Casa Bēju
Casa Bēju is a minimalist apartment located in Athens, Greece, designed by Space is around us. Micro-living demands a fundamental rethinking of spatial hierarchies – not simply fitting more into less, but questioning which programmatic elements deserve permanence in contemporary domestic life. In a 43-square-meter apartment built in 2004, Space confronts this challenge by establishing remote work and communal dining as structural priorities rather than afterthoughts, reconfiguring the entire layout around the realities of home-based professional life.
The intervention centers on a multifunctional dining counter that operates as both spatial divider and organizational spine. Positioned between kitchen and living areas, it maintains open-plan flow while creating psychological separation through function rather than walls. Storage integrates into its base, while space-saving stools disappear beneath the surface when not in use. This element exemplifies the project’s broader approach – every component must justify its footprint through layered utility. The beige ceramic countertop extends this logic visually, treating kitchen and dining as continuous surfaces rather than distinct zones.
Space reimagines the bedroom wardrobe with an integrated niche that functions simultaneously as seating, luggage storage, and everyday organization. This move transforms what typically reads as static cabinetry into a dynamic threshold condition – a liminal zone that absorbs the transitional moments of daily routine. The bathroom undergoes similar spatial compression, reconfigured to accommodate a comfortable shower without sacrificing circulation. These gestures reveal an architectural position: in compact environments, conventional typologies must dissolve into hybrid conditions.
The material palette grounds this functional intensity in sensory calm. Linen drapery softens boundaries, while a velvet headboard introduces tactile richness in the sleeping area. Handcrafted ceramics by Sofia Nikolaidou punctuate the space as bespoke interventions, part of Space’s initiative to embed emerging artistic practices within architectural commissions. The bathroom deploys textured ceramic tiles to amplify haptic engagement, acknowledging that small spaces demand heightened material attention – surfaces must reward proximity.