Antonopoulos Blue Apartment Building

What I can see

A point of reference for Greek modernism, the “Antonopoulos Blue Apartment Building” is one of the first apartment buildings that expressed the radical principles of modernism along with the social status of the elite of the era. It is among the oldest of its kind, but not the oldest, as has often been reported. It is the work of Kyriakoulis Panagiotakos –a student of Pikionis– with evident central European influences. The round openings above the doors remind those of a ship. It is harmonic and rhythmic building thanks to the alternation of closed and semi-open spaces. It has a basement, ground floor, six floors and 38 apartments of 16 different types. Today, the building bears the signs of neglect and is in need of maintenance. 

What I can't see

When the famous French architect Le Corbusier saw this apartment building, he is rumoured to have said: “c’est tres beau” (=it’s very beautiful). Initially, it was painted dark blue on the main volumes, while the door frames were white -clearly influenced by the works of Bruno Taut- hence the name “Blue Apartment Building”. However, this experimentation with colour did not prove successful, because the deep blue did not match the Attica light and the deterioration of the colour was strongly visible with time. It was later painted with milder colours. Furthermore, the internal details of the building have received the careful attention of the architect himself. Another remarkable feature is the tenants’ meeting area, which offers the opportunity to socialize as well as a beautiful view. The basement served as a shelter during World War II. Among the tenants were: Alexis Minotis, Katina Paxinou, Sofia Vembo, Dimitris Horn and others.

Info

• Address: 61 Arahovis and 80 Themistokleous St.

Bibliography