When one Greek expatriate commissions another to create a cultural center in Shanghai to celebrate their homeland?s culture, it becomes an obsession, and a goal that must impeccably deliver the vision at hand. That was the task taken on by architect Kostas Chatzigiannis (KCA/Kostas Chatzigiannis Architecture) for Pavlos Kontomichalos, each of which had made Shanghai home for 12 and 25 years, respectively.

It took an entire year to gut the five levels of the original 1930s brick and wood villa and complete the design for Hellas House. The construction took another five years. Chatzigiannis even laughed as he noted: ?I spent the better part of my youth on it.?

Hellas is what Greeks call their homeland, which is why it was formerly known as the Hellenic Republic in English. Kontomichalos? challenged Chatzigiannis to renovate the 5,380-square-foot villa so it would ?scream Greek? without any brash or tasteless touches that often plague such projects. Chatzigiannis explains: ?There is a stereotypical ?Grecian? style for this kind of project, one that can?t seem to escape the blue-and-white thing or laurel-wreath crowns or chitons. It can go over the top very easily.? He gladly welcomed his client?s refreshing challenge.
Kontomichalos wanted his main business ventures centered in Hellas House, including an import company dedicated to bringing the finest honey, wine, and olive oil from his homeland into Shanghai, a travel agency dedicated to unique and personalize...