Art Warehouse

Nestled between olive, oleander and cypress trees, painter and sculptor Alexandros Liapis wanted to build his new art studio on a 4.000m² plot. The new workshop is a few meters from the artist’s residence in Dilesi, Boeotia (ancient Delion). Part of the surrounding landscape was also transformed into an outdoor sculpture gallery, hosting the artist’s creations.

The design approach of the new studio was inspired by the economy of the way it could be implemented. The structure is characterized by construction honesty and the need for a disciplined plasticity which converses with the spirit of the Greek landscape. The new structure is comprised of fair-faced reinforced concrete. It was completed in three separate phases, these include: the base – foundation slab, the building’s shell and the dome. The dome, a timeless architectural element spanning from antiquity to Modernism, interacts with the intimate space of the artist’s house, the “cell”.

The new structure is located in the north-south axis of the plot and its orthogonal plan is divided into 3 areas: the overhang of the balcony on the south, which is used as an access, the artist’s workspace and finally the attic in the north, which serves as storage space. A staircase connects the two levels, with cantilevered concrete steps that also serve as exhibition stands for the artist’s works. The horizontal openings in the walls follow the sun’s trajectory and address the need for interior lighting and ventilation.