Semiramis Hotel Athens
Athens, Greece
Karim Rashid

Checking into an artwork

© Jean-Francois Jassaud

For more photos click on 'photos & drawings' above. To see the people and products behind this project click on 'people & products.'

Semiramis is a 52-room boutique hotel that satisfies the needs of twenty-first-century travelers, while addressing the new international focus on Athens created by the 2004 Summer Olympic Games. Blending technology and art, the hotel feeds off the energy of Kifissia, the surrounding neighborhood known for its high-end retail shops, restaurants, and nightlife. It also represents a singular vision of art celebrated by owner Dakis Joannou and architect Karim Rashid. From the interiors and furniture, to the uniforms, stationary, and shampoo bottles, Rashid designed everything in the hotel.

Entering the Semiramis, guests pass through a glowing colored glass cube that leads into the lobby, where color-changing glass walls radiate with subtle motion. The lobby features a rotating exhibition of modern art works borrowed from international galleries. Throughout the hotel, the architect uses the vibrant colors of pink, lime green, orange, and yellow on a white background. Other materials include colored terrazzo slabs, glass tiles, teak wood, epoxy floors, custom printed carpet, colored glass, Rashid-patterned wall coverings, printed laminate surfaces, and other contemporary finishes.

Accommodations consist of 42 balcony suites, six poolside bungalows, and four rooftop suites. Instead of using numbers, Rashid identified them with custom designed symbols that resemble hieroglyphics. For a softer feeling in the guest rooms, the wall corners curve and the white glossy epoxy floors are inlaid with colorful carpet squares. The bathrooms and closets feature frosted glass, making these spaces feel larger and allowing daylight to penetrate the entire room. All rooms feature the latest technologies, such as T-1 Internet television and wireless keyboards. The penthouse and bungalows include rotating flat screen Internet televisions, remote controlled HVAC, curtains, digital locks, and scrolling LED signage to request maid service or privacy.

The hotel restaurant serves modern Mediterranean cuisine. Suspended overhead, a glass belly of twinkling fiber-optic lights create a magical ambience. Encased in orange glass, the restaurant’s lobby level extends outdoors onto front and back patios. Seating 40 people, it serves breakfast and day-time dining; its lower level opens directly onto the pool. Seating up to 120 people, the poolside area caters to an evening crowd with a lounge bar and a la carte menu. Adjacent meeting rooms, separated from the main space by glass walls, can accommodate 60 additional visitors. The pool area and its flowing, curved landscaped decks are designed for daytime lounging, but as night falls its lighting changes to reflect the neighborhood’s buzzing social scene.

Formal name of Project:
Semiramis Hotel Athens www.semiramisathens.com

Location:
Athens, Greece

Gross square footage:
129,167 sq. ft.

Total co nstruction cost:
$25 Million

Owner:
Dakis Joannou

Architect:
Karim Rashid Inc.
357 West 17th Street
New York, NY 10011
212.929.8657 tel.
212-929-0247 fax
www.karimrashid.com