That is what they say, and the outside reflects the inside. In regards to the existing house, our aim was to remain as true as possible to the original look and feel with its 60s aesthetics, featuring exposed concrete parts and corner windows. Our goal was also to do the same with the new CLT extension and reflect its identity on the outside. But what could we use as a façade for this new CLT structure in a climate as dry and hot as ours in Athens? In Sweden, a wooden house would typically be clad with wood paneling, but in Greece, that would mean immense maintenance and cost. Always thinking consciously and sustainably, we can say that it took us a while to figure it out.
Drawing inspiration from the infamous Cabanon that Le Corbusier designed in 1951, which used wooden logs with their bark, we found our solution. In nature, bark acts as the natural protection for wood. So, we decided to use cork for our new facade—a natural material derived from the bark of trees that provides excellent thermal and acoustic insulation. Additionally, it is fire retardant and highly abrasion-resistant.
Our collaboration with Amorim, a Portuguese company renowned for producing cork facade panels, has been instrumental in this decision. Their support and expertise have helped us develop the façade design, making this the first cork façade in Greece. We are very excited about it and can’t wait to share more! We are confident that this unique combination of materials gives the house a holistic new identity that derives from within, keeping it relevant and current into the future.
With hope and determination,
OOAK architects