John Fotiadis Architect PLLC

Trump Tower Batumi

• In August 2011, JFA was retained by Silk Road Group S.A. to design a master plan for a new waterfront development in city of Batumi, Georgia. The master plan will include a new 45 story luxury residential tower known as The Trump Tower Batumi, as well as a waterfront retail development and new marina, components which are also being designed by JFA.

This will be a phased development consisting of the Marina Village and Trump Tower in Phase I, and a mixed-use development for Phase II. The anticipated floor area of the entire development will be approximately 160,000 square meters.

• The Tower Design

The Trump Tower will be part of the Phase I. The design of the tower is driven by two ideas – to create an iconic profile on the Batumi skyline, and to maximize the views out of the building for every residential unit.

• A triangular floor plate has been chosen to accommodate these two ideas. By highlighting the special attributes of each corner, views are further enhanced; not onlyfrom each individual unit, but also from the public zones. Two northern corners with sea views get maximum exposure from having double corner window. The south corner opens up to the city view, providing southern exposure to the atriums.
• Construction is anticipated to commence in 2012, with Phase I anticipated completion in late 2013 / early 2014.

151-161 MAIDEN LANE

In 2011, JFA was commissioned to design a mixed use tower in the financial district of Lower Manhattan. The developers desire to maximize the allowable buildable floor area meant creating a building which included residential, commercial and retail floor area. The property on which the proposed tower will sit is unusually narrow and will thus require special engineering considerations. JFA is presently working with and coordinating the efforts of world class engineering firms Langan Engineering and Thornton Tomasetti to create a viable and economically sound solution while maintaining a dramatic architectural vision. The project is presently in a concept stage of design. It is anticipated that the building will be constructed in 2014-2015.

Grigorivska International School

A closed competition was held in 2009 by SCM to generate a design for a new international school in the city of Donetsk, Ukraine. JFA won the competition and was awarded the concept design stage of work. JFA completed the concept design work for the building in November 2011.

• The Grigorivska School serves grades K-12, and was designed for approximately 325 pupils, located in Voroshilov region of Donetsk by the 3rd city’s pond shore. It includes Kindergarten, extensive sport facilities and library. JFA’s original idea was to add to the cultural value of the school by creating a large scale high-end auditorium that would become an architectural focal point, and be made available to host after-school events for the City of Donetsk.
• All aspects of the building as well as the landscape design incorporated JFA’s “green” philosophy.

Tsinandali Wine Resort

Situated in Kakheti, the heartland of Georgia’s wine region, the new Radisson Wine Resort at Tsinandali bridges the millennia-old tradition of wine making in the Southern Caucasus and current global trends in cultural tourism, creating a unique guest experience.
JFA was hired by Silk Road Group to re-purpose the historic wine factory at Tsinandali, and design a new 100 room boutique hotel adjacent to it. Recognizing its importance as a national landmark, JFA approached the design of the buildings to preserve and celebrate the cultural significance of the estate, allowing guests to immerse themselves in the rich history of Tsinandali and Georgian wine. The design of the hotel is modern in its volumetric configuration, and re-interprets the materials and formal configurations of the older existing buildings. With its fragmented volumes, inclined roof-planes, weathered-steel framed windows and half-vaulted entrance lobby, the new structure embody the spirit of the estate through a contemporary aesthetic.

Andreevskiy Plaza

Andreevskiy Office Complex was designed to be an 86,000 m² building located in Podol, a historic district of well-preserved buildings in Kiev. The building was being developed by ESTA Holding, one of Ukraine’s leading real estate development firms. With a footprint of approximately 10,000 m², the building was to be eight stories tall and designed to contain speculative office space with retail and parking located in the base of the building. It was also designed in accordance with LEED criteria. JFA was hired to adjust a pre-existing building massing, re-design exterior facades, and design the public interiors. Effective April 2012 the developer has terminated the project.

Pushkinskiy Corporate Interiors

Presently under construction, Pushkinsky Complex is a 35,000 m2 mixed use, high-rise development located in downtown Donetsk (Ukraine). The Complex is being developed by ESTA Holding www.estaholding.com, a Ukrainian development firm. Consisting of a tower and a large base area, the building complex includes office space, residential units and amenities as well as retail areas. The project is scheduled to be completed in 2012. In addition to providing interior design services for all of the interior spaces, including the major lobbies and entry points into the building, JFA provided the lighting design services for the complex, from illumination of the tower top to major entrances in the base building.

