'tower of piraeus' by petra architects and papaioannou & associates in piraeus, greece
all images courtesy of petra architects


athens-based firms petra architects and papaioannou & associates are exploring new and sustainable
ways of treating tower facades with their design proposal of the 'tower of piraeus'. the pre-existing
structure has been abandoned for years, dominating the port and the cityscape of greece's third
largest municipality. the proposal aims to assimilate the building within the urban fabric
with an external skin that perpetually changes and adapts to the elements.

supported by a metal frame substructure that spans the tower, thousands of small translucent
photovoltaic leaves provide supplementary protection for the majority of the building's surface.
the wind creates a rippling effect on the faces of the buildings while the leaves capture both
solar and wind energy for consumption. the translucence of the material provides additional
shading while unhindering the view from the work space.



exterior view



building skin



perspective rendering






elevation



detail