Vasilena’s Restaurant
A traditional restaurant from Piraeus has moved to the center of Athens near the Athens Hilton, a building landmark for the city of Athens. Our admiration for the building is obvious as our effort is to maximize the view from the restaurant towards Hilton.
It covers approximately 150 sq.m. with a kitchen of equal size at the basement.
The dinning hall layout is split in two levels with 1.5m height difference. A mirror, placed in front of this, existing, over sized "riser" offers the illusion of a much longer hall and provides a colorful play of gaze.
The main idea behind construction is based on the use of raw materials. The two long parallel walls are made from concrete blocks with lighting embedded in recesses among them.
A 'suspended ceiling' of wine bottles carries fiber optics lighting.
The stairs between the dinning levels as well as the bar are made of metal sheet. A glass and metal sheet walk-in wine storage is situated above the bar, at the mid-length of one of the two concrete block walls adding to the play of reflections and gaze.
The facade with the main entrance frames the Athens Hilton and the floor to ceiling opening at the back of the dinning hall frames a view of a small courtyard full of lemon trees.
Architects
Maria Kokkinou Andreas Kourkoulas
Project architect
George Nikopoulos
Design team
Agni Stasinopoulou
Vasilis Iliopoulos
Lighting Design Petros Kesaris - L4A