Tsinandali Wine Resort Interior

Situated in Kakheti, the heartland of Georgia’s wine region, the new Radisson Wine Resort at Tsinandali bridges the millennia-old tradition of wine making in the Southern Caucasus and current global trends in cultural tourism, creating a unique guest experience.
JFA was hired by Silk Road Group to re-purpose the historic wine factory at Tsinandali, and design a new 100 room boutique hotel adjacent to it. Recognizing its importance as a national landmark, JFA approached the design of the buildings to preserve and celebrate the cultural significance of the estate, allowing guests to immerse themselves in the rich history of Tsinandali and Georgian wine. The design of the hotel is modern in its volumetric configuration, and re-interprets the materials and formal configurations of the older existing buildings. With its fragmented volumes, inclined roof-planes, weathered-steel framed windows and half-vaulted entrance lobby, the new structure embody the spirit of the estate through a contemporary aesthetic.

Batumi Riviera Master Plan

Sutluce Urban Renewal

In 2012 JFA was asked to participate in a closed competition, the goal of which was to generate a new urban renewal strategy for an old neighborhood on the golden horn in Istanbul which had grown over time in a haphazard (and unregulated) fashion, resulting in many buildings built without permits or standards. The neighborhood, which is generally regarded as outdated and unlivable, is already under partial demolition by the municipality.

• JFA’s urban design strategy began by identifying traits of successful neighborhoods such as clearly organized and interconnected streets, street walls and open spaces. JFA then analyzed the existing context surrounding the site to insure that the proposed design would seamlessly interconnect the existing environment and reinforce its positive characteristics.
• Finally, JFA also underscored the fact that successful neighborhoods are a direct result of desirable housing stock. As a result the residential buildings proposed in the project maximized desired views, allowed for flexibility in their planning, and distributed community amenities throughout the project.
• The resulting design meets the developers density requirements, while simultaneously creating a desirable light and air-filled neighborhood that also acts as a prototype for urban renewal in this section of the city.

Sokhna Mixed-Use Commercial Strip

In 2012 JFA was asked by SIDC to develop in innovative concept design for a new shopping center to be located on the main highway that connects Cairo with Hurghada, a resort city on the Red Sea.

• The developers envisioned a commercial center whose theme would be Egypt’s history. Given the linearity of the site, JFA immediately saw the opportunity to envision the complex as a “living time line”.
• JFA proceeded to organize and partition the program into major centers of activity. These open areas represent milestones for the end of one civilization and the beginning of another, noting ancient Egypt, the Roman, the Arab and the Ottoman periods and as well as the most recent Modern revolution.
• By plotting these milestones along a continuum, JFA was able to symbolically convert the temporal dimension into a spatial dimension along the site’s boundaries.

Trump Studios

In May 2012, JFA was asked by the Trump Organization to generate a concept master plan for a film studio facility in Homestead, Florida. JFA was told that a 600 acre parcel of land, part of which was formerly used by Homestead Air Force base, was being considered for redevelopment. One the idea being considered was the creation of a film studio of a size and scales that would rival the world’s best known film studios.

• JFA’s main idea was organize the studio facilities on a city plan based on traditional urban concepts such as grids and sight lines. The site is thus organized along main boulevards that run roughly north south. Major crossing points become hub of activities within the complex. The program called for sound-stages  back-lots and office facilities. A second stage of development would include residential and hospitality faculties so that a full film production company could relocate there for the duration of their production.
• As of June 2012, the studio concept master plan was being reviewed by the Miami Commissioner’s office.

Crete Private Villa

In late 2010, JFA was commissioned to design a private villa on the southern coast of the Greek island of Crete. The client of the project wanted the design of this private home to capture the spirit of the ancient Mediterranean. The client also wanted the design of this home to feel palatial and luxurious.

• JFA’s design approach was to create very straightforward building taking advantage of the property’s slope and sweeping views. The project was designed as a 700 square meter bar building on 2 levels oriented parallel to the nearby water line.
• While the building is articulated in details reminiscent of neo-classical style, its configuration and planning of open spaces is very contemporary in character. Construction is planned for 2012-2013.

Arena Center Kiev

Arena Citi is a landmark building that sits on a full city block located in the center of Kiev, Ukraine.

