Keras Cliff House by Tzagkarakis + Associates is located outside Agia Galini in Rethymno, southern Crete. The residence occupies a natural plateau between a steep cliff and the surrounding mountains, with uninterrupted views across the southern Cretan Sea towards the uninhabited Paximadia islets.

Its composition draws on the “horns of consecration,” a recurring symbol of Minoan Crete. Rather than reproducing the motif as ornament, the architects use its geometry as a formal tool. Two curved wings follow the morphology of the site and open the house towards the sea.

 

 

A protected entrance and a sudden view

The entrance is positioned on the northern side of the residence. A floating concrete slab extends above a low wall, forming a sheltered threshold and introducing the project’s underlying geometric reference.

A continuous wall of local stone defines the northern boundary. Narrow vertical openings interrupt its otherwise solid surface, providing privacy while allowing controlled glimpses of the landscape.

This enclosed approach delays the principal view. Once inside, the stone wall gives way to a large opening towards the sea and Paximadia. The transition from the protected entrance to the open southern elevation establishes a gradual sequence of concealment and revelation.

Two curved residential wings

The house is divided into two main volumes. The western wing contains the interior living areas, which connect directly with the covered terraces and outdoor spaces. Wide openings allow the kitchen, dining room and sitting areas to operate as part of a continuous zone facing the sea.

The eastern wing accommodates four en-suite bedrooms arranged along an elongated corridor. At its far end, a small lounge frames a focused view of the Paximadia islets and provides a quieter destination away from the shared spaces.

Where the two wings meet, a central skylight introduces daylight from above. The space beneath it recalls the internal courtyard of traditional Cretan houses and acts as an orientation point from which the different parts of the residence become visible.

The ground-floor plan and cross-section published with the project clarify how the curved geometry follows the contours of the plateau. They also show the close relationship between the interior rooms, covered outdoor areas and changing levels of the landscape.

 

 

Stone, concrete and timber

The material palette responds to the raw character of southern Crete. Load-bearing walls of local stone form substantial boundaries, while exposed reinforced concrete extends across both enclosed and outdoor areas.

Concrete slabs continue beyond the glazed façades to create deep overhangs, pergolas and planted recesses. These elements provide shade and reinforce the visual continuity between the interior and the terraces.

Timber introduces a warmer and more precisely crafted layer. Custom sliding shutters protect the bedrooms and filter sunlight through their horizontal openings. The repeated use of stone, concrete and wood across interior and exterior surfaces gives the house a consistent material identity.

Nearly all construction work was undertaken by local craftspeople and crews. Their contribution is particularly visible in the stonework, the board-marked concrete and the purpose-made timber elements.

 

The project was first published in print in Maison de Campagne 2025, an annual edition by ek Architectural Publications.

At Somanou, in Koufonissia, two single-level vacation homes by GFRA Architecture unfold across a landscape with uninterrupted views of the Aegean and a nearby traditional Cycladic settlement. The two new residences are combined with a pre-existing stable, renovated for residential use, so that the three buildings form a cohesive ensemble resembling a small private hamlet.

The principal design strategy was to organize the programme in close contact with the landscape without altering the natural topography of the site. Instead of concentrating the functions within large continuous forms, the complex is broken down into smaller volumes. Protected courtyards and semi-outdoor spaces emerge between them, bringing the scale and intimacy of a Cycladic neighbourhood into a contemporary residential setting.

 

 

A small settlement within the landscape

Access is provided from the eastern side of the property, where a shared parking area serves both residences. From there, two separate paths lead to the houses, reinforcing their functional independence from the outset.

Each residence is entered through a low, discreet volume that acts as a distribution corridor between the principal and auxiliary spaces. The open-plan living, dining and kitchen area occupies the main façade and projects slightly beyond the other volumes, establishing its central role within the composition.

The primary bedrooms are also positioned towards the front, taking advantage of the views across the Aegean. Between the principal volumes, a private courtyard is created for each residence, forming a protected centre of calm and privacy.

Additional bedrooms are placed towards the rear, where their more secluded position is reinforced by independent access to small sheltered courtyards. The spatial organization therefore alternates between open views and protected outdoor rooms rather than treating the landscape as a single uninterrupted panorama.

Courtyards between the volumes

The fragmentation of the complex allows the spaces between the buildings to become as important as the interiors themselves. Courtyards, pathways and shaded thresholds regulate movement through the project, while the transition between shared and private areas takes place gradually.

The arrangement draws on the spatial logic of Cycladic settlements without directly reproducing their forms. The experience is based on a sequence of separate volumes, narrow passages and protected places where the architecture offers shelter from the sun and wind.

The existing stable introduces another layer to this composition. Its reuse adds the presence of an older structure to the two new houses, reinforcing the impression that the complex has developed as a small collection of buildings rather than as a single object placed in the landscape.

 

 

Shared and private outdoor life

The principal outdoor areas are positioned along the front of the residences, facing the sea. Each house is provided with a pool, a hydrotherapy area and generous outdoor sitting spaces.

At the same time, a shared area with an outdoor dining table and bbq creates a place for gathering between the otherwise independent residences. The project balances these communal uses with a series of more secluded courtyards and sitting areas associated with individual rooms.

Outdoor life is therefore organized through different degrees of privacy. Open areas directed towards the Aegean coexist with enclosed courtyards, shaded patios and protected spaces between the volumes.

Materials rooted in the Cyclades

The landscape design follows the same principle of restrained integration. Mediterranean species are introduced through limited interventions that enrich the existing vegetation, while local rocks are retained as active elements of the composition.

The façades are finished in light earthy tones drawn from the natural palette of the Cyclades. Wood, stone, marble and cane establish a tactile material language that links the new architecture with the island landscape.

Rather than relying on the conventional white image of Cycladic architecture, the project uses colour, texture and natural materials to establish a quieter relationship with the terrain. Stone walls and planted areas extend the buildings into the site, while cane pergolas filter the strong sunlight and create changing patterns of shadow.

At Somanou, the two vacation homes and the converted stable form a small architectural ensemble in which buildings and outdoor spaces are closely interwoven. Through the fragmentation of the programme, the creation of protected courtyards and the restrained use of natural materials, the project interprets the scale of a Cycladic settlement while maintaining the independence of each residence.

 

Originally published in Maison de Campagne 2025, an annual edition by ek Architectural Publications.

Somanou by GFRA Architecture is featured on the cover.

On the southwestern coast of Mykonos, En Kyanó by Dimitris Sakellariou and Mihalis Seitanidis is shaped by the deep blue of the Aegean and a continuous relationship between architecture and landscape. Its name refers to the saturated colour of the sea and sky, which forms an ever-changing backdrop to the residence.

The architectural composition seeks continuity between interior and exterior through a sequence of interconnected spaces. Rather than revealing itself at once, the house is experienced gradually, through transitions between different levels, shaded and open areas, planted surfaces and mineral ground.

A two-level composition

The residence is organized across two levels with distinct degrees of openness and privacy. The upper level contains the principal living, dining and cooking areas, both indoors and outdoors, together with two primary bedrooms.

The lower level accommodates four cave-like suites, a gym and the necessary service areas, connected by a separate circulation corridor. This arrangement integrates the more private functions into the terrain while allowing communal life to occupy the more open upper level.

The resulting sequence establishes continuous transitions between above and below, inside and outside, covered and open-air spaces. Planting and hard surfaces further articulate the movement through the property, allowing the composition to be discovered in stages.

 

 

The pergola as common ground

An expansive but visually lightweight pergola extends in front of the principal living spaces, connecting the two building volumes along the length of the infinity pool.

This intervention transforms the courtyard into the central space of daily life. Protected from the intense Mykonian sun, it accommodates eating, relaxation and social gatherings while maintaining an uninterrupted relationship with the horizon.

The pool reinforces the longitudinal organization of the residence and extends the architecture towards the Aegean. At the same time, smaller private courtyards attached to the bedrooms provide more secluded outdoor spaces.

