Small Papastratos apartment building

5 Meleagrou St, 1937

Architect
Dimitri Fotiadi (1894-1974)
Associate architects
Ioannis Halepas
P. Michas



The small Papastratos apartment building stands out among many multi-floor apartment buildings in downtown Athens for its mild and tasteful modernism. It is a work by D.A. Fotiadi, one of the main modernisers of the middle-class apartment building in the interwar period, who was trained at the École Spéciale d’Architecture in Paris.
Built in the most expensive part of town, the Papastratos building consists of a ground floor and four upper ones, the last two of which are set back. Each apartment occupies one floor, with service areas accommodated on the ground floor. The layout of the apartments is the same on all floors and is characterised by a clear division of areas into three functional zones: the living and dining areas on the front, the bedrooms and bath, and the kitchen and auxiliary areas.
The façade is plain and symmetrical and adorned discreetly in the Art Déco spirit. The game of light and shade created by the open balconies, verandas and semi-outdoor areas lend it a mild plasticity.

TRANSPORTATION