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House in Ekali Athens 2002 House in Ekali Athens 2002 Office in Alimos Athens 2004 Office in Alimos Athens 2004
Dining room Untitled 2002 Sculpture-Door Interior design and furniture Entryway
Audio-video unit with sliding door Details Conference area Door in aluminum lacquer
Untitled 2002 Pluto 2004 Table Freeform screen with leather upholstery
Sculpture-Door Built-in closet with bar and aluminum fittings
Aluminum frame, wood surface, plaster, Freeform bar with sliding door open Built-in bookcase with sliding doors
cardboard with colored drawings, MDF frame veneered in limba, MDF frame veneered in limba,
photograph transparency in double glass, pale blue Plexiglas back panel with built-in lighting, pale blue Plexiglas back panel with built-in lighting,
blue neon, interior electric light installation door and shelves in blue double glass doors and shelves in blue double glass
280x200 cm Feng Shui 2004 Desk

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463
“We were inspired by the cycle of light, the motion of the wind, Ecological materials were, again, the basis for the design of furniture.
the whooshing of the waves” “A characteristic example is the wooden table in the sitting room, the
ORNOS model, the surface of which carries two marble ridges, or the beds
A contemporary summer house was endowed with personality thanks to the and the other pieces in the bedrooms which are also made of bleached
original furniture and fittings designed by Nikos Zouboulis and Titsa Grekou, wood.” The angled sofa in the sitting room is a true piece of sculpture whose
who used natural materials and new techniques to sculpt forms and create organic form hides a constructional innovation: “wishing to avoid the usual
type of built island sofa we created a piece of furniture, the NEW WAVE
spaces of a minimalist aesthetic.
The traditionally styled house was fitted exclusively with furniture and other model, whose inner wooden skeleton affords modern comfort; at the same
functional pieces designed and constructed by STUDIO METAPLASI to meet time, it ties in with tradition since its exterior is covered with mortar in the
the owner’s express needs. Forming part of a complex of four residences in true spirit of Myconian aesthetic”.
the same family, the house is built on an amphitheatrical plot near Ornos with A sculptural dining table
a sea view. The designers were given charge of the interior architecture and The dining table is in the large sitting room, next to the French windows that
decoration and the fixtures in the communal outdoor areas – tables settees, lead to the garden: “The table, an ELXIS model, is made of solid tilia with
the bar. In their imaginative work they allowed themselves to be inspired “by a veneer of white ash and oak and a wax finish, and its special feature is that
the cycles of Myconian light, the moving sunlight which creates three-dimen- the curved sides are differently shaped. The marquetry on the top reproduces
the geometrical patterns of the base which were inspired by the School of
sional volumes and linear shadows on walls and floors, by the motion of the
wind and the sea”. Bauhaus. The lighting fixture, a white opaline for reflection-free illumination,
“We were called in at an early stage in the construction and we worked comes from Iguzzini.
closely with the owner, a lover of art who agreed with all our proposals. Another focal point in the sitting room is the fireplace, of white marble and
We were also given ample time to complete such a demanding project, mortar and accompanied by a sculptural work which is characteristic of the
so we were able to study the needs of each area separately and experiment artistic work of Nikos Zouboulis and Titsa Grekou. “The sculpture was
with new techniques. The first thing to do was to form certain structural studied in relation to the light that comes through the windows, and the
elements such as the fireplace. Then we designed all fixed and mobile relief figure was made with plaster and white lacquer to imitate the local
furniture and selected all the other fittings and fixtures required to equip whitewashed walls.”
In the open-plan kitchen the bench/bar follows the motion of the sea and
the house – chairs, lighting fixtures, door handles, fabrics, etc.”
In the end the owner took delivery of a modern holiday home of a minimalist the sun, while the colour of the sea can be found on the cupboard doors.
aesthetic which seems to bow mentally to the austerity of Myconian tradition. The sculptural approach is to be found in the bedrooms as well, where the
An original designer project beds and the other pieces carry a blend of civilisations (“memories from
“As the owner and we spoke the same visual language, we did not end up Cycladic art but also references to a tropical style, as in the headboard
reproducing the stereotypical image of Aegean aesthetic. The house neither of the bed – a CUBA model, with woven cane and Indonesian rattan”).