The project therefore balances two parallel conditions: a central area designed for communal life and a series of protected places for retreat.

Contemporary living and Cycladic references

The design brings a contemporary spatial language into dialogue with the architectural character of the island. Instead of reproducing vernacular forms directly, it draws on their principles through simple volumes, protected outdoor areas and a restrained material palette.

The interior design collaboration between Lambs and Lions, StudioMacBride and Annabell Kutucu develops the same approach through spaces intended to support both gathering and privacy.

Local craftspeople contributed to a series of bespoke elements, allowing traditional knowledge and contemporary construction to coexist within the project. The result is a form of restrained modernity grounded in the tactile character of the place.

 

 

Natural materials and the beauty of imperfection

Natural materials reinforce the relationship between the residence and its setting. Lime plaster is placed alongside the local stone of the building volumes, while timber and sandblasted travertine introduce further variations in texture.

The palette avoids polished uniformity. Its surfaces are intended to register light, use and time, supporting an approach based on modesty, material simplicity and an appreciation of imperfection.

Through the relationship between its two levels, the large shaded pergola and the sequence of shared and private outdoor spaces, En Kyanó places everyday life in continuous contact with the landscape. The architecture becomes a framework for experiencing the changing light of Mykonos and the expanse of the Aegean.

 

Originally published in MykonosVillas Vol.5, a special edition by ek Architectural Publications.

Set on an olive-covered slope overlooking the quiet bay of Ampelaki in Meganisi, Amphitheatro Boutique Hotel by ATENO Architecture Studio transforms two existing stone houses into a small contemporary hotel. The intervention retains the character of the original buildings while introducing new shared spaces, shaded areas and a completely redesigned landscape.

The two independent stone volumes had previously been connected by an irregular corridor. Their interiors were fully reorganized to accommodate six guest rooms alongside the necessary reception, kitchen and storage areas. Rather than erasing the existing structures, the design introduces a series of restrained additions that soften their geometric severity and establish a closer relationship with the surrounding landscape.

 

 

Connecting two existing volumes

A metal canopy in an earthy tone bridges the two stone buildings, creating a sheltered central area with an outdoor kitchen. The new element establishes a shared zone between the existing volumes while remaining visually distinct from the original masonry.

In front of it, the swimming pool becomes the focal point of the courtyard. Nearby, a curved built-in seat unfolds beneath a circular canopy, introducing softer geometries into the composition and counterbalancing the rigid lines of the stone buildings.

These additions establish a new architectural vocabulary between the two existing houses. Metal, plaster and timber are introduced alongside the local stonework, while their muted tones maintain the visual continuity of the ensemble.

Shared spaces and private courtyards

The outdoor areas were redesigned entirely and organized across three levels. At the centre, the main courtyard functions as the shared heart of the hotel, bringing together the pool, outdoor kitchen and shaded sitting areas.

Around it, smaller outdoor spaces serve the ground-floor rooms as private courtyards. The arrangement allows collective life and retreat to coexist within the same composition, offering guests places to gather as well as more secluded areas in direct contact with the landscape.

The relationship between these different levels of privacy is central to the project. The hotel is not organized around a single communal space, but through a gradual transition from shared areas to increasingly private settings.

 

 

A material palette rooted in the landscape

The selection of materials seeks to anchor the intervention within its setting. Earthy colours and subdued tones are applied to the metal surfaces, plaster and timber, complementing the existing stone walls.

The intervention avoids strong contrasts between old and new. Instead, differences in geometry, texture and construction distinguish the contemporary additions while allowing the two original buildings to remain the principal elements of the composition.

The architecture is conceived as a quiet background to the experience of the place. The changing light, views towards the sea and the movement of the surrounding trees remain the dominant features of the hotel.

Through a limited series of additions and landscape interventions, Amphitheatro Boutique Hotel gives new use to the existing structures without diminishing their relationship with the site. Shared courtyards, shaded thresholds and private outdoor rooms transform the two stone houses into a small hospitality complex shaped around the experience of the landscape.

 

Originally published in ek magazine 299 | July–August 2025.

Against the rugged coastline of southern Crete, Archway Enclosure by Entopos Architects transforms an existing structure into a summer residence with direct access to the sea. The intervention preserves the original footprint of the building while reorganizing the relationship between interior, exterior and landscape.

The 1,800 m² plot remains largely undeveloped, with the historic fortress of Frangokastello forming the principal point of reference in the wider surroundings. This setting informs an architecture shaped by enclosure and exposure: the residence turns selectively towards the sea while drawing on the defensive character of the local built landscape.

Arches between interior and landscape

Within the existing footprint, the former living and kitchen areas were reorganized to create two independent rooms with uninterrupted views towards the open sea.

The transition between inside and outside is articulated through a sequence of arches that become the defining element of the façades. Rather than functioning as an applied motif, the arch regulates movement and frames successive views of the landscape.

This approach is particularly evident where sheltered spaces open towards the coast. The geometry of the openings creates a gradual transition from the more protected interior to the exposed seaside setting.

 

 

References to fortress architecture

The northern side of the residence is deliberately more introverted. Small openings recall the narrow loopholes of defensive structures, while the inclined wall surfaces draw on the Venetian scarpo, the sloping base characteristic of fortifications.

These elements establish a clear contrast between the two principal orientations of the house. To the north, the architecture becomes heavier and more enclosed; towards the south and the sea, it opens through arches, shaded areas and framed views.

A perforated suspended pergola completes the southern façade, filtering the strong sunlight while preserving the visual relationship with the coast.

Auxiliary structures as part of the composition

Existing structures on either side of the main building were incorporated into the overall design.

To the west, a 15 m² space was converted into an independent guest unit with a private bathroom. Two new walls with arched openings increase privacy while creating a gradual connection with the surrounding landscape.

To the east, former sheds associated with an improvised grilling area were transformed into storage and an outdoor kitchen with a barbecue. A waterproof pergola extends over an adjoining shaded sitting area, bringing the different functions together.

The outdoor living space continues along the northern boundary. Here, another arch framed by perforated brick directs the view towards the sea, repeating the project’s principal architectural device at the scale of the landscape.

 

 

Water, planting and the existing terrain

Landscape design forms an integral part of the intervention. At the eastern edge of the property, an existing well was preserved and incorporated into a new water zone containing a swimming pool and hydromassage area.

Low stone walls, rising no higher than 45 cm, follow curved lines through the site and discreetly define more private areas without creating rigid boundaries.

Planting is organized in different heights to strengthen the sense of seclusion and enrich the existing vegetation. Islands of endemic Cretan aromatic plants and herbs further connect the residence with the local landscape.

The material palette responds to the demanding coastal conditions. Marble and local stone are used for the floors, while durable timber forms the frames and pergolas. Together with the arches, stone walls and layered planting, these materials create a residence that draws from the character of the place without directly reproducing traditional forms.

 

Originally published in Maison de Campagne 2025, an annual edition by ek Architectural Publications.

Hidden Spa–Water Hope is a 3,000m² spa and mud-bath complex in Bãi Dài, Cam Ranh, Vietnam. Designed by IDEE Architects, the building is set low within the coastal sand dunes instead of appearing as a distinct object above them.

The architecture follows the existing terrain and gathers the program around a central water courtyard. This inward-looking arrangement responds to an exposed coastal setting shaped by intense sunlight, strong winds and initially limited vegetation. Water, planting and deep shade create a protected environment for bathing, treatment and rest.

 

 

Architecture beneath the dunes

The spa develops as a continuous curved structure around the courtyard. Its roof follows the profile of the dunes and becomes a walkable planted landscape. From higher points, the architecture recedes beneath vegetation and preserves the continuity of the surrounding topography.

Adapting the building to the natural levels also reduced the need for extensive excavation. The result is a low intervention that retains the relationship between the dune, the preserved landscape and the new program.

