KNGroup, which started as a family business in Athens in 1969 that of bespoke furniture production, developed in 1995 into an interior design agency for commercial spaces supporting also with refurbishments and reconstructions. Today the company has progressed to real estate development for commercial use, cultivating a unique focus and commitment to leveraging our multi-disciplinary expertise to create unique functional and exciting spaces for people to work and interact. The core team, apart from working now on big-level real estate development, construction, architecture, and interior design mandates, also creates bespoke furniture for their core clients.
The “IXI” office building in Moschato, Athens, hosts on the 1st floor the multinational telephone service company KIKxxl, which chose this space as its first headquarters in Greece. The project is developed and implemented after the radical renovation of the existing structure and its transformation into a functionally “smart”, environmentally “friendly” and aesthetically modern office space, by KN Group _ Design that works.
The LEED-compliant office building “IXI” benefits its user with direct access to public means of transportation and high quality of the indoor climate, ideal lighting conditions and quality views, a healthy workplace, and an improved indoor environment. Through high-performance technologies, aiming to consume less energy and water, it reduces the footprint on the planet’s resources.
The KIKxxl offices expand to an 840 m2 floor area, in the core of the industrial building. Τhe special characteristic of the project was the need to accommodate two different and distinct departments of the company, the administration as well as the common areas with reception and conference rooms on the same plan. KN Group team, inspired by the specific requirements of the user, created a space where different touches of color separate different functions, but at the same time all the included spaces are integrated and coexist as a part of a whole architectural synthesis of the floor.
Upon entering the office space, we come across contrasts in both materials and colors. The earthy and calm palette is followed by 2 paths with a strong color complementary difference, one leading to a production area and the other to the administration area. According to the different movements in the space, we translate each different function, route or use into another color / materiality and integrate some strong symbolic movements to create small, interesting episodes.
The same concept is applied to the production areas, where we find a relationship between materials, volumes and textures that create a warm feeling. The floor material used for the 2 production departments is a special contemporary carpet for office spaces. Apart from the additional soundproofing and anti-static capabilities of the material, the carpet manages to give a warm and intimate character to the production areas in contrast to the common areas of the floor. Furthermore, the two departments interact with each other, as they have contrasting color palettes with references from one to the other, while the small break areas formed inside them function as a common ground.
Taking advantage of the continuous openings with considerable height on all sides of the building, we create an intimate and friendly indoor environment for the tenants by raising the perimeter of the floor in a way that allows visual escapes in every direction. Furthermore, the space created enhances privacy and soundproofing between the production areas but allows light to diffuse into the central common area with different gestures and materialities.
The uses and functions of the space are also defined by different levels created. The different levels distinguish the functions more distinctly but also serve to a theatrical scenery within the building. The user’s experience through space is divided into 2 levels, sometimes obvious and sometimes not so much, to achieve the element of surprise.
Many existing elements of the building have been preserved and maintained, such as the mosaic flooring in the reception area and the main meeting rooms.
The KN Group team, true to its design principles, delivered a comfortable and warm space, designed according to the needs of employees, and environmental standards, with a modern design and strong elements of contemporary aesthetics that attracts the user, serve its corporate goals and is part of its development strategy.