A superstructure atop the old Athenian house that was Kiki Vassiliou’s family home, the Vassiliou residence was built in 1957 to plans by the architect Patroklos Karantinos. At once home and studio, it meets in its forms the aesthetic requirements of modernism –as absorbed into Greek architecture– as well as the functional needs of its artist owner.

The space comprises two storeys connected by an inner staircase. Its basic characteristics are the double height of its central section, the distinct separation of private quarters from reception areas, straight lines, the adaptation of its layout to the function of a studio, and the wide openings through which at all times the Attic light floods in. The architectural vision is complemented by the sincerity of the materials used: for example, the epoxy resin paint covering the industrial flooring. Pieces of modern furniture conform to the simplicity of the lines, in unobstructed association with traditional furnishings of diverse purposes. The sgraffito of a mermaid on the central wall, the etchings made by friends on the columns of the upper floor, are some of the special features in which are condensed the specific identity of the owners.

Webster 5, the well-known address, on a street bearing the name of a foreigner, was always famous in Athenian circles for the cordial hospitality of its hosts.

It was a meeting-place for denizens of the world of art, of the theatre and of literature, the venue for festivities –especially the traditional Clean Monday feast– for parties, exhibitions of the painter’s work and even fashion shows!

Vassiliou’s home also became the central theme of a series of his paintings and the initial incentive for a systematic chronicle of the radical changes undergone by Athens in the period of its urban development with its transformation of plots of land to blocks of flats. The view from the windows and the rooftop, objects and persons of daily life, the space made to house his art works, canvases and colours, are all protagonists in the artist’s oeuvre, as they are converted into objects under observation, capturing the eye and suggesting his choice of subjects.