A mature tree that stood on the site before construction was retained. The design developed around its position, turning it into a point of orientation within the composition.

Water as an environmental core

Visitors enter through shaded passages defined by stone walls and repeated rows of timber columns. Rather than revealing the complex immediately, the circulation gradually opens towards the central courtyard.

Reflecting pools, planted islands and shaded walkways occupy its interior. The bathing areas, mud-treatment rooms and supporting wellness spaces are organized around this sheltered oasis. Consequently, the rooms maintain a close visual and environmental connection with water and vegetation.

The courtyard is more than a visual center. Its water surfaces and planting contribute to a cooler and more humid microclimate, softening the dry and exposed conditions of the dunes. Changes in shade, temperature and reflected light also shape the visitors’ movement through the complex.

 

 

Local materials and passive cooling

The restrained material palette consists primarily of locally sourced stone, timber and bamboo. Thick stone walls provide thermal mass and protect the internal spaces from direct solar exposure. Meanwhile, open corridors support cross-ventilation throughout the circulation areas.

Bamboo ceilings filter light and introduce a lighter texture above the heavier stone surfaces. Exposed concrete appears alongside the natural materials, reinforcing the contrast between solid walls and open, shaded passages.

The planted roof further limits heat gain. Rainwater collected from its sloping surfaces is reused for landscape irrigation, supporting the vegetation introduced around the courtyard and across the roof.

A landscape transformed over time

The presence of water and shade has encouraged planting to develop around the building. As a result, the formerly sparse dune landscape is gradually becoming a small oasis. The project does not treat the landscape as a decorative layer. Instead, it allows the relationship between architecture, vegetation and climate to continue evolving.

In Cheonan, South Korea, Korean Football Park by UNS creates a new national home for the Korea Football Association. The 450,427 m² campus brings together training, recovery, education, public engagement and institutional identity within a single landscape-led masterplan.

Conceived as a long-term base for Korean football, the project serves the national team while also supporting youth development, women’s football and a wider public audience. Across the site, elite sports facilities are combined with accommodation, healthcare, retail and public spaces, allowing the complex to operate throughout the year.

 

 

A campus for football and public life

The masterplan organizes the site through a clear progression from public to private areas. At its centre, a public plaza brings together the main points of arrival and creates a civic focus for the campus.

Around this central space, the key programmes are positioned with legibility: the indoor stadium, the outdoor stadium integrated with the KFA headquarters and the football museum. This arrangement gives visitors a clear orientation while allowing athletes, staff and operational teams to move efficiently between facilities.

By combining the outdoor stadium with the KFA headquarters, the project places decision-making, coaching, medical support and public presence within close proximity. The result is a compact institutional core, where administration and sport remain visibly connected.

Training, recovery and support

The campus includes 11 football fields, an indoor climate-controlled arena, an outdoor stadium, gyms, physical therapy areas, healthcare facilities and athlete accommodation. Together, these spaces respond to the contemporary reality of elite sport, where performance depends on a wider ecosystem of training, data, recovery and wellbeing.

Training areas are placed in close relation to medical and therapy facilities. This reduces unnecessary movement and supports the daily rhythm of athletes, from exertion to assessment and recovery.

At the same time, residential and wellness spaces are positioned to offer calm and privacy. Natural finishes, planted areas and views towards the landscape contribute to an atmosphere focused on rest as much as performance.

 

 

A terraced landscape

The design responds directly to the sloping terrain of the Cheonan site. Rather than treating the campus as a flat sports complex, UNS uses a terraced topography to organize movement, create level playing surfaces and structure the transition between public, semi-public and private areas.

This approach gives the project a clear spatial hierarchy. Public spaces remain open and visible, while the more private areas for players and staff are placed deeper within the campus.

The landscape therefore acts as more than a setting. It becomes an organizing system, shaping circulation, orientation and the relationship between buildings and pitches.

Collaboration and future adaptability

The project was developed through collaboration between UNS and a network of specialists in stadium logistics, sports science and venue operations. The design process included exchanges with the Johan Cruijff ArenA team, whose expertise informed security zoning, media requirements, public access and operational planning.

This knowledge helped the masterplan address both current and future needs. The campus anticipates developments in training methods, sports science and data-led coaching, with technical infrastructure designed to accommodate change over time.

Through this combination of architecture, landscape and operational expertise, Korean Football Park offers more than a collection of sports facilities. It creates a coherent campus for athletes, institutions and supporters, giving Korean football a visible public identity and a long-term framework for future development.

Minthis Spa by Woods Bagot stands at the centre of a large wellness resort near Paphos, Cyprus. Positioned on the crest of a hill, the building overlooks the Ezousa Valley and the historic Stavros tis Minthis monastery.

The architecture responds differently to the two sides of the site. Towards the resort’s main square and stepped outdoor amphitheatre, the building presents a controlled and largely enclosed façade. In contrast, its opposite side opens towards the valley and the distant horizon.

 

 

Emerging from the hillside

The wellness centre appears to rise from the sloping terrain. Its fragmented planted roofs form a geometric extension of the landscape, while the low horizontal composition limits the building’s visual impact when seen from above.

The two-storey spa contains 2,100m² of public wellness facilities. Its programme includes eight specialized treatment rooms, four of which have private internal courtyards. A 25m heated indoor pool, a smaller thermal spa pool, a gym, a yoga room, a relaxation lounge and body-treatment areas complete the main facilities.

A further 700m² service level is located at the base of the building. Reserved for staff, it accommodates the spa’s supporting functions without interrupting the sequence of spaces used by visitors.

From the square to the courtyard

Visitors approach the spa from the resort’s central square along an outdoor route. On this side, a grid of standardized exposed-concrete volumes creates a protective façade. Gaps between them allow climbing plants to grow across the surface.

The concrete grid is interrupted at the entrance, where glazing reveals the central courtyard beyond. Here, a vertical garden of aromatic local plants is arranged within black metal containers. Their repeated geometry echoes the pattern of the external façade.

This planted courtyard forms the spatial centre of the project. It leads towards the reception and lobby, while maintaining long views across the resort and the surrounding terrain. A white Volakas marble reception desk stands against exposed concrete, accompanied by a wall-mounted ceramic composition. Timber surfaces across the walls and ceilings soften the concrete structure, while grey stone defines the floor.

 

 

Graduated levels of quiet

The internal programme is divided between two wings according to the degree of quiet required by each function. The two pools and gym are placed to the left of the courtyard. On the opposite side, the treatment rooms follow a linear arrangement that supports greater privacy and acoustic separation.

Four treatment rooms incorporate private open-air courtyards. These enclosed spaces bring daylight, vegetation and fresh air into the treatment areas without exposing them to the wider circulation zones.

Towards the valley, the principal functional volumes are emphasized by substantial frames of untreated natural limewood. Transitional spaces occupy the intervals between them. Openings reaching up to 5m in height frame views of the green landscape and draw daylight deep into the building.

Materiality and framed views

The interior combines natural timber battens, board-marked concrete and grey stone in both polished and rough finishes. Natural and artificial lighting reveal the differences between these surfaces, while reinforcing the visual axes towards the exterior.

The indoor pool is positioned directly beside full-height glazing. Reflections from the water extend the view into the landscape, while the timber-lined ceiling introduces warmth to the space. Elsewhere, darker corridors and treatment areas create a gradual transition towards more enclosed and private rooms.

Furniture and decorative elements follow the same material approach. Soft organic forms, woven surfaces, timber and heavily textured fabrics balance the geometric structure of the architecture.

 

The project was first published in print in ek magazine 281 | October 2023, a monthly issue by ek Architectural Publications.

Located in Haras del Bosque, a residential development and nature reserve in southeastern Puebla, Mexico, AE House is shaped by the dense vegetation of its setting. The landscape guides the relationship between the residence and its surroundings, while creating a sense of shelter.

