In the heart of Patras, within a 1970s building, one can now find the new home of “Kseniastos Kosmos”! This is a learning center that breaks away from conventional standards, aiming to awaken positive and inspiring emotions in the children who visit it.
The architectural study focuses primarily on the interior transformation of the building, seek-ing to adapt it to its new use while preserving its original character. The existing spatial layout was retained, with each former room redefined as an autonomous functional space. A key design gesture was the preservation and highlighting of the decorative mosaic floors, which were thoughtfully integrated into the new architectural language as carriers of memory and aesthetic continuity. The color palette of each room was carefully selected in dialogue with its respective floor, enhancing the uniqueness of each space and offering varied atmospheres for both students and educators.
Access to each room is provided through the central corridor, which—together with the en-trance—assumes a supporting role, functioning potentially as a waiting area for parents or visitors. The bold use of orange on the ceiling in both entrance and corridor unifies the shared spaces and completes the interior chromatic composition.
On the exterior, emphasis was placed on the color study with the aim of preserving and ac-centuating the building’s original morphology and materiality. The original window frames are maintained, the stone base is visually enhanced as a distinct material layer, and the read-ing of the building’s typology is reinforced.
The entrance is marked by the retention of the original metal door, now a morphological ref-erence point. Its integration into the new design respects the existing structure while con-tributing to the overall aesthetic coherence.
The rear courtyard has been cleared and landscaped for short breaks, with climbing plants introduced along the boundaries. The existing metal staircase leading to the rooftop is paint-ed in vibrant orange, emphasizing its contemporary, additive nature and serving as a visual focal point from the interior.Through subtle yet impactful interventions, the center is redefined functionally and aestheti-cally, while honoring the unique identity of its architectural shell.
