area 103+ | extra ordinary

architect: Karim Rashid

location: Athens, Greece

year: 2004

“Hotels today make you feel like you’re living in the previous century. That’s the last thing I wanted to do” – Karim Rashid. The new Semiramis is a 52-room boutique hotel that celebrates the changes in Athens while meeting the needs of 21st century travelers. The hotel spiritually and physically addresses the new international focus of Athens supported by the 2004 Olympics, the European Community, the new airport and nightlife in the Kifissia suburb where it is located. It is a mélange of technology, art, and a sensibility of infosthetics. Semiramis is a fusion of designer Karim Rashid’s vision and owner Dakis Joannou’s own dedication to the modern art world. Designed to appeal to art enthusiasts of all ages, Semiramis combines art with bricks and mortar. From architecture and interiors down to the uniforms, stationary, and shampoo bottles, everything in the hotel is designed by Karim. This includes furniture and lighting already in production for Magis, Nienkamper, Idee, Umbra, Frighetto, Cappellini, Kovacs, Foscarini, and Artemide, as well as pieces custom-designed for Semiramis. Materials used in the interior 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; meanwhile the building’s exterior is covered in traditional small, high-gloss white ceramic tiles. Adding to the overriding canvas of white, four energizing colors pulse throughout Semiramis: pink, lime green, orange, and yellow. Entering the hotel, guests pass through a glowing colored glass cube that leads into the lobby, where color-changing glass walls radiate with subtle motion. Here there is space for meeting, drinking, relaxing, and viewing the modern art exhibition which will be rotated regularly. The organic-shaped pool area and its flowing, curved landscaped decks are designed for daytime lounging and, as night falls, lighting changes to suit a buzzing social scene. Accommodations consist of 42 balcony suites, six poolside bungalows, and four rooftop suites. Instead of numbers, the rooms are identified by Rashid-designed symbols, much like contemporary hieroglyphics. Guest rooms have frosted glass bathrooms and closets, allowing daylight to penetrate the entire room and making the spaces feel larger. Wall corners are curved for a softer feeling, while colorful carpeting is inlaid into white glossy epoxy floors. Backlit headboards feature original artwork by Karim and Megan Lang. The furniture and the overall feel is very contemporary, colorful, comfortable, yet elegantly minimal. An intimate hotel that focuses on positive energy, heightened experiences, culture, design, and art, the Semiramis is a place for new contemporary experiences.