Facing the street, the house maintains a horizontal, sober and understated presence that protects the privacy of the interior. Once inside, the scale changes. A central corridor structures the project and directs movement toward a sequence of courtyards, voids, bridges and platforms.

 

 

Staggered Volumes on the Slope

The house is fragmented into staggered volumes that adapt to the topography and open toward the adjacent hill and the pine-oak forest. The arrangement establishes a direct relationship between architecture and views, gradually weakening the boundary between interior and exterior.

Changes in level become part of everyday movement through the house. The circulation repeatedly opens toward the forest and the terrain, allowing the landscape to remain present from different heights.

The continuity between walls and sloping roofs gives the composition a clear volumetric reading, reinterpreting the elemental silhouette of the house through a contemporary architectural language.

Natural Light Through the Section

Continuous skylights extend from wall to ceiling, bringing natural light deep into the interior and changing its atmosphere throughout the day. Even the most enclosed spaces maintain a connection with the outdoors through variations of light and shadow.

The house is therefore not organized around views alone. Light enters from above and between the volumes, allowing changing external conditions to remain perceptible within the more sheltered areas of the interior.

 

 

Weight and Lightness

The material organization is based on a contrast between weight and lightness. The ground floor forms a solid base of concrete, exposed masonry and cement finishes, while also functioning as a retaining structure against the slope.

Above it, the upper floor takes on a lighter character through a steel frame and an envelope of dark metal panels. The two levels are therefore differentiated both structurally and materially.

Circulation turns the slope into an active part of the house. Inhabiting AE House involves climbing, crossing and pausing at different heights, transforming movement into an opportunity to observe the landscape while remaining sheltered by the architecture.

The project concerns the redesign of Varkiza Beach, one of Attica’s most popular and heavily used coastal areas. The complex brought together surviving elements of 1960s modernism and later interventions that had gradually altered its character, presenting the architects with the challenge of establishing a new identity without erasing the existing one.

 

 

Arched typologies

The design draws on mid-century modern architecture and the prefabricated curved forms already present within the complex. The aim was to create an atmosphere of understated elegance, calm and natural harmony.

Against the different orthogonal grids inherited from the modernist complex, repeated curves in both the horizontal and vertical planes establish a coherent architectural vocabulary. The new interventions are applied as “second skins” to the existing building typologies, giving them a renewed identity through soft, organic forms that settle into the natural setting.

The new main entrance is defined by pronounced arched forms and conceived as an experiential gateway and primary point of reference. A separate VIP entrance follows the same logic, using the repetition of the arch to establish a distinct reception sequence.

Shade, food and movement

The new F&B area develops beneath a large pergola shaped by natural materials and organic lines. Sheltering a series of food trucks, it creates an open and active area for gathering.

The existing cabana buildings and communal restrooms are redesigned in the same architectural language. At the same time, the routes leading to and from them are reinforced through the recurring arched typologies, allowing a single formal system to connect the different parts of the resort.

 

 

Materials, landscape and light

The material palette is restrained and earthy. A natural kourasani finish is applied to the exterior shells, while cement render is used inside, both in sandy tones. Bamboo elements form shading devices and enclosures.

The combination of textures and curved forms strengthens the experiential character of the project. Materials respond to the changing daylight, producing patterns of light and shadow and contributing to an atmosphere of calm and summer comfort.

The landscape is redesigned through targeted interventions, new routes and planting choices. A discreet but dynamic lighting strategy supports the sense of summer naturalness and ease without interrupting the continuity of the landscape.

The overall intention was to establish a strong identity without imposing on the site. The beach operates as a continuous system of experiences, structured by curved forms and materials that change with the sunlight. Routes gradually unfold the complex, leading visitors through a sequence of spaces and encounters with the surrounding landscape.

Perched on the summit of a hill, Pride Rock Villa combines the simplicity of Mediterranean living with refined finishes and high construction precision. The residence commands a 270-degree panorama towards Kalo Livadi, Divounia and Kalafati, while the islet of Ktapodi and the island of Naxos gradually emerge on the distant horizon.

Modern architectural lines are combined with elements drawn from the local building tradition, establishing a close relationship with the natural landscape and the continuous presence of water. The design brings artisanal craftsmanship together with contemporary technologies, creating an environment defined by clarity, comfort and calm.

 

 

A 270-degree horizon

Four principles guided the design: the orientation of the building volumes towards the principal views, the careful consideration of the sun’s trajectory to maximize natural light, protection from the strong northern winds and a seamless transition between indoor and outdoor spaces.

The rocky topography was central to the architectural composition. Rather than being treated simply as a backdrop, the characteristics of the terrain determined the main axes of the building and its visual connections with the landscape. Outdoor seating areas were positioned in sheltered locations, allowing the panoramic views to remain accessible even when the prevailing winds are strong.

Two wings shaped by the landscape

The residence is divided into two wings, each associated with a triangular swimming pool. One is oriented towards Kalafati and the other towards Kalo Livadi, reinforcing the building’s response to the two principal directions of the site.

The first wing is white and cubical. Its ground floor contains an open-plan living area with direct access to the outdoor spaces, while the primary bedroom occupies the upper level and opens towards uninterrupted views of the sea.

The second wing is built in stone and partly embedded in the terrain beneath a planted roof. It contains three ensuite bedrooms, where cross ventilation and natural light are provided through a sunken rear courtyard. The contrast between the two wings allows the residence to alternate between a more exposed, elevated presence and a quieter integration into the hillside.

 

 

The rock as a spatial anchor

At the centre of the plot, an existing rock formation was preserved and incorporated into the architectural layout. An internal courtyard wraps around it, bringing a fragment of the original landscape directly into the everyday experience of the residence. From the top of the rock, the broader panorama of the Aegean is revealed.

This approach extends throughout the project: the natural features of the site are not concealed but used to define movement, views and spatial relationships. Architecture, water and terrain are brought together in a composition that combines the functional requirements of a summer residence with the distinctive character of its location.

Originally published in MykonosVillas Vol.5, a special edition by ek magazine.

Prefabricated Concrete as Architectural Identity

In Chave, Arouca, Portugal, G–5 Houses by Summary is conceived as a fully prefabricated reinforced-concrete residential complex. Modular panels form all major building elements, including façades, roofs and interior partitions, allowing construction to be streamlined while giving the development a clear architectural identity.

Rather than treating prefabrication only as a technical method, the project uses it as the basis for spatial organization, material expression and construction logic. The repetition and typification of components produce a building that is direct, legible and strongly defined by its system.

Five Dwellings, One Shared Order

The complex contains five dwellings: three two-storey units and two single-storey units. On the ground floor, the houses share a regular rectangular plan, with each unit benefiting from two free façades.

Above this base, three independent volumes are positioned irregularly across the broad roof slab. The spaces between them become outdoor terraces, accessed through an external staircase on the eastern side of the building. From there, the terraces open views toward the Serra da Freita.

 

 

Direct Access and Reduced Circulation

Each dwelling has its own street entrance, leading first to a sheltered exterior area. From this threshold, the main door opens directly into the living room, reducing circulation and eliminating the need for transitional spaces such as atriums.

The plan is organized with an emphasis on efficiency and direct use. The entrance sequence is brief, the living room becomes the distribution point, and the houses avoid unnecessary spatial hierarchy. This economy of movement reinforces the project’s broader logic of constructional clarity.

Modular Panels as Structure and Enclosure

Interior partitions are made from prefabricated concrete panels that function simultaneously as enclosure and structural bracing. This removes the need for additional masonry and makes concrete the dominant material both outside and inside the building.

The specific production process gives each panel one smooth face and one textured face. The design responds to this condition strategically: smooth surfaces are exposed wherever possible, while rough surfaces are concealed behind built-in elements, kitchen equipment or other fixed components.

 

 

Sunlight, Ventilation and Everyday Comfort

The east–west orientation of the dwellings supports natural cross-ventilation and sunlight. This allows the houses to maintain comfort without relying on mechanical cooling or ventilation systems.

