Opening House: A Playful Blend of Architecture and Pop Culture

Architect Kirki Mariolopoulou Creates a Unique Residential Design Inspired by Star Wars and Rubik's Cube

The design of Opening House is a testament to the creative genius of Mariolopoulou and her team, including architects Maria Tsouma and Maria Melidi. The house's design was inspired by the owner's playful personality, and his love for Star Wars and Rubik's Cube. The result is a four-storey rectangular volume that opens up like a spaceship to welcome its owner to a colorful everyday life. The vibrant colors of the Rubik's Cube are diffused throughout the house, coloring architectural elements and details, creating a whimsical house that accommodates his own galaxy of heroes.

Opening House stands out for its unique properties. Designed on a vertical axis to make maximum use of limited space, it becomes a four-storey building with its own roof terrace and a compact outdoor swimming pool. Its shape is triangular as the north facade swings to the west to catch sunlight and frame the main entrance of the house by creating a luminous atrium that spans across three floors. This opening gesture is underlined by the use of bold colors inside and outside the house.

The house is a concrete structure along with some custom designed steel structures such as the three floating staircases that are developed as the north wall unfolds to the side and the two fireplaces on the living and dining space. All these design features, the large openings as well as the five Rubik's Cube colors that were carefully chosen and matched together, summarize the design scheme.

The design of the Opening House was based on a slight skew of the north facade towards the west so as to welcome light and warmth inside the house. Through this opening, an internal lightwell is created that encloses the entrance way and becomes a focal void part of the house that connects the circulation zone with the private and living spaces. The experiential light-weight staircases that extend beyond this atrium along with the skylight escalate the flow and reflection of light and color through the whole house.

Opening House was awarded Silver in A' Architecture, Building and Structure Design Award in 2018. This prestigious award is rewarded to top-of-the-line, creative, and professionally remarkable designs that illustrate outstanding expertise and innovation. These designs, admired for their strong technical characteristics and splendid artistic skill, showcase a remarkable level of excellence and introduce positive feelings, amazement, and wonder.

In conclusion, Opening House is a remarkable architectural design that blends pop culture and architecture in a unique and playful way. It stands as a testament to the creativity and innovation of its designer, Kirki Mariolopoulou, and her team. It is a design that truly celebrates the owner's personality and interests, creating a living space that is as unique and vibrant as the owner himself.