Opera Quarta is a new restaurant and bar located on Kriezotou Street in central Athens. The project asked for a transformation of an existing space into a pleasant environment for eating and drinking. As a restaurant in this area represents a contrast to its more conventional retail spaces, we tried to amplify this surprise effect through our spatial intervention.
Name : Opera Quarta
Type : Bar& Restaurant
Location : Kriezotou str, Athens
Studio name : KOKKINOU KOURKOULAS
Architectural design : Maria Kokkinou, Andreas Kourkoulas
Project Architect : Tassos Ringas
E/M design : Jepa Ltd.
Lighting Consultant : Petros Kaisaris – LUUN
Contactor : SOLID Constructions
Photos : Mariana Bisti
Metal Construction : Xionas Elias
Year : 2018
Our initial concept was to transform the rectangular shape of the heightened ceiling into an arcade-like space. We further applied mirrors on the entire back wall in order to create a visual illusion of an infinitely extended room. In addition we placed a red opera-style staircase in front of the mirror wall, thereby allowing this vertical access to basement and mezzanine to become a further enhancement of the illusionary effect.
The placement of the bar along the longer side of the space intensifies the notion of an arcade. Simultaneously, the proximity of the bar to the outside theatrically transfers the events happening inside the bar/restaurant to the public realm of the sidewalk. Inside, the staircase – stretching across different floors – creates a sense of a continuous movement in front of the mirrored wall. It gives access to a mezzanine floor that provides space for exclusive eating with a distinctive view of the entire restaurant.
As a further element enhancing the illusionary effect, cardboard tubes are hung from the double-height ceiling. The different lengths of the tubes create an undulating surface that alludes to the vaulted shape of an arcade. Their lengths are longest along the façade and diminish towards the back, thereby intensifying the perspective of the space and creating a boundary with the outside.
In anticipation of the presence of guests filling the space with color and movement, we restricted the application of materials by using materials with more neutral characteristics such as steel, wood and pressed concrete.
