M.M ARCHITECTURAL OFFICE

Architectural Office

Status extension to an existing residential building, design proposal, construction phase

Principle Architect: Maria Hadjisoteriou

Junior Architect: Manos Doulianakis

Consultants: Andros Achilleos ‘hyperstatics’ structural engineer, Georgos Theocharides mechanical engineer, Theodoulos Demosthenous Electrical engineer

Location: Archangelos, Nicosia, Cyprus

Date: 2020-present

Client: Maria Hadjisoteriou

The extension is going to house my working space, my architectural office.

This is by far the most challenging task of an architect, designing their own working environment, exploring needs, materiality, budget and ambience.

Investigating and balancing between limitations of the existing situation, the structural system, materiality, budget and detailing, designing my office is a demanding, challenging and by far a very rewarding experience.

Working and Living programmes already co-exist in the existing construction, the private institute of my husband together with the living unit of my family and a garden with a tree in its heart that takes over half of the garden’s area.

Functional relationships with existing uses

Respecting the limitations of the existing construction, the volume of the office is investigated in a vertical development. The footprint of the tower is minimised to an area of 5.00 X 6.50 m.

Important factors to maintain

The view towards the garden from the patio of the house has to stay uninterrupted.

The tree has to continue to be in the heart of the garden.

The entrance to the private institute has to be maintained.

The new development has to add to the amalgamate of the existing programmes.

A small tower with a ground floor, a mezzanine and a first floor in a vertical configuration is being introduced in the garden.