Trusting your voice, creating with intention: in conversation with architect Sofia Xanthakou
Sofia Xanthakou is an architect whose work begins, first and foremost, with listening. Based in Athens, where she now lives and works, her path has taken her through New York and London—cities that shaped not only her practice, but her way of seeing. After studying at Pratt Institute and later at the Harvard Graduate School of Design, she returned to Greece with a quieter, more grounded vision of what architecture could be.
In 2022, she founded LocalLocal, a practice rooted in the belief that every place carries its own language—and that thoughtful design begins by paying attention. Her work is guided by materials, light, and a deep respect for context. Nothing feels rushed or imposed, only carefully considered and allowed to unfold.
We spoke to Sofia about building a practice that feels true to her, working with intention, and the quiet discipline of staying close to your own way of seeing.
heiter: Can you tell us a little about your journey into architecture, and what first drew you to a more philosophy-led, context-based approach to design?
Sofia: I’ve always been drawn to buildings, cities and the urban fabric in general, but it was after my undergrad studies that I became really interested in the reasoning behind design, and how design can be responsive to its context, whether that’s socially, environmentally or culturally. That's when context became central to how I think and approach my work.
h: Your work with LocalLocal feels deeply rooted in context and vernacular architecture. How do you approach designing in a way that feels both contemporary and respectful of place?
S: Materials are a big part of my approach. I look for materials that feel intimate and relative to the context, something that inherently belongs, but at the same time the spaces themselves should still feel fresh and neutral, not overly nostalgic pastiche.
An awareness of natural light and the role it plays in a space is also important, it gives a space a unique quality, and it changes through the day in a way that keeps a space feeling alive. If I can get the materials and the light right, the space usually finds its own character.
Images by Lorenzo Zandri.
h: Architecture has traditionally been a male-dominated field. What has your experience been like as a woman shaping your voice within the industry, and what has helped you stay grounded in your vision?
S: Thankfully for the most part I've been treated with respect, including on construction sites where I spend a lot of time and have always had good working relationships with crews. That said, it is a male-dominated field and there have been a handful of occasions where I felt my judgement was being questioned because of my gender, naturally those collaborations didn't work out. When someone doesn't believe in you from the start, it's very hard to build anything together.
What keeps me grounded is focusing on my own work and putting energy into collaborating with people who see me clearly, and not wasting time on those who perceive the fact that I am a woman as a valid reason to doubt me.
Sofia, captured by Yiorgos Mavropoulos.
h: Alongside your architectural work, you’ve recently explored furniture design with the Parrot Chair. How does working on a smaller, more tactile scale influence your creativity, and what did that piece allow you to express?
S: I truly enjoyed this collaboration. With furniture you're working right up close, every joint, every proportion, every small decision is visible and has to be exactly right. There's nowhere to hide, which I found really satisfying. The project duration was also really gratifying. With buildings there can be many administrative and bureaucratic stages where the creative energy gets diluted by permits and planning applications. With the Parrot Chair, the whole process felt creative from start to finish. It reminded me how much I enjoy that kind of focused problem-solving, and I'm planning on exploring this scale of work further.
Sofia’s Parrot Chair - image by Alina Lefa.
h: There’s a sense of care and intention in your work that feels very aligned with slower living. How do you personally stay connected to that pace and protect your creativity in a fast-moving industry?
S: I work hard and I'm consistent, I'll retry something as many times as it takes until I'm happy with the result. I don't follow trends, which means my decisions come from intention rather than from whatever feels current at the time. I think that's what gives the work a certain stillness.
It means a lot to hear that my spaces feel calm and unhurried, because that's exactly what I want them to be. I want people to feel sheltered, not distracted or overstimulated, just good and comfortable to be in.
gallery credits: Plaka House - designed by Sofia (LocalLocal), photographed by Lorenzo Zandri
h: At heiter, we often explore the idea of finding beauty and joy in the everyday. Where do you currently find inspiration—whether in Athens or beyond—and what does a creatively fulfilling day look like for you?
S: I draw inspiration from everything. I walk almost everywhere in Athens and my mind is usually turning over whatever I'm working on at the time. If I see something on the street that connects to a project, I photograph it to come back to later. Inspiration doesn't really switch off. A creatively fulfilling day for me is one where I've solved something, a design challenge that was sitting there unresolved that has finally clicked into place. That feeling of finding the right answer, the one that makes the whole project complete.
Athens - by Lorenzo Zandri.
There is something reassuring in the way Sofia speaks about her work—nothing feels rushed, or forced into being. Instead, it’s built slowly, through attention, care, and a deep trust in her own way of seeing.
A reminder, perhaps, that not everything needs to be reinvented or accelerated. That sometimes, the most meaningful work—and the most meaningful lives—are shaped by listening closely, and allowing things to unfold in their own time.
