Location | Mavili Square, Athens | Kyon Natural Pet Products Workshop
Project completed 2025
Architectural Concept - Study | Construction & Supervision | Turn-key
Project Overview | A Sustainable Treat Kitchen in Athens
KYON is a Greek brand offering natural, handmade treats for dogs using 100% human-grade ingredients and eco-conscious recipes. Founded by a team of dog lovers with a deep respect for animal well-being, KYON focuses on transparency, quality, and simple, nutritious formulations - without additives, preservatives, or animal by-products.
The client’s vision was clear: to create a space that reflects KYON’s commitment to honesty, nature, and love - not only in their products, but in the very space where they are made. The workshop was to be a hybrid of production lab and artisanal kitchen, merging regulatory compliance with warmth and identity.
Our Role | Design, Supervision, Construction
sugar like salt was entrusted with the full lifecycle of the project: from conceptual design and spatial planning to technical supervision and on-site construction management. The workshop was built in Athens in a pre-existing structure, reconfigured entirely to meet food safety regulations, optimize production flow, and express the brand’s ethos through spatial design.
Our tasks included:
Layout planning for raw material intake, preparation, baking, cooling, packaging, and storage, based on HACCP compliance standards.
Interior architecture and detailing using low-VOC, food-safe materials.
Construction supervision, coordinating multiple trades to deliver the workshop under tight timeline and budget constraints.
Collaboration with the founders to integrate brand storytelling in key moments of the space — such as signage, visual transparency from entrance to baking zone, and natural light penetration.
Design Philosophy | Pet-Centric, Human-Grade
KYON’s identity is grounded in honesty - both in their products and in the way they are made. The design brief was to create a transparent, clean, and sincere space that communicates the same values physically.
We approached the design through:
A natural material palette that evokes warmth and simplicity, echoing KYON’s hand-crafted ethos.
Ergonomic and intuitive production zones for a small team working by hand, maximizing flow with minimal steps between preparation, baking, and packaging.
Food-grade construction detailing, including easy-to-clean wall finishes, concealed services, and zoned ventilation.
Passive design where possible - integrating natural daylight, cross-ventilation, and thermal efficiency, despite the industrial footprint.
This wasn’t just about utility -it was about crafting a place of care. A space where integrity is felt, not just practiced.
Challenges & Solutions | From Sketch to Hygiene Code
Designing and building a pet treat workshop may sound playful - but the demands are highly technical. Our main challenges included:
Strict hygiene and food safety regulations: We implemented HACCP-aligned zoning, seamless flooring, washable surfaces, and clear divisions between clean and dirty areas.
Ventilation & HVAC integration: The baking process produces significant heat and odor. We designed a discreet mechanical ventilation system with airlocks to preserve internal hygiene levels.
Brand expression in a sterile space: Food spaces often feel clinical. We balanced this by using natural lighting, subtle graphic elements, and warm surface textures that reinforce the “handmade” story without compromising sanitation.
Retrofitting an existing structure: Instead of a new build, we reimagined a conventional commercial shell, adapting it with minimal demolition and maximum efficiency.