Environmental performance is therefore approached through the simplest means: orientation, free façades, direct openings and the thermal mass of concrete. The result is a compact residential complex where construction system, spatial efficiency and passive comfort are closely aligned.

A Clear Constructional Logic

G–5 Houses demonstrates how prefabrication can produce more than speed and efficiency. Here, it gives shape to an entire architectural language, from the large-scale organization of the five dwellings to the tactile presence of concrete panels in the interiors.

Through its modular system, compact planning and terrace spaces overlooking the landscape, the project proposes a pragmatic but distinctive model of collective housing: rational in its construction, precise in its spatial organization and open to the surrounding territory.

A Green Public Landmark at the Entrance to the Village

At the southern entrance to the municipality of Barbian / Barbiano in South Tyrol, Roland Baldi Architects designed a multifunctional public ensemble that combines education, mobility, social interaction and local development. The project brings together a kindergarten, daycare centre, children’s restaurant, tourist office and public infrastructure, rethinking the role of a civic building in a rural context.

Part of Italy’s Recovery and Resilience Plan and financed by the European Union through NextGenerationEU, the building operates as a new green landmark at the entrance to the village. Its architecture responds simultaneously to topography, everyday use and the need for a stronger connection between the public hub and the village centre.

Two Buildings, One Idea

The complex is composed of two separate buildings positioned on opposite sides of the street. On the hillside, the larger volume accommodates the kindergarten, nursery, cafeteria and protected play areas. Across the road, a smaller structure houses the tourist office and barrier-free public restrooms.

Next to the tourist office, a stair and lift tower provides barrier-free access from the existing two-storey underground parking garage directly to the village centre. A bridge spans the road and connects the two buildings, becoming both a functional link and a defining architectural element of the ensemble.

 

 

Learning Through Movement and Openness

The architecture supports a pedagogical approach based on movement, openness and self-directed learning. Instead of following the conventional classroom model, the building is organized through permeable, thematically defined areas: creative and research zones, quiet rooms and role-play spaces.

Corridors widen into small meeting islands, used as lounges, play zones and retreat niches. This spatial variety enriches everyday teaching and allows the building to function as an active educational landscape rather than a sequence of closed rooms.

Layered Program on a Steep Slope

The steep slope becomes the central generator of the project. Because of the terrain, the functions are organized horizontally in layers: technical spaces at the base, educational areas above and a safe outdoor play area on the roof.

On the first basement level, which opens fully toward the valley and benefits from natural light, two group rooms and the children’s restaurant are located, together with a kitchen that also serves the neighbouring primary school. The ground floor includes another nursery group and the independently organized daycare centre, with group and quiet rooms, kitchenette, cloakroom, sanitary facilities and an indoor terrace. On the top floor, a multifunctional exercise room connects directly to the protected playground.

 

 

Tourist Office, Mobility and Public Infrastructure

The tourist office extends the building’s role beyond education. It introduces an information point, public facilities and a newly designed bus stop into the ensemble, strengthening the project’s connection with visitors, residents and daily mobility.

Traffic and pedestrian flows are clearly structured, while two speed bumps slow down vehicles and improve safety around the entrance. Through this combination of education, transport and public service, the project becomes a civic threshold for the village.

Concrete Base and Green Timber Façade

The building’s material strategy follows its topographic logic. A robust exposed-concrete base anchors the structure to the slope, while the upper levels are built in lightweight timber construction. The vertically structured, green-glazed timber façade gives the ensemble a recognizable appearance from a distance and establishes a distinct presence at the entrance to Barbiano.

The architecture does not conceal the complexity of the program. Instead, it gives it clarity, using the landscape as a design generator and transforming the slope into an organized public section.

 

 

Sustainability and Child-Friendly Atmosphere

The building was constructed to the Climate House Gold standard. Photovoltaic panels contribute to its energy supply, while heating is provided by a heat pump, supported by controlled ventilation with heat recovery.

Inside, light-coloured materials, consistent daylighting and local wood create a calm, child-friendly atmosphere. Oiled floors, solid wood furniture and acoustically effective wooden ceilings define the interiors, allowing architecture and education to work as a single environment.

A Place for the Future

With the multifunctional ensemble in Barbiano, Roland Baldi Architects transform a complex functional program into a clear architectural narrative. Educational building, sustainable mobility and tourist infrastructure are brought together in a single public gesture.

The result is a meeting place, a point of arrival and a new landmark for the village: a green bridge that connects levels, uses and communities, while opening new possibilities for rural public architecture.

Geometric Clarity and Landscape Integration

Located in Loulé, Portugal, PCG House by Visioarq Arquitectos is a residence that balances formal clarity, functional efficiency and a close relationship with the landscape. The design is structured through a refined volumetric composition, where distinct bodies are articulated with coherence and harmony.

The architectural language privileges pure and essential forms. Large glazed surfaces establish a direct dialogue between interior and exterior, allowing natural light to enter generously into the living areas and making the surrounding landscape part of everyday domestic life.

South-West Orientation and Natural Comfort

The social spaces are oriented to the south and west, playing a central role in the project’s strategy of openness. Generous windows frame the landscape while supporting natural cross-ventilation, an important factor for thermal comfort during the summer months.

Comfort and energy efficiency are therefore approached not only through technology, but through the careful calibration of orientation, siting and openings. The house uses its relationship with the sun, wind and topography as part of its environmental strategy.

 

 

Horizontality and Topography

The residence is anchored in a strong sense of horizontality. This gesture reduces the visual impact of the building on the terrain and strengthens its integration with the existing topography.

Each volume corresponds to a distinct function, yet the shared plasticity of the forms ensures unity and balance. Subtle projections and recesses in the façades create a changing interplay of light and shadow throughout the day, enriching both the spatial and sensory experience of the house.

Pool, Terraces and Outdoor Living

The relationship with the exterior is one of the defining principles of the project. To the south and west, an infinity pool extends toward the horizon, visually dissolving the boundary between architecture and landscape.

On the upper floor, the east-facing façade is set back from the ground floor, creating a sheltered terrace screened by a wall that ensures privacy from the adjacent street. To the west, shaded terraces with pergolas invite extended use of the outdoor living areas, reinforcing a way of inhabiting based on openness and proximity to nature.

 

 

Fluid Interiors and Everyday Flexibility

The interiors are fluid and interconnected, with seamless transitions toward the exterior spaces. This organization supports flexible use and reinforces the sense of continuity between the house, the terraces, the pool and the landscape.

The plan is shaped around everyday comfort, clear movement and the experience of natural light. Transparency does not function only as a formal device, but as a way of organizing domestic life around views, climate and exterior space.

Precision and Contextual Sensitivity

PCG House brings together geometric precision and contextual sensitivity. Its clarity of form, subtle integration into the landscape and capacity to provide environmental quality and comfort define a residence that is both visually controlled and deeply connected to the experience of living.

The project does not rely on excess. Instead, it uses proportion, orientation, light, shade and continuity with the outdoors to create a calm and efficient contemporary home.

An Operational Hub in the Vineyard

In Buellton, California, Alma Rosa Vineyard Barn by Clayton Korte is designed as a new equipment barn serving more than 50 acres of planted vineyard. Positioned at the heart of the property, the building supports vineyard blocks on both sides of the winery, creating an efficient operational hub for daily agricultural work.

The barn is carefully sited within the gently rolling terrain of California’s Central Coast. Its placement responds to the contours of the land, while maintaining clear views across the vineyard rows. Rather than appearing as a purely utilitarian structure, the project takes cues from the agrarian character of the region, balancing functionality with a strong sense of place.

A Durable Structure for Agricultural Work

The steel-framed structure provides expansive open-air covered space for the storage and maintenance of heavy farming equipment, tools and picking bins. Enclosed areas are also included, offering year-round workspace and supporting the practical needs of vineyard operations.

