On a hillside overlooking the sea nearby, the land is stepped with ancient stone walls, partly ruined and covered with indigenous grasses, and includes seven oak trees. The aim was to intrude mildly on the hillside, building a single storey, low volume and adapting the terracing to the land closely over the terrain.
The first impression on the site was the amazing view, along two distinct directions. A row of rooms faces the bay, while at the one end of it, the living room’s facade, pivots west to face the ocean. The west side is a frame for one large opening. The pool is set between this frame wall-to-wall and extends out to its far edge overflowing to infinity, toward the ocean. The opening within the frame of the wall is recessed, inspired by the form of the “Stegádhi”, which are rooms with one side open that host sheltered outdoor activity, they spot the landscape casting deep cavernous shadows to the otherwise simple volumes of stone of the local traditional farmhouses “Kathikiés”.
The home’s living nucleus is located between the front terrace and rear courtyard, the one open to the horizon, the other enclosed. Because the first faces the sea, it is often exposed to strong winds; to provide sheltered outdoor space, a courtyard was cut out from hill and building to the rear. The edges of the house to this court were lined with with glazing, so that while being sheltered at the courtyard, one views through the house, through the frame, to the pool and ocean beyond. Inside and outside spaces are visually unified from front to back, air flow and movement can be regulated by sliding the massive glass panes, floor to ceiling. The indoor kitchen extends to the barbecue and the wood burning oven outdoors.
The courtyard at rear also serves as the entrance court, accessed via a corridor between the mountain and the wall of the building. The retaining wall against to the hillside, is built of local rough stone, in stark contrast of texture and geometry to the white stucco wall opposite, it clearly delineates the realm of nature. Turning to face the front door, the visitor’s gaze is directed to the open ocean framed by the shell of the building, with the infinity pool in the foreground adding perspective while vanishing and merging with the sea.
The house consists of living area (including sitting and kitchen), master bedroom, guest bedroom and two bathrooms. The rooms are connected to living by a corridor, whose one side to the courtyard, is “canceled” by the large openings, negating the feeling of what usually is confined and “lost” space.
Surfacing materials have been kept to a minimum: white render, hammered concrete and flagstone floor are used consistently inside and out.
Planting is planned close to the house only, with decorative Mediterranean herbs and grasses.