• Arena Citi houses the Arena Dance Club, one of the most popular nightclubs in the city. As the owners of the building and owners of the club are one in the same, they challenged JFA to come up with a design concept that would utilize and incorporate the courtyard of the building into the nightclub.
• The nightclub business in Kiev, similar to other cities, is constantly in a state of change. Various clubs try and outdo each other in terms of their designs which directly impact their popularity. With this new courtyard idea, the owners of the Arena Club wanted to create an atmosphere of luxury, sparkling with fun and flirtation, and a place “to see” and “be seen”.
• JFA’s concept activates the courtyard by placing an enormous sculptural object in the center of it. This corkscrew form is in fact a helical ramp housing “Europe’s longest bar” and becoming an access route from the traditional Arena club located on the 3^rd level of the building down to the courtyard level which becomes Arena’s new open-air dance floor. As guests gently meander down the ramp, they can stop, talk, drink, and interact, as well as watch the dance activity below.
• A Kinetic wall was also proposed to emulate a large screen (and to hide the existing façade in the day time) and frame the helical ramp, as well as a display medium for projections during the peak night club hours.
• The courtyard itself transforms from a hardscape surface into a softer landscaped area, that has dedicated dance areas within it.

Kiev Gas Headquarter

KievGas supplies natural gas to the capital of Ukraine, providing service to 2 million customers, including physical entities, over 300 industrial enterprises and 1300 public utilities. The company’s headquarters are located in an office building in the center of Kiev.

• In 2011 JFA was asked to provide a design concept for a new building exterior as a part of a general renovation of the company headquarters. JFA was asked to utilize curtain wall components developed by Alumil Ukraine SA.
• Working directly on the façade design with Dr. Yannis Kechagias, President of Alumil Ukraine, JFA seized upon the brand identifier of the company – blue gas flames – to generate a façade design that becomes an enormous billboard for the company.
• By implementing this idea of “Brandchitecture”, an elegant curtain wall façade that is strategically illuminated at night so as to be highly visible from a distance, transforms a nondescript building into a branding focal point for KievGas.
• The building is currently (2012) undergoing the renovation. Completion is anticipated in the Spring of 2013.

Piraeus Tower

In 2010 JFA chose to enter an Architectural Competition for the Facade Reconstruction of an unfinished office building in Athens’ port city of Piraeus, Greece.

• The objective of the competition was to take an existing unfinished building, considered an eyesore to many, and to give it a new purpose and meaning with the urban context of Piraeus by recladding it’s façade.
• The building itself is an example of late 60s/early 70s “brutalism”, constructed entirely out of concrete. Beyond re-cladding the incomplete Tower with a new façade, JFA proposed the construction of a phantom-double, an “Eidolon”, of the original tower by re-using the existing glass panels.
• Given that Athens like many ancient cities is a city of layers, JFA chose not to erase the memory of the past, but rather celebrate the untapped potential of the long neglected façade as part of a new beacon for Piraeus.
• The north face of the tower is sliced through the base and shifted apart from the main tower. The reflections from the two opposing faces create both symbolic chiasm and dialogue between the old and the new. The void resulting from this split is intended to serve as a new agora at the ground floor level.
• The phantom tower functions as a beacon with its shimmering glass panels during day and its glittering field of light at night. It also acts as a vertical promenade for visitors with observation deck at the top and a connection to the restaurant at the main tower.
• In contrast to the vibrant glass grid of the “Eidolon”, the facade reconstruction of the main tower suggests a tranquil grid using DuPont Corian Exterior cladding and Teflon mesh. Various lighting schemes were proposed to reflect upon the “Eidolon”.

Institutskaya Street Concept Design

The city of Kiev is in the process of undergoing major transformations. Many pieces of land have recently exchanged hands are being reconsidered for large scale development. As the municipality clarifies its vision for the city, many local developers are conducting feasibility studies. Over time, JFA has been asked by various developers in Kiev to generate a concept design for this very well know parcel of land in the city center.

• The design shown here reflects one client’s vision of how the site could be used. In this case, a mixed use development consisting of a luxury hotel with banquet and conference facilities sits on a platform which contains a high-end retail mall.

Staronavodnitska

JFA was hired by Fortaks Development Group to develop a mixed-use master plan for a parcel of land, located just south of the city center, known throughout Kiev as the site of the famous “Motherland Statue”. The statue is a national tourist destination and attracts thousands of visitors each year. The client outlined a program consisting of 300,000 square meters of commercial office, residential and retail space with the intention of capturing visiting tourists as potential retail customers.

