Concept

In considering the reformation of the façade for Piraeus Tower, Ikon capitalizes on the surrounding context to inform its new façade. 

The most prominent building in the immediate area is the Cathedral of Agia Triada; a cathedral that embodies the ideals of Byzantine architecture. Closely reviewing the façade of the Cathedral of Agia Triada, the window openings are covered with intricately geometric screens.  Through several elevation studies a modern interpretation of the Cathedral of Agia Triada screens has been developed to drape the building.

The screen is proposed to be repetitive shapes rendered a deep red color to pay homage to ancient Greek pottery – which was typically red due to the iron content in the pottery – and serves as a bold color against the nearby port and the Grecian sky.  From afar the screen creates a moray pattern which makes the tower read as a solid, red element against the City of Piraeus; the façade dissipates and reveals a simple glazed curtain wall system behind the screen.  The screen becomes less orderly and more playful at the base as huge spans of the deep red Corian drop from above to become objects for pedestrians’ interaction. 

Ikon strives to also be a good neighbor to the Cathedral of Agia Triada and the Neo-Classical Maritime Retirement Fund building; both are to be exceptional pieces of architecture in Piraeus.  The southeastern façade of Ikon is proposed to be a white backdrop to both the Cathedral and Maritime building.  The swooping gesture pulls the white sidewalk under Ikon up the side of the building and caps the new façade as a roof element. 

Ikon provides as an entrance to the port City of Piraeus with a repurposed high-rise that will serve as a progressive icon for the city.

Materials

Ikon proposes that the existing tower cladding is complete removed to the concrete structural system.  The structural system shall then be cleaned and painted entirely basic white.

The tower shall be enclosed on the northeastern, northwestern, and southwestern elevations in three layers – a curtain wall with low-e glazing with DuPont Safety Glass interlayer provided where required; and two layers of the deep red Corian screen.  The deep red Corian screen will attach to a series of tube steel columns attached to the concrete exterior frame.  The tube steel columns and their respective connections will be finished in a DuPont Alestra white high performance finish.   The repetition inherent in the Corian screen will provide an economy in fabrication and installation.

At the base of Ikon, the Corian screen becomes more playful as it races over top of a new storefront glazing system that runs between the existing floor slabs.  The screen (encasing structural steel) drops down to become areas for pedestrians to interact with Ikon.

On the southeastern façade, an Alestra coated metal rainscreen system races up the side of the building.  The rainscreen system is comprised of a metal panel system over DuPont Tyvek building wrap, rigid insulation, a vapor barrier, exterior gypsum sheathing, metal stud framing and finished gypsum wallboard.