The Social Athens by OOAK opens in Greece

(Image credit: Yiorgos Kordakis)

The Social Athens adds an exciting hospitality option to the scene for the waves of Greekenders getting ready to descend on the Mediterranean capital as weather warms up. Just launched in the city's central, upmarket Kolonaki district, the new property represents the transformation of a tired, existing 1960s public building into a thoroughly contemporary hospitality hub for the Radisson Individuals member hotel. Conceived by Greek-Swedish studio OOAK architects, The Social Athens blends modern design, prime location, and a strong hospitality pedigree behind a distinctive wavy façade that stands out among its more conventional peers.

the social athens hero exterior against blue skies

The architects, headed by studio founders Maria Papafigou and Johan Annerhed, are also behind idyllic residences, such as a rooftop retreat and a windsurfer's escape, both on the island of Karpathos. Here, they drew on their extensive experience with private residential projects to craft the perfect design-led home away from home in the heart of Athens. '[We] drew inspiration from the synergetic effect of a genuine urban Athenian experience and the need for an elegant and tranquil hotel stay as counterbalance,' the team explain.

exterior shot from the street at the social athens

The refreshed building features 24 rooms in a boutique, four-star environment. An open and transparent towards the street ground level contains the hotel lobby as well as a new restaurant and bar space, which invite the neighbourhood in. Spanning seven, meticulously designed storeys, The Social Athens balances a vibrant, social aspect with more secluded rooms upstairs, leading up to a striking roof terrace, looking out towards Athens' hills and myriad landmarks. A gym is also located on the rooftop level.

colourful entrance floor at the social athens

However, The Social Athens' most visually standout element remains its curvaceous façade. Made of a crisp, white thermal insulation panel system, united with green foliage, it creates a memorable sense of arrival as guests approach the hotel. 'The new façade makes clear allusions to Greek architecture and has accentuated the hotel’s arrival in the city,' the architects write.

transparent curtains inside room at the social athens

terrace with view of lycabetus hill at the social athens

bedroom with yellow accents at the social athens

radissonhotels.com

ooakarchitects.com

Ellie Stathaki is the Architecture & Environment Director at Wallpaper*. She trained as an architect at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki in Greece and studied architectural history at the Bartlett in London. Now an established journalist, she has been a member of the Wallpaper* team since 2006, visiting buildings across the globe and interviewing leading architects such as Tadao Ando and Rem Koolhaas. Ellie has also taken part in judging panels, moderated events, curated shows and contributed in books, such as The Contemporary House (Thames & Hudson, 2018), Glenn Sestig Architecture Diary (2020) and House London (2022).