Very linear in character, the site consists of a strip of land which wraps the base of a hill opposite the statue. Drawing inspiration from the Dnipro River, which winds roughly parallel to the site, the master plan echoes the sinewy character of the river in terms of building placement and site circulation. In terms of building massing, the height and hierarchy of the buildings are clearly set by the height and location of the Motherland Statue.

The master plan is presently pending city approval.

Hell’s Kitchen residence

JFA was asked to create a conceptual design for a residential tower to be located in the Hell’s Kitchen neighborhood of Manhattan. The challenge is for the new building to appear contemporary, but also to sit comfortably within the architectural character of the neighborhood, which consists of numerous turn-of-the-century industrial buildings. The character of these buildings is largely derived through the materials prevalent – namely brick and dark metal. Repetitive architectural elements such as brick arches and large canopies are also signature characteristics of these buildings.

JFA carefully crafted the articulation of the tower to suggest a building form that was comprised of a series of stacked and segmented forms. By applying the traditional architectural principles of “Base, middle and top”, JFA successfully designed a contemporary residential tower that sits comfortably in a traditional urban context.

Esenyurt

Amplio Investments hired JFA in 2010 to design a concept master plan for 3.5 hectare parcel of land located in the town of Esenyurt, approximately 25 kilometers west of the city center of Istanbul.

The project, consisting of residential, retail and commercial office space, presented JFA with an opportunity to generate a concept for a new “city center” in Esenyurt.  Modeled after an existing urban precedent in Istanbul  - the “Kulliye” JFA created a modern interpretation of the original organizing principle of the major mosque precincts in the city. JFA’s present day interpretation organized the site plan by featuring highly articulated open space around key programmatic elements. The developers are presently seeking financing to take the project to the next stage of development.

Pushkinskiy Residential Interiors

Presently under construction, Pushkinsky Complex is a 35,000 m2 mixed use, high-rise development located in downtown Donetsk (Ukraine). The Complex is being developed by ESTA Holding www.estaholding.com, a Ukrainian development firm. Consisting of a tower and a large base area, the building complex includes office space, residential units and amenities as well as retail areas. The project is scheduled to be completed in 2012. In addition to providing interior design services for all of the interior spaces, including the major lobbies and entry points into the building, JFA provided the lighting design services for the complex, from illumination of the tower top to major entrances in the base building.

Donetsk Residence

The Donetsk Residential Building is an 8 story building consisting of 25 luxury residential units located on Pushkinsky Boulevard in Donetsk (Ukraine). The building is being developed by ESTA Holding www.estaholding.com, a Ukrainian development firm. Totaling 10,000 m2 above grade, the building is situated on a prominent corner in the city, fronting the famed Pushkinsky Boulevard, a tree-lined linear park running north – south through the center of the city.

Inspired by the archetypal buildings that front the western edge of New York City’s Central Park, the building follows a more traditional architectural form in the shape of two squat towers connected by a 2 story lobby space,  leading to an open-to-the-sky courtyard to the back. While the building itself conveys solidity in its predominantly masonry character, the main entrance and lobby space, leading to an internal courtyard, were designed to create a welcoming sense of transparency at the base.  By creating a visual connection with the park, the result is to seamlessly move the resident from  Pushkinsky Boulevard directly into the building.

Andreevskiy Interiors

Andreevskiy Office Complex was designed to be an 86,000 m² building located in Podol, a historic district of well-preserved buildings in Kiev. The building was being developed by ESTA Holding, one of Ukraine’s leading real estate development firms. With a footprint of approximately 10,000 m², the building was to be eight stories tall and designed to contain speculative office space with retail and parking located in the base of the building. It was also designed in accordance with LEED criteria. JFA was hired to adjust a pre-existing building massing, re-design exterior facades, and design the public interiors. Effective April 2012 the developer has terminated the project.

Kiyanivsky Lane

A concept design for US Embassy housing in Kiev was commissioned by Aisi Capital www.aisicap.com for a presentation to members of the US Department of State in Kiev in October of 2009. JFA was asked by the client to design a building on a steeply sloped site that would contain residential housing units, residential amenities, parking garages and retail space.

