PSOMAS Studio of Architecture PS-A unveils its newly completed Antasia Beach Club in Paphos, Cyprus, a beach pavilion incorporated in a topographical intervention of the coastal promenade of the city.
The winning design, result of a public competition organised by the Municipality of Paphos was aiming to the creation of a contemporary beach pavilion on the municipal beach of the city, one of the most central points of the city’s coastal zone, with seamless views to its world’s protected medieval castle and the picturesque port. Upon its completion the operation will be handled by Thanos Hotels & Resorts which is creating a sophisticated day-to-night venue with a beachfront restaurant and a bar on its rooftop terrace.
Blending into the dunes of the only sandy beach of the Kato Paphos seafront, Antasia Beach Club gradually reveals itself as guests descend from the promenade and the top terrace to the beach level below. While completely tucked under its terrace and revealing itself only after completing the descent, Antasia Beach Club is completely embedded within the beach below, marking a fresh intervention that strikes a balance between man-made and nature.
Two concrete platforms, one on each level, sweep to follow the coastline and melt back with the natural surroundings to create an intuitive amphitheatre design where the sea views take centre stage. In-Between them the enclosed space is created by introducing a curvy façade conformed by glass and bronze metal cladding endings. The highlight of the design is the revolving helix staircase which connects the beach level with the rooftop-promenade level and continues above the rooftop to create an open-air observatory, giving the feeling to the visitor that ascents to the sky. Although surely functional as an observation lookout point to the magnificent sunsets and medieval castle of the city, the helix staircase rises above as a sculptural landmark and a touristic attraction.
PSOMAS studio design was aiming not only to create a beach restaurant but a landmark for the city of Paphos which reflects its relation with the sea and its history. The fluid design of the concrete platforms with the soft connection between floor and balustrade echoes the soft geometries of the renowned ancient Cypriot potteries while the structure of the lightweight canopies on the rooftop echoes the patterns of the renowned ancient mosaics of Paphos.
The rooftop canopies, a field of hyperbolic geometries, tend to twist around the helix staircase combining metal structures dressed with tensile architectural fabric. Vertical elements stretch the fabric towards their direction forming smoothly mushroom shaped drops, self-illuminated during night hours by hidden lighting incorporated between the structure and the fabric.
Interiors, designed by Baranowitz + Kronenberg – known for the W Hotels in Ibiza, Amsterdam and Prague – are inspired by the raw natural elements, using a playful white-scale design to reflect the life of the sea. A sea of white scales has been introduced throughout the space resonating with the underwater life beneath. A playful interpretation of the natural geometry of the scales of fishes, the designers have played with size and structure combined with opaque and reflective finishes to add a touch of richness to this backdrop.