Sun Salutation Room
The installation of the “Architects of the Year” by Block722 stands as a spatial manifesto· a living embodiment of the studio’s philosophy that dissolves the boundaries between architecture, interior, art, and narrative. Deeply connected to the Mediterranean spirit and Nordic clarity, the installation pays homage to contrast as harmony, simplicity as intellectual depth, and curiosity as a method.
Every architectural idea begins the same way: from the ground, the air, the light. Before design begins, there is a moment of sensing· the scent of the earth, the direction of the wind, the warmth of the sun, the gaze stumbling upon light. This primordial pulse marks the beginning of the pavilion’s composition.
The installation acts as a ritual of connection· a revival of that first encounter with place. As the visitor moves through space, they experience a transition from intensity to calm, from exposure to shelter, from shadow to light. A journey of reconnection with place, matter, memory and oneself. Image, sound, scent, and warmth weave a familiar atmosphere - space, grounded yet ethereal, transcends form and becomes emotion, ambience and connection.
At the heart of the pavilion, a raw boulder becomes a vessel of memory and place. Chiseled onto its surface are three of Block722’s projects, forming a quiet map of inner trajectory and evolution.
The “Sun Salutation Room” is an invitation to the visitor: to feel, to observe, to stand in silence, to remember.
To recognize that every work begins with an experience — and returns to it, to the light from which it began.
Year: 2025
Location: Athens, Greece
Type: Commercial | Installation
Build Area: 30 m²
Status: Completed
—
Design and Art Direction: Block722
Block722 Design Team: Sotiris Tsergas, Katja Margaritoglou, Christina Kontou, Natalie Dillon, Efi Spyrou, Dimitris Papageorgiou, Panagiotis Konstantopoulos, Eleni Boni, Michalis Gryllakis, Yannis Mantzaris, Elina Varouxaki, Electra Polyzou
Art Direction: Block722 | Efi Spyrou, Dimitris Papageorgiou
Filmmaker | Editor: Zeta Spyraki
Colorist: Angel Ballas
Sound Composer: Dimitris Tsoukas
Communication Team: Alex Zacharopoulou, Agni Stasinopoulou
Photographers: Nikos Antonoulis, Electra Polyzou
Sponsors: Apax, Alumil, Apex Alumil, Dimopoulos 360 shops, Akrolithos, Develime, Delta Marbles, Incentive, Tsarosi, Roumeliotis, Linea Light
Block722 Studio
This contemporary office interior in the heart of Athens was created by Block722 as the architecture studio’s own headquarters. The design not only responds to the practice’s daily needs; it also reflects its values and signature style, providing a serene, bespoke, timeless environment to support creativity and wellbeing.
The studio had been on the hunt for a new home to suit both its ethos and growing numbers. The search led the team to the Mets neighborhood and a late 1960s Athenian polykatoikia (the country’s prevalent apartment block typology, which often mixes commercial and residential uses). Offering a sizeable interior, large windows and mesmerizing, long views towards nearby greenery and the city’s iconic ancient ruins, such as the Temple of Olympian Zeus and the Acropolis, a unit on the first floor proved the perfect fit.
Upon acquisition, the designers completely gutted the space, transforming its original, small rooms into a flowing sequence of generous, light-filled spaces. The interiors now include a reception, co-working and breakout areas, meeting rooms and the private offices of the co-founders, Katja Margaritoglou and Sotiris Tsergas.
Functionality was paramount and while the interior appears effortless, every inch works hard to make the most out of the floorspace. One of the meeting spaces doubles as a material library. The communal areas include a fully equipped kitchen for some-30 members of staff – socialising over food is key for the dynamic studio’s microcosm. A minimalist, extended window ledge provides a resting spot for the team, looking out towards the ancient ruins and wider cityscape; it also serves as a surface to lay out material samples and examine them under natural light.
The majority of furniture and fittings were designed in-house. Interiors also include a curated selection of sourced products and artworks, such as a piece by Greek contemporary artist Pantelis Chandris; a tailor-made, solid marble reception desk sculpted by local artisan Serpetinis; a fabric woven by Athens based textile artist Chrysa Georgiou and sculptural pieces by French artist Benoît Averly.
Materials and colours – speckled grey terrazzo floors, light coloured timber, and off-white walls and marble - form a gentle, calming composition. At the same time, a range of textures adds richness, warmth, and tactility. Oak surfaces enhance the overall sense of softness and natural feel, which elevates this interior from a simple, ‘neutral’ background to a richly layered and soothing envelope for daily life.
Year: 2020
Location: Athens, Greece
Type: Commercial
Area: 300 m²
Status: Completed
—
Interior architecture: Block722
Interior and styling: Block722
Lighting design: Gruppo Linea Light
Construction: Block722 & Malo Development
Sculptures: Pantelis Chandris, Jerome Perreira, Benoit Averly
Weaving art: Chryssa Georgiou
Photographer: Giorgos Sfakianakis
Image editor: Maria Siorba