Reed Facade Restaurant
Restaurant Extension Renovation
Location: Greece
Date: 2012
Design team: Alex A. Tsolakis, Mehran Mojtahedzadeh
The existing post modern building was designed in the 90s. It is based on a square grid which organizes both the plan and the facade. The existing structure consists of a modern post and beam system, with flat slabs filling the grid (domino) out of steal reinforced concrete. Additional elements like arches, a wooden cross hipped roof and colored plastered walls were added on the structure, on the past design process due to local building regulations.
For the extension of the restaurant a new system of organization is deployed. A new surface is developed outside the existing envelope. The existing grid no longer defines the formal result. The new facade of the extension meets the existing building in 3 kissing points. The new facade camouflages the existing restaurant, filtering views, introducing new boundaries and redefining the space between the outside and the inside. New occupiable and non-occupiable spaces appear within the voids of space in between the old and the new envelope.
The facade consists of pivoting aluminum panels clad with local reed. Final form of the new surface is optimized in order to capacitate various performances: lightweight skeleton, sun position, shadow, rain, air circulation, movements and views directionality.
