Neiheiser Argyros and Esé studio revamp historic athenian café
Neiheiser Argyros and Esé studio transform Aigli Zappeiou, a historic 1904 café located in the National Gardens of Athens, aiming to revive its role not just as a place to eat or gather, but as an inclusive space for multiple forms of public life. Originally a modest café adjacent to the neoclassical Zappeion Hall, Aigli has been a central meeting point for over a century. Now, it reopens with a fresh identity with the launch of two distinct yet interconnected venues, the Aigli All-Day Café and the Aigli Restaurant.
Located next to the neoclassical Zappeion exhibition hall, Aigli Zappeiou has long been embedded in the collective imagination of Athenians as a reference point. The challenge for the architects was to examine what Aigli means today and how it can continue to matter in the future. The design team approached the task like archaeologists, closely reading the layers of material history, and like sociologists, attuned to contemporary Athenian culture.
all images by Lorenzo Zandri
reconnecting Aigli to the national gardens
Inside the Aigli All-Day Café, the London-based Neiheiser Argyros and Athens-based Esé studio use simple elements to create a warm and grounded atmosphere. Green marble from Tinos wraps the lower parts of the walls, giving the space a tactile, earthy character. The joints are intentionally left rough, more like something you’d see in a garden than a formal interior. A long, 20-meter marble bar runs through the historic double-height room, holding everything from coffee and food stations to a DJ booth.
The design also opens up the back of the building to reconnect with the National Gardens, letting in light and views that were previously blocked. Large indoor planters with Ficus trees help unite inside and out. A window into the kitchen adds to the lively atmosphere by making the act of cooking part of the overall experience. With both indoor and outdoor seating, the café can adapt to different types of visitors and moments.
In contrast, the Aigli Restaurant is quieter and more intimate, offering a refined dining setting with views over the gardens and the Acropolis beyond. The original red-and-white marble floor is restored, and its triangular pattern is echoed in a new ceiling design made from wood. Along the edges of the room, curved yellow booths add a soft and inviting touch, while, at the center, a sculptural bar brings the space together. Rich materials, wood, stone, textiles, are used throughout to create a calm and welcoming environment that encourages guests to slow down and enjoy the space.
a central planted booth with a large Ficus tree invites visitors to gather under its canopy
part of a series of venues
Neiheiser Argyros and Esé studio describe the design language as ‘ornamental minimalism’, a paradoxical but fitting term for a space that acknowledges classical detail while stripping it back to let people, food, and culture take center stage. The intervention also shifts the spatial logic of the building so that what was once inward-looking is now porous and outward-facing. New views, terraces, and circulation paths connect Aigli to the National Gardens and the city beyond.
The redesign is part of a series of venues that will make up the new Aigli ecosystem, including a cinema, event hall, music venue, conference center, and art gallery. Each program will carry its own spatial identity, but all will share a common architectural DNA, creating what the architects call a container of compelling contrasts.
green sand blasted Tinos marble wraps the interior walls up to a 1m datum
the all day café walls are clad with brushed oak veneered panels
the bar is clad with sand blasted, fluted, green Tinos marble
the 20-meter bar runs through the historic double-height room
the distinctive red and white triangular patterned marble floor is revealed and refurbished
a crucial element of the design is maintaining these panoramic vistas
wood, stone, textiles, are used throughout
generous yellow booths line the edges of the space
project info:
name: Aigli Zappeiou
architect: Neiheiser Argyros | @neiheiser_argyros, Esé studio | @esestudiogr
location: Athens, Greece
Neiheiser Argyros team: Xristina Argyros, Ryan Neiheiser, Iason Ntounis, Niki Kourti, Savvas Kakalis, Nikos Christopoulos, Dimitris Molonis
Esé Studio team: Sotiris Mallas, Aaron Ritenour, Iliana Fiorandi, Chrysa Michopoulou
interior design: Neiheiser Argyros and Esé studio
lighting: Eleftheria Deko | @eleftheriadeko_studio
MEP: Dimidis and Partners
softscape: SRLA, Simon Rackham
acoustics: Timagenis Acoustics
contractor: Escape Construction
graphic design: Busy Building | @busybuilding
client: Aigli Zappeiou | @aiglizappeiou
photographer: Lorenzo Zandri | @lorenzozandri
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edited by: thomai tsimpou | designboom
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