With a total area of 3,569 sq ft, including 2,677 sq ft of covered space and 892 sq ft of open-air area, the barn is compact but highly efficient. Its organization reflects the daily demands of viticulture, where storage, maintenance, access and durability are essential.

 

 

Weathering Steel, Perforated Metal and Concrete

The material palette is restrained and rugged. Weathering steel, perforated corrugated metal and cast-in-place concrete were selected for their durability, low-maintenance qualities and ability to age naturally over time.

These materials give the barn a direct and honest expression. They allow the building to withstand the elements while gradually developing a more embedded relationship with the landscape. The architecture does not attempt to hide its agricultural function; instead, it gives that function clarity and permanence.

Light, Air and Partial Concealment

Perforated metal cladding plays a central role in the character of the building. It filters light and air, while partially concealing the equipment stored inside. This gives the barn a layered presence: open and breathable, yet visually controlled.

The result is a structure that remains functional without becoming visually heavy. Its minimalist form and careful material expression allow it to recede into the vineyard, blending with its agricultural surroundings while maintaining a quiet architectural refinement.

 

 

Long-Term Stewardship

Alma Rosa Vineyard Barn is designed to endure and evolve with the vineyard. Its robust construction, efficient siting and low-maintenance material strategy reflect a long-term investment in both land stewardship and operational performance.

The project shows how agricultural infrastructure can be designed with care, without losing its directness or utility. Here, architecture supports work, landscape and time, producing a building that is modest in form but precise in its relationship to place.

A Global Resort Rooted in Place

Mandarin Oriental, Costa Navarino is a luxury destination resort that upholds the standards of a global hospitality brand while remaining deeply rooted in its context. Set above the bay of Navarino in Messinia, Greece, the resort balances large scale with an intimate experience, luxury with restraint, and high-end amenities with a meaningful connection to land, culture and environment.

The project engages with a site of historical significance, ecological value and powerful natural beauty. Rather than treating the resort as an object placed in the landscape, the design develops a system of habitation, hospitality and environmental adaptation.

A Masterplan Inspired by Rural Typologies

The masterplan draws inspiration from Greek rural typologies, particularly the mandria: organic stone enclosures that adapt to the terrain and organize sloping land with quiet pragmatism.

This strategy is applied at a larger scale, organizing the resort’s different building units along the contours of the hillside. The 48 earth-sheltered villas are arranged in stepped, undulating rows, ensuring uninterrupted panoramic views from every unit and creating successive horizons across the site.

Most villas are organized in pairs, with only two visible sides that disappear into the ground and independent entrances naturally separated by planted slopes. In this way, the architecture develops as an extension of the hillside, rather than imposing itself upon it.

 

 

Privacy, Autonomy and Semi-Outdoor Living

The dispersed organization of the resort enhances the guest experience in several ways. Each villa enjoys privacy, autonomy and surrounding gardens, while the relationship between interior and exterior is structured through a sequence of transitions.

Interiors flow smoothly into shaded semi-outdoor living areas. Wide overhangs, deep-set openings and filtered views create a sense of calm and refuge, while maintaining contact with the broader landscape.

Restraint, Luxury and Material Presence

The resort combines restraint with richness. Stone and terrazzo are used in tactile, understated ways, while the interiors refer to Mediterranean textures and tones. Curated international details evoke the spirit of travel without distancing the experience from the place itself.

Space planning is intuitive and guest-centered, ensuring clear orientation, comfortable scale and carefully framed views. Circulation takes place outdoors wherever possible, allowing nature to remain a continuous presence throughout the resort.

 

 

Operational Foresight and Flexible Management

The resort also demonstrates operational foresight. Its layout supports scalable operation, as clusters of rooms or villas can be brought into or out of use seasonally, optimizing energy consumption.

Open-air circulation reduces the need for cooled corridors, while semi-protected spaces such as covered terraces and entry courtyards temper climate extremes, reducing mechanical loads and improving guest comfort.

A Contemporary Hybrid Typology

Creatively, the project avoids spectacle in favor of serenity. It does not mimic history, but listens to it. Traditional forms are abstracted rather than replicated, and reinterpreted through contemporary materials and construction methods.

The result is a unique hybrid typology, where the aesthetic of the “village” is not reproduced literally, but translated into a contemporary hospitality system. Architecture preserves local memory without becoming trapped in imitation.

 

 

Passive Strategies and Ecological Ambition

Sustainability guided every decision. Passive strategies include planted roofs, thermal mass and cross-ventilated spaces. Materials were sourced locally whenever possible.

Water-efficient landscaping, low-impact lighting and energy zoning further reinforce the ecological ambition of the project, aligning guest comfort with a lower environmental footprint.

A New Model for Hospitality

Mandarin Oriental, Costa Navarino offers a new model of resort-making: one that privileges relationship over image, groundedness over excess.

It demonstrates that a resort can be both luxurious and low-impact, international and deeply local — a place where architecture, landscape and guest comfort coexist in elegant alignment.

A Compact Cabin Between Forest and River

Located in Plain, Washington, on the edge of the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest, Wenatchee River Cabin by Wittman Estes was conceived as a small retreat for outdoor life. The client had owned the nearly half-acre property for years, using it as a base camp for adventures in the surrounding landscape. After a decade of camping on site, often with friends, he decided to build a cabin that would keep the focus on the forest and the river.

The project began as a weekend retreat, but its use changed during the design and construction process. As remote work became part of everyday life, the owner started spending more time on the property and eventually chose to live there full-time once the cabin was complete.

Living Small, Living Well

With a footprint of 746 sq ft, the one-bedroom cabin is deliberately modest. Its compactness reflects both site constraints and a desire for a simpler way of living, where everyday life is shaped less by possessions and more by experience.

The owner’s direct involvement in construction was central to the project. This reinforced the need for a clear and minimal design, built with durable materials and simple architectural moves. Concrete, steel, cedar and restrained interior finishes give the cabin a sense of permanence while allowing nature, light and artwork to remain the dominant presence.

 

 

Elevated Above the Floodplain

Because the cabin sits within the river’s floodplain, the main living level is raised 10 ft above the ground on six concrete columns. This resilient strategy protects the home from seasonal flooding while minimizing its footprint on the site.

The elevated volume also creates a covered ground-level space beneath the cabin. This area functions as sheltered parking and a working space where the owner can maintain his vintage Bronco, protected from rain and snow. In this way, the floodplain constraint becomes part of the daily use and character of the building.

Three Levels and One Large Window Wall

The cabin is organized across three levels. The ground level provides the covered parking and work area; the middle level contains the main living, dining and kitchen space, along with a full bathroom; and the top level includes the bedroom, office, half-bathroom and a loft opening onto a cantilevered steel deck.

A single window wall, 20 ft wide and 24 ft high, directs the main views toward the Wenatchee River while screening neighboring properties. In the bedroom, a view portal looks across the living room and toward the river beyond, creating a vertical connection through the compact interior.

 

 

Owner-Built Steel Elements

The cabin’s material character is closely connected to the owner’s skills. A lifelong metalworker, he fabricated several elements himself, including the raw steel kitchen countertops and backsplash, the hemlock and steel dining table, and the tube-steel guardrails with expanded metal mesh infill.

These elements give the interior a direct, handmade quality. They also reinforce the logic of the cabin as a durable structure shaped by personal labor, weather and long-term use.

A Minimal Interior for Nature, Light and Artwork

The main living space is organized beneath a fir-framed loft, with a wood-burning fireplace creating a compact center of warmth. The interior finishes remain deliberately simple, forming a quiet background for the surrounding landscape, the changing light and the owner’s artwork.

Sustainability is approached through compactness, durability and efficient systems. The cabin uses an air-source heat pump for heating and cooling, with the wood-burning stove serving as the primary heat source. Locally sourced cedar siding and soffits further connect the building to the material culture of the region.

