IE Architecture+ Prize

In Athens, the city where I live, there are very few open spaces and the main material is concrete. However, Greece is very sunny and has a lot of beaches. The aim of the project was to create large surfaces that would exploit the sun and the sea in a limited open space between apartment buildings. The materials used were wood from toothpicks, sand from a beach and plants from my garden.
Wood is the material from which the ancient Greeks used to make their ships. Thus, the big terrace resembles a ship, since there is a view of the sea. In this space one can have coffee or lunch enjoying the sea view, as if one was cruising to one of the Greek islands. Right below the terrace there is a cinema.
The sand creates the illusion that the beach we can see behind the apartment buildings goes on inside the urban fabric. In the sand, children can make sandcastles and grown-ups can play beach volley.
Parallel to the street there is a structure that resembles the Parthenon. In this way, this space is separated from the avenue while being connected to it through the big openings.