Travellers sidestepping the chock-a-block tourist shops in Athens‘ Monastiraki neighbourhood do so at their peril. They belong to the evolution of the area as much as the ancient relics dominating the skyline, and they hold their own surprises. Case in point is the new contemporary gallery Melas Martinos, a few steps from the 1,900-year-old Hadrian’s Library. Once an antiques shop with a small gallery in back, it now devotes itself entirely to art. And during the renovation of the century-old neoclassical building, some forgotten features were recovered and restored.

Architect Sofia Xanthakou of the Athens practice Local Local took on the redesign four years ago, connecting the well-used main floor to the neglected upper levels by restoring the original handcrafted spiral staircase. In the process she uncovered bygone elements like old tile floors and a series of midcentury wall arches added by the Greek modernist Takis Zenetos.

Removing several arbitrary walls dividing the upstairs layout, she opened up exhibition spaces and united the re-proportioned levels with a wash of white paint. New timber flooring, laid to replace patches of damage, were painted in a light grey to match the lightened stairwell. Xanthakou’s team rebuilt a rickety top-floor extension to add an additional gallery space with an easy flow from the lower galleries. This provided better access to the original balcony, which local craftsmen fitted with a new terrazzo floor flecked with bits of red to evoke the rooftops outside.

The current exhibition features the playful work of clay artist Ron Nagle. Visitors can now enjoy top views of Acropolis Hill from the gallery spaces. Likewise, the repainted building can be spotted from the ancient archaeological site.

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