 

 

A Weekend Cabin Turned Full-Time Home

What began as a one-bedroom weekend cabin has become an everyday residence. Its modest scale, elevated structure and durable material palette support a form of living that remains close to the river, the forest and the changing conditions of the Pacific Northwest.

Wenatchee River Cabin shows how small architecture can produce a larger relationship with the world outside. It is a home shaped by restraint, resilience and the quiet ambition to live with less, but more directly.

A House Built Around Emptiness

In Morelia, Michoacán, Mexico, Kehai House by HW Studio is a small residence of 95 sq.m., designed by architect Rogelio Vallejo Bores as his own home. The project is described as “the architect’s house”: a house in which someone used to giving form to the dreams of others turns inward, asking how architecture can become coherent with a way of living.

The house was shaped by a limited budget, but also by a long personal path toward Zen, the Dharma and Japan. Its deepest idea is not the production of an object, but the creation of a void: a central emptiness capable of containing life, movement, silence and thought.

A Closed Box That Holds a Garden

From the outside, the house appears as a quiet, closed box in the urban landscape. Its almost hermetic presence does not reveal much of what takes place inside. Once the threshold is crossed, however, the apparent closure is understood differently: the box does not isolate, but protects.

At its center lies a stone garden. It is not touched directly, yet it defines the entire house. Like the stone gardens of Kyoto, its stones are not arranged to represent something, but to evoke a state of attention. On the bed of grey gravel, two wooden platforms float as places of pause: not simply floors, but surfaces for stopping, looking and being.

 

 

The Garden as Spatial Order

The garden is not decorative. It organizes the house. Around it, the domestic spaces are arranged like satellites orbiting stillness, each one maintaining a distinct role while remaining connected to the central void.

On one side, the kitchen and dining area unfold in a double-height space. Above them, a volume gathers the smoke from the fire, introducing both memory and practical resilience: the possibility that one day the city may not provide everything needed. On the other side, the living room becomes a space of contemplation, where large stones rest like islands in a quiet sea.

A House That Reconciles with Rain

There is no covered corridor between the living room and the dining area. To move from one to the other when it rains, one either gets wet or waits for the rain to pass. This decision gives the house its most radical everyday lesson: architecture here does not protect from the world, but reconciles the inhabitant with it.

The home does not attempt to neutralize weather, time or discomfort. Instead, it allows them to enter life gently, turning movement through the house into a conscious act.

 

 

Shōji, Light and Shadow

The shōji doors, made with rice paper, are not treated as an aesthetic reference alone. They operate as the real filter between interior and exterior. Light, passing through them, loses its hardness and becomes softer, slower and more atmospheric.

In this house, shadow is not simply the absence of light. It becomes light’s most delicate expression. Daylight does not enter abruptly; it settles, creating an interior defined by quiet transitions rather than visual excess.

Three Windows and an Interior Life

The program is austere. There are no unnecessary corridors and no grand gestures. The house is almost entirely without glass, opening only through three small windows toward what is considered truly worth seeing: a mountain, a neighboring pine and the tree planted at the center of the garden.

The bedroom is placed above, as a minimal and intimate space. A single circular window opens to the foliage of the central tree. It becomes an eye of the house, a point of contemplation rather than display.

 

 

Entering by Descending

The entrance does not rise; it descends. One enters by going down, as if bowing before something sacred. The staircase reaches the point where the stone offered structural stability, reducing unnecessary foundation costs, but the gesture is also spiritual.

To inhabit this house, one must leave a certain pride outside and enter with humility. Like passing through the torii of an invisible shrine, the act of entry becomes a quiet ritual.

Silence as Architecture

In Japanese thought, value is often found in the imperfect, the incomplete and the ephemeral. Kehai House follows this sensibility. It was not designed to impress, but to endure in silence.

Through limited means, careful spatial decisions and a central void that orders domestic life, the house becomes a meditation on how little architecture needs in order to become meaningful. It holds the light weight of an honest life.

A Museum Between Memory and New Identity

In Vila do Bispo, Portugal, Vila do Bispo Museum by spaceworkers is conceived as an intervention that preserves the identity of the place while giving the existing building a new civic role. The project works with the character of the original construction, not by erasing it, but by extending and clarifying its presence.

The design proposes the addition of a new volume to the existing structure, echoing the form of the adjacent naves. This gesture creates urban and formal continuity, while allowing the new addition to establish its own identity as the main entrance to the museum.

A Red Volume Completing the Existing Building

The new volume extends to the southern limit of the plot and accommodates the technical, administrative and social functions of the museum. By concentrating these uses in the addition, the project frees the inner core of the existing warehouses to receive the exhibition areas.

This redistribution of program allows the exhibition to become the central function of the intervention. The museum is therefore organized through a clear distinction between support spaces and public cultural space, while the new red volume gives the ensemble a recognizable presence.

 

 

Neutral Exterior, Black Interior

The two pre-existing naves, with approximately 680 sq.m. of covered area, are treated in a neutral grey tone. This chromatic strategy homogenizes the existing construction and reinforces its formal abstraction.

Inside, the same warehouse volume is lined in black, creating a controlled background for the exhibition. Against this dark interior, a dynamic organic form organizes the display route, creating thematic exhibition pockets and guiding visitors through the museum in a clear and intuitive way.

Red Exposed Concrete as Urban Marker

In contrast to the chromatic abstraction of the existing structure, the new volume is built in exposed concrete with red pigmentation. Its material presence turns it into a point of reference in the urban and aerial landscape, marking the territory with clarity.

The addition acts as a formal completion of the existing building. It recreates its geometry in a delicate way, through a balance of solids and voids that organizes entrances, areas of pause and the relationship with the surrounding landscape.

 

 

A Museum That Feels Already Familiar

The result is a museum that appears as if it has always belonged to the place. For older generations, it evokes the memory of the former granaries; for younger generations, it becomes the “red museum”, a new image in the collective memory of the community.

Through this balance between preservation and transformation, Vila do Bispo Museum establishes a dialogue between continuity and new identity. It is both a careful architectural intervention and a public landmark capable of anchoring itself in the everyday image of the town.

An Office Rooted in the Everyday Landscape

Located in Hashima City, in Japan’s Gifu Prefecture, Office in Hashima by Permanent and Atelier Nagara Architectural Design Office is a new headquarters for a company active in civil engineering and real estate. Set within a calm rural landscape of rice fields, the building was designed to be rooted in the local community and appreciated over time.

The project begins with the quiet value of the ordinary. The seasonal path of the sun, the movement of rice grasses in the wind, and the ripples forming on the water of the fields during rain are treated not as background scenery, but as the material of the architectural experience.

Architecture as a Device for Noticing

Rather than simply blending the building into its surroundings, the architects conceived it as an architectural “device” that makes people more aware of the landscape. Its role is not to disappear, but to sharpen perception: to bring light, wind, rain and seasonal change into focus through the presence of the building itself.

This approach is especially appropriate for a company closely connected to land, infrastructure and construction. The office becomes a place where work, community and landscape are not separated but drawn into a continuous everyday relationship.

 

 

A Roof That Frames Natural Phenomena

The roof is the building’s defining feature. Rising dramatically toward the east, it cuts a bold profile against the sky, while its eaves descend close to the ground. This strong gesture gives the building a recognizable silhouette without overwhelming the rural scale of the site.

A gentle undulation in the roofline introduces a subtle irregularity. Reflected light, the color of the sky and the movement of raindrops are brought into focus, allowing natural phenomena to become part of the architectural expression. The roof does not simply cover the building; it registers the changing conditions of the place.

Intermediate Spaces Beneath the Eaves

Inside, spatial organization is designed to remain closely connected with the exterior. Beneath the raised roof, the entrance and meeting rooms occupy a tall space that naturally draws the outside inward.

Courtyards and verandas are placed under the undulating roof, creating intermediate spaces between interior and exterior. These zones soften the transition from work environment to landscape, offering places for movement, pause and informal encounter.

