Wedge House

The Wedge House is a residence, around 500 sqm, on a corner lot on Kiprou and Artemidos street in Papagou. The building is placed to utilise the unobstructed north view towards the Odisseas Elitis and Stratigos Katsimitros parks. At its base, the building is set on a 90-degree angle to Artemidos street. This alignment is kept at ground level, first and second floor which contain “private” uses such as bedrooms, offices and guest rooms. In the centre of the second and third floor, an internal double-height pocket garden is created to bring the greenery the view provides in the centre of the plan, while creating a microclimate for communal spaces. On the third floor, the building is shifted parallel to Kiprou street, and the main view to the Odisseas Elitis park, beyond the boundaries of the interior with an extensive cantilever, forming a wedge. This level accommodates all communal spaces, namely, living room, dining room and kitchen. On the fourth and final floor, the cantilever is repeated, completing the form of the wedge. Here, an open-air swimming pool is constructed, while the rest of the level, including the cantilever, is covered in vegetation.

Furthermore, the top level swimming pool is visually connected, through a glass window at its bottom, to the internal double-height pocket garden. This connection, also offers special lighting conditions inside the pocket garden, due to the presence of water, achieved both by natural and artificial lighting conditions. The natural lighting scheme and the energy consumption profile of the building were introduced in the context of creating and utilising this project’s special conditions. Therefore, the cantilevers of the first and second floor, are covered by vertical foldable shading panels embedded in the smart building system to operate automatically or on demand. The shading systems, also extend the interior out to the cantilevers under controlled and protected conditions, enhancing the spatial experience. At the same time, the extension of the cantilevers on the fourth floor and the placement of large openings on the third floor, achieve shading and unobstructed views to the users. In addition to controlling gains from direct sunlight, the building, with the use of a diligent insulating model, efficiently tackles overheating and heat loss. Moreover, there is an extensive use of active solar systems, with photovoltaic panels and solar water heaters placed on the top floor’s pergola. Therefore, the building, apart from achieving the highest energy classification required, also addresses energy saving considerations and contributes, as much as its scale allows, to the footprint of the built environment.