copies tradition nor ‘weds’ the old with the new. It is in fact an original work, Original creations
a ‘designer home’ which combines contemporary architecture with cultural The outdoor constructions such as the bar, the dining table (VIGLES)
memories and is built in an eco-friendly way using natural materials.” and the built settees (TENERIFE) incorporate plastic forms and carefully
studied techniques. As with the furniture, these pieces were first built as
Everything inside the house was designed from scratch, turned into a life-size
model and constructed by STUDIO METAPLASI or erected in situ – for models, a process which helped finalise their sculptural form. Inspiration
example, the fireplace, the fixed settees in the garden, the bar. for the outdoor spaces came from the same sources: “the motion of the sea
Translating nature into sculptural forms is reflected in the WAVES bar stools as well as the wooden panel which holds
“The house is on three levels. The high-ceilinged ground floor includes the the lighting fixtures”. All these are painted white to blend in with the local style
sitting-room, one bedroom with a bathroom, the dining room and the open- while still reflecting their original modern design and meeting in an admirable
plan kitchen. A lower level with its own direct access to the garden is the way the needs of a holiday home which is ready to function at all times of the
guestroom –a self-contained unit complete with kitchenette and bathroom– year.
and the first floor house the main bedroom and its en-suite bathroom”. Tonia Makra
The entire house is painted white, and the narrow windows and French
windows have no curtains as the light enters in a pleasant, non-dazzling way. Athens, May 2005
All materials are natural, selected on the basis of functionality and ease of
maintenance. Indoor floors, for instance, combine bleached timber and earth-
coloured mortar as per the Myconian norm, and the ceilings are panelled with
dark chestnut wood.”
Waves 2000 Stool “We were inspired by the cycle of light, House in Mykonos 2000 House in Mykonos 2000
In Mykonos Harbor the motion of the wind, Interior design and furniture Bar and pool area
Photograph by Nikos Zouboulis the whooshing of the waves” Patio and pool area Freeform bar, concrete, white epoxy finish
Article Solid wood overhead structure in limba
by Tonia Makra with hanging lights in aluminum
IDEES & lyseis gia to spiti Magazine, Waves 2000 Stools
No 241, Athens, May 2005 Molded plywood frame with white epoxy finish
and white painted metal
Tenerife 2000 Freeform sofas and table
Concrete, white epoxy finish
Elxis 2000 Table
Concrete, white epoxy finish
Vigles 2000 Table
469 471 473 Concrete, white epoxy finish 475
249
House in Myconos, Greece 2000
House in Mykonos 2000 House in Mykonos 2000 House in Mykonos 2000 House in Mykonos 2000
Living room Living room views Dining area Cuba 2000
Built-in shelves, bench, fireplace with sculpture Ornos 2000 Elxis 2000 Bed
Solid wood in white paint, sailcloth cushion, Coffee table Table Detail of headboard
white marble White Dionysos marble and solid poplar top, MDF frame veneered in stained ash, oak Cuba 2000
Untitled 2000 white lacquered wood base Oak veneer inlay on top echoes shape of base Beds with night tables
Sculpture New Wave 2000 Kitchen area Solid white stained poplar frame with cane
Plaster, white lacquer Sofas Freeform kitchen counter and wall cabinets Quintana 2000
200x100 cm Wood structure covered in concrete MDF frame veneered in blue stained ash Built-in dressing table, chest of drawers on wheels,
with white epoxy finish, sailcloth upholstery
mirror
Solid white stained poplar
477 479 481 483
249 Inhabiting Life
In the past, the HOME was seen as a family centre of patriarchal glory.
The evolutionary processes of capitalism and the values of contemporary life, Their Home, Showroom, Factory and Office soon became the points of reference
in their life and work. The most important international magazines on design
through social relations and the conditions which create an imaginary, ephemeral
"ego", have transformed the home into an inhabited theatrical stage where and interior decoration heralded the creations of STUDIO METAPLASI as original
the actors are the inhabitants and the audience is the visitors. and unique examples of design in Greece and abroad.
It is the latter who perceive every sign of liveliness or incongruity, of fertile Yet more than designer, Nikos Zouboulis wants to be seen as an artist,
imagination or resignation. They notice all indications of financial status as well as and remembers his early performances of the 1970s, when music and the body
the cultural quests of each inhabitant in the house. assumed dynamic forms on Latex, a newly-invented fabric which became
The home may be considered as the inhabited core, an entity that reflects his personal medium in art and the material of his paintings and sculptures.
the tortured pathology of human existence. In our last meeting he spent some time talking to me about "Applause", the long
The STUDIO is the functional workshop that puts together the house. It is where black sculpture of metal and wood with its many colours. He told me how
in the performance "Myth and Reality" at the Expo Arte of 1978 in Bari, the main
spatial organisation, abstraction, strict precision, study, creativity and work
are the inseparable and extreme protagonists in an active thinking and a practical 'material' was the energy of the audience, while the sculpture moved its wooden
philosophy of life. The residents engage in a conceptually metaphysical hands, through a mechanism operated by himself, to applaud the involuntary
relationship with space, which leads to the emergence of a series participation of the people who were stunned by this. It was an original
of 'internal' structures. happening, much praised by Italian and foreign criticism.