What resulted was a 20,000 m2 building (above grade), that stepped in a modular fashion along with the slope of the land. The design also took security into consideration by limiting access to two major control points, and providing a blast buffer in the form of a masonry wall. While the State department ultimately did not choose the site, the development group plans on continuing with the project.

Inlice Beachfront

The Inlice beachfront development sits on the southeastern coast of Turkey roughly between Dalaman and Fethiye, near the famous sailing resort town of Gocek. JFA was retained by Turkish development group Safir, to generate a concept master plan for the site of approximately 15 hectares. The total built area in the chosen scheme was 27,000 square meters.

The mandate from the client was to create a resort development that conveyed a sense of exclusivity, luxury and privacy. Through a combined study of resort precedents, regional building typologies and traditions, and the desired target market, JFA developed multiple master plan concepts that shared a common theme – the idea that each unit should feel like an individual estate.

Rybalska

SK Development, a real estate development firm based in Ukraine, hired JFA to create a residential environment which would provide its residents with the lifestyle and amenities of an exclusive hotel situated in a natural landscape.  Taking full advantage of the site’s secluded, park-like setting, JFA designed a 70,000 square meter master plan and architectural concept for Rybalska Street.

The project consists of two triangular residential towers (in plan) whose design maximizes building views and creates a unique, highly visible profile on the city skyline. The towers sit on a shared base, housing building amenities and light retail, whose low scale highlights and takes advantage of the lush landscape on which it situated.

Club House

JFA was asked by the Kiev based development company HCM, to do a very quick study to generate alternatives for a residential site in the center of the city. As such two schemes were developed that generated very clear residential floor plates and prominent retail space. In both cases the schemes adhered to lighting requirement by stepping the building back and responded contextually by creating a masonry base similar in proportion and scale to the surrounding buildings while pushing floor area up into the sky in the form of a narrow glass tower.

Tbilisi Private Estate

In 2009 JFA was hired to generate concept studies for two pieces of land owned by a single landowner in and around the city of Tbilisi, Georgia. This first study was made for a private estate outside the city. The design strategy takes 3,400 square meters of residential floor area, and configure sit in such a way as to maximize the number of 360 degree views for the maximum number of living spaces. This is done without breaking the project down into individual buildings.  Instead the floor area is housed in a series of pavilion like structures which sit on a common base that is tucked into the hill. The site’s gentle slope, which slopes towards the dramatic views of the Caucus mountains in the distance, afforded the creation of a building which in essence acts as a split level residence. It appears as a single structure at the top of the hill, while become a highly visible two story structure at the bottom of the hill.

Given the characteristic of the site, which is highly wooded and forested, the client did not want the building to sit apart from the landscape, but rather integrate with it. JFA’s use of green roofs and stepped forms results in a building merges which merges with its setting and seems to grow out of it.

Vake Park

Vake Park is a green zone located within the city of Tbilisi and the site of a second concept study generated for the same client/landowner in Georgia. The property, a rectangular piece of land, allows for a maximum 2,100 square meters of residential floor area. The uniform and dramatic slope of the property requires stepping the building into three distinct sections. Utilizing the ancient idea of a Roman “Domus”, JFA organized the living spaces of the house around a swimming pool in the U-shaped courtyard. The use of stone and steel lend a solid image and traditional character to the house while the architectural details are very contemporary in nature. The client anticipates construction in 2014.

Sofiyevksi

Protected by the municipality, Sofiyivski Street runs through a historic district of Kiev near the Cathedral of St. Sofia. The district houses many residential buildings from the late 19^th century, rendered in a style locally known as the “Ukrainian Baroque Style”. Fortaks Development, a real estate development firm in Kiev, hired JFA to design a mid-rise residential building within this historical locale.

The site proved very challenging in terms of vehicular access and the physical limitations placed on the building by the historic district. It was clear to JFA from the outset that the building design would need to comply with footprint and height limitations as well as echo the architectural aesthetic within the district. JFA designed a building with a jewel box character. A traditional building rendered in modern architectural details, its plan organizes residential units around a central core, set on a retail base. The main building façade sits symmetrical on Sofiyivski Street with the residential entrance located on a side courtyard. The project is pending city approval.

880 Fifth Avenue

Located in one of the most prestigious neighborhoods of Manhattan, the project entails the complete renovation of a 1,200sf apartment by including both contemporary and Art Deco detailing and finishes. The project is slated to finish in September 2011.