct volumes. The first one is a prominent terracotta coloured cube to contain the kitchen while providing extra displaying surface for the gallery. The second is a warm-white coloured cube to house the ceramic kiln, storage and a working counter, all necessary for the ceramic workshop.

We retained, repaired and restored both the original mosaic floor and the chain link roller grilles. After all we loved their vintage look and improvised our theme around it. We designed bespoke furniture: the reception and the office desk, the workshop table -that evolved from a round to a rectangular shape- and a set of free standing pedestals. We were more than happy to team up with Mr. Varkarotos, a talented carpenter and cabinet maker who crafted them.

This project was made possible thanks to our close and effortless collaboration with the owner, the one and only Stavroula, with whom I became friends, despite the professional etiquette.