The Kosmos – Bakery & Coffee in Nafplion, Greece, is a modern food and coffee station designed within an existing steel structure at the city’s entrance. Situated in a semi-urban setting, the building’s dominant scale and surrounding open spaces called for a design that balances autonomy with integration into its busy roadside context.
The reconstruction navigates two opposing forces — the stillness of a monolithic volume and the perpetual movement of the adjacent highway — creating a dynamic yet grounded architectural presence.
The special form and use of the ‘scales’ on the facade serve a dual purpose: protecting the existing shell while acting as a skin that embraces and softens the building. Rather than relying on traditional signage, the facade itself creates variations in lighting, allowing the exterior illumination to be adjusted according to users’ needs. This integration makes lighting an inseparable part of the design, enhancing the building’s visual identity.
A water element creates a transitional zone between public and private space, subtly defining the threshold with its nearly flat surface and direct connection to the main road. Upon entering, visitors experience a striking spatial shift—from the low 2.30 m outdoor canopy to the expansive 6.50 m high main space.
Materials are carefully selected to enhance a sense of upward lightness, starting with a solid base of travertine Romano Classico marble. The middle zone, clad in light-colored marine plywood, acts as a transition from the earthy foundation to the futuristic forms of the upper level, which envelop the exhibition space in a dynamic interplay of light and materiality.
