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A Happy Place: 'Nipiaki Agogi' Kindergarten by Proplusma Arkitektones

Words by Eleni Papaioannou

Athens, Greece

Unpretentious innocence interflows with the high-end aesthetics indicative of Athenian architectural firm PROPLUSMA ARKITEKTONES, in their recent (2015) renovation of the stone-built villa that has housed the Kindergarten NIPIAKI AGOGI ANNA RAFTOPOULOU since 1978.

photo © Nikos Alexopoulos.

photo © Nikos Alexopoulos.

photo © Nikos Alexopoulos.

photo © Nikos Alexopoulos.

Located in Athens, Greece, in the northern suburb of Filothei, the kindergarten occupies an imposing Minoic-rhythm edifice surrounded by a beautiful English garden, designed during Greece's inter-war period by the acclaimed architect Nikolaos Zoumpoulidis. The unique anatomy of its morphological elements was carefully accentuated during the renovation, creating a dialogue with the bold and contemporary scheme conjured for the interior spaces. As the project's leading architects, Eugenia Manta and Michail Provelengios realized, Designing  for children aged 2-6 years old can be quite a challenging task. We wanted to create a space that will embrace the children and allow them a great deal of spaciousness and flexibility in their movement, also by keeping up with their specific needs and various activities".

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photo © Nikos Alexopoulos.

What emerged after the design  group's intervention was a comfort zone with sharpened details and unique elements to alert the senses and stimulate the children's intuitive eye for beauty: rounded edges, soft holes in the wall for masterful hide-and-seek sessions, stencilled animals watching over playtime and canny little wooden windows that inspire endless hours of make-believe. Artistry plays alongside safety in this brightly coloured space that successfully further educates bright young minds by nurturing their imagination.

photo © Nikos Alexopoulos.

photo © Nikos Alexopoulos.

Image

photo © Nikos Alexopoulos.

photo © Nikos Alexopoulos.

photo © Nikos Alexopoulos.

Image

photo © Nikos Alexopoulos.

Image

photo © Nikos Alexopoulos.

  • Image

    photo © Nikos Alexopoulos.

  • Image

    photo © Nikos Alexopoulos.