The SHOWROOM is the realm of images, the reward of the gaze. It comprises The installations-performances were followed by paintings-sculptures and then
a single space that specifies the choices and the preliminary design. It determines by objects-furniture-sculptures. These unique art objects are now in museums
and judges the financial structure of creativity and its initial quests. and major international collections.
The OFFICE is the base of technology. It is the marriage between man Nikos Zouboulis wishes to stress his infinite gratitude to two great figures
and technology. It is where every sentiment is imprisoned; the place where in Greece who, at a very early stage, supported and sensitively encouraged
technology becomes the greatest shackle of enslavement; its structure grows his creative quests: Alexander Iolas, the gallerist who put him on an artistic
and a popular verdict is enforced. The office is the 'gatekeeper' of material wealth. course; and Dakis Joannou, that major figure in international culture who was
The FACTORY is the place of production, where collective effort is combined. the first to acquire his sculptures-objects for his important collection.
It hosts the forms of capitalist practice, promotes creative skills and extends Between 1993 and 1997 Nikos Zouboulis and Titsa Grekou created a space
the characteristics of information. At the factory the idea is processed which was rare in Europe and unprecedented in Greece; a space which brings
and implemented into a tangible form. together in a creative whole the experiences from different times and places,
In these five spaces Nikos Zouboulis and Titsa Grekou inhabit life. always lived first-hand: Home-Studio-Showroom-Office-Factory.
"THE ACTUAL HOUSING CRISIS IS NOT THE SCARCITY It is a different way of perceiving life and creativity. Work and existence.
OF ACCOMMODATION... IT LIES IN THE FACT THAT MORTALS ALWAYS Image and the Present Time.
SEEK THE ESSENCE OF HABITATION, AND THEY HAVE FIRST OF ALL "MAKING ART AND YOUR LIFE ONE THING" (Josef Beuys)
TO LEARN HOW TO INHABIT" (Martin Heidegger) In the beautiful countryside of Acharnae, on the outskirts of Athens, a sweet,
Nikos Zouboulis was born in Athens and comes from an artistic family: his father simple white edifice stands proud and silent amidst an ancient olive grove.
and his grandfather before him were famous makers of houses and furniture, The turquoise blue underlines the uniform architecture and describes the
at the small village of Argalasti in Mount Pelion and later in Athens. approach to the entire habitable space inside.
Nikos studied interior decoration at the Doxiades School in Athens, with parallel Nothing was left to chance.
studies in sculpture. From early on he specialised in interior design. He won True to their beliefs, Nikos Zouboulis and Titsa Grekou have set up the "Intelligent
his first award in sculpture at the age of 18, with a latex-made portrait Edifice" of their personal creative life. They design and implement
at the Gallery of the Athens Hilton, and around the same time he produced the architectural structure in their own personal way in which human philosophy
his first sculpture-object, a strange table made of different plastics. is closely linked to the needs of a consummated existence.
At the Doxiades School he met Titsa Grekou, a worthy artist who later, in 1975, The layout of the interior follows the pattern of their life, while their relationship
became his tireless wife and fellow-traveller in their creative journey in art. with the furniture, the objects, the sculptures and technology and their everyday
In 1983 they co-founded STUDIO METAPLASI, a brand of original designs, needs acquires a phenomenologically special importance and invests the whole
furniture and sculptured objects reflecting a refined approach to decoration. setting with a harmonious sense of life.
Inspired creations made of plastic materials, with their phantasmagoric forms To Nikos every element, space or object is a symbol of active design,
and colours emphasising the first and only example in Greece of a personal just as his private life is beside Titsa. The human factor provides the identity,
post-modern style. Their showroom at Kolonaki, in downtown Athens, specifies the philosophy and, combined with personal creative history, proclaims
became the showcase of avant-garde design in Greece. the need for a new reality to meet the requirements of the Present Time.
That was the beginning of a course to success, which had Niko Zouboulis
and Titsa Grekou travelling in many countries around the world. Boston and Lucrezia De Domizio Durini
Chicago were among the places where they made their artistic presence felt.
Milan 1999
House in Mykonos 2000 House in Karia Greece 2002 House in Karia Greece 2002 Inhabiting Life
Bedroom suite views Zouboulis - Grekou family house on mountain Interior views Essay
Elxis 2000 Built 1976 by Dimitris Zouboulis, Ziria 2002 Corner sofa by Lucrezia de Domizio Durini
Table renovated 2002 by Nikos Zouboulis, Titsa Grekou Solid pine structure, fabric upholstery Milan 1999
Solid white stained poplar frame, concrete base and Sophia Zoubouli 278x200 h85 cm
Corner sofa with built-in base, sailcloth cushions Design Sophia Zoubouli
Dakar 2000 Kitchen cabinets in solid beech with wire mesh
Bed with night tables in double glass
Built-in base, solid white stained poplar frame,
headboard in cane