 

 

Margins, Gardens and Interior Continuity

Throughout the building and the site, small margins and resting places are carefully arranged. Stones and greenery are introduced into the interiors, producing a sense of continuity with nature even while indoors.

The result is a flexible work environment that supports meetings, breaks and moments of observation. The office is not defined only by productivity, but also by the possibility of noticing seasonal change, light, rain and wind as part of daily working life.

Light, Wind and the Southern Openings

On the south side, large openings are combined with low eaves, balancing solar control with an intimate relationship to the garden. The building does not rely on a hard boundary between inside and outside. Instead, wind, light and other natural elements are softly drawn into the interior.

Through this calibrated relationship, the office creates a new everyday scenery for the people who work there, the local community and first-time visitors. It gives form to a quiet ambition: to make the familiar landscape visible again.

A House Organized Around the Pool

In Caesarea, Israel, architect Raz Melamed has designed E30 – House in Caesarea as a family residence where the swimming pool becomes the spatial and visual center of the project. Rather than treating the pool as an addition to the house, the design reverses the usual hierarchy: the residence is organized around it, allowing the outdoor leisure space to define the rhythm of domestic life.

The project was commissioned by a couple in their 50s as a weekend retreat for hosting their children and grandchildren. Over time, the brief evolved into a full-time residence, with multiple bedroom suites, generous communal areas and a strong emphasis on the relationship between interior, garden and pool.

A Continuous Black Steel Beam

The defining architectural element of the house is an exposed black steel beam, 44 cm in height. Instead of being concealed, the beam is expressed as a continuous line that organizes the plan, divides levels and frames the main public spaces.

Inside, the beam extends as a bridge, connecting the staircase to the bedroom wing. In the double-height living area, it cuts horizontally across the glazed façade, preserving open views toward the sky while reinforcing the linear geometry of the house. Toward the garden, the same element continues outward, supporting a cantilevered pergola that shades the outdoor seating area without columns and keeps the view toward the pool unobstructed.

 

 

Street Façade and Filtered Privacy

The entrance façade is composed of white plaster surfaces, articulated with horizontal joints and vertical wooden slats. The contrast between the white volume and the dark wood gives the house a restrained but clearly defined street presence.

The wooden elements also have a functional role. They conceal the staircase from the outside while allowing natural ventilation, creating a façade that works simultaneously as screen, threshold and environmental device.

Double-Height Communal Space

The main public areas are arranged as a sequence of dining and living spaces beneath a double-height ceiling. The open plan is defined by the black steel beam above, the large glazed openings toward the garden and a restrained material palette of wood, black metal and neutral tones.

Lighting is treated in layers. Suspended linear fixtures respond to the height of the space, while recessed spotlights support everyday functionality. Together, they give scale and clarity to the large interior volume.

 

 

Kitchen as a Tall Wooden Plane

The kitchen is organized in a parallel layout, with a large island and white Corian worktops. Behind it, a tall wooden façade conceals storage and mechanical systems, rising to the full height of the double-height space.

This wooden plane intersects with the black steel beam, turning a functional wall into one of the central visual elements of the interior. The kitchen therefore operates not only as a place of preparation, but also as part of the architectural composition of the public zone.

Suites, Basement and Upper Floor

The ground-floor master suite opens directly toward the swimming pool and is finished with parquet flooring. Its bathroom combines travertine surfaces with black granite walls, black fittings and white Corian elements, continuing the project’s controlled palette of light surfaces, dark accents and natural stone.

Additional bedrooms and leisure spaces are located in the basement and on the upper floor. A home cinema and games room extend the family program, while floating black steel stairs and a glass-railed bridge connect the different levels, maintaining visual continuity across the interior.

 

 

Garden, Travertine and Outdoor Living

The outdoor areas include multiple seating zones, an open-air kitchen and a swimming pool clad in travertine, aligned flush with the garden level. The same travertine flooring continues from the interior to the exterior, strengthening the connection between the living spaces and the garden.

Landscaping remains minimal, allowing the pool, pergola and structural line of the house to dominate the site. The result is a residence where the architecture does not simply frame outdoor life, but is shaped by it.

A Private Landscape at the Center of the House

Located in Austin, Texas, Tarrytown Residence by Alterstudio Architecture introduces a contemporary architectural language into an otherwise traditional post-war neighborhood. The house is organized around a private landscape, positioned between a walled garden along the street and a central courtyard behind.

Rather than treating the exterior as a secondary condition, the project places the out-of-doors at the center of domestic life. The interior opens decisively toward the landscape, held under a continuous ceiling plane and enclosed with custom site-glazed window walls that reduce the visual weight of the frame.

Between Garden, Courtyard and Interior

The house is conceived as a sequence of spatial thresholds. Visitors enter beneath the meandering limb of an adjacent Live Oak tree, moving through a carefully choreographed progression of spaces.

Throughout the plan, the architects balance two apparently opposite intentions: defining distinct rooms while maintaining a strong sense of continuity. Glimpses of adjacent spaces, changing views and unexpected moments around each corner give the house a layered quality, where movement becomes part of the architectural experience.

 

 

Light from Above

At the center of the house, an unexpected monitor opens the interior to the sky. This gesture brings balanced daylight into the deepest part of the plan, while framing views toward the tree canopy above.

In a home otherwise organized around horizontal continuity, this vertical opening becomes a quiet spatial event. It gives the center of the house a sense of height, atmosphere and orientation, allowing natural light to work as one of the project’s primary materials.

Vertical Moments in a Horizontal House

Although the residence is largely horizontal in its organization, two spaces introduce vertical intensity: a two-story library and a similarly scaled screened porch. Together, they expand the section of the house and create moments of unexpected spatial depth.

A glass-floored bridge from an office loft provides access to the upper bookshelves and extends toward the screened porch as a Juliet balcony. This element combines circulation, structure and view, turning a functional connection into one of the house’s most distinctive architectural moments.

 

 

Abstract Volumes and Controlled Privacy

The residence is framed by two abstract volumes clad in long-format black brick and black-stained cedar. These volumes complete the composition while shielding the interior from the street and from potential future neighboring development.

In a relatively dense suburban context, the house creates a carefully protected enclave. Privacy is not achieved through withdrawal alone, but through the precise placement of walls, glazing, courtyards and opaque material surfaces.

Construction as Atmosphere

Construction and detail play a central role in the character of the house, yet the expression of detail is deliberately restrained. The architecture is conceived as a primed canvas for light and shadow, natural materials and the presence of the garden.

A custom site-glazed window system minimizes the presence of frames, while steel elements — including custom structural columns, fascia and trim, a glass floor and steel bridge, and a double-height screened porch — introduce precision and depth. These details work together with black brick, stained cedar, purpose-built cabinetry and custom furniture to create a controlled but tactile domestic environment.

 

 

Hidden Color and Material Depth

Behind the restrained exterior and disciplined detailing, the interior includes unexpected moments of color and texture. These appear behind doors, at the back of bookcases and in carefully selected surfaces, giving the house a private richness that reveals itself gradually.

Tarrytown Residence is therefore not only a house of enclosure and transparency. It is a home shaped through contrast: between public and private, shadow and light, horizontal continuity and vertical intensity, precision and delight.

An Ecological Shelter in the Pyrenees

Forestone Cabin by the Institute for Advanced Architecture of Catalonia (IAAC) is a 20 sq.m. experimental wooden dwelling located at MónNatura Pirineu, in the Pyrenees. Designed and built by the 2025 cohort of IAAC’s Master in Ecological Architecture and Advanced Construction, the cabin forms part of the Bio for Piri initiative, which promotes regenerative forestry and the sustainable use of local timber from Pyrenean forests.

Led by Fundació Catalunya La Pedrera and funded by the Biodiversity Foundation with European Next Generation funds, the initiative focuses on forest management, local material cycles and the development of architecture as an ecological tool. Within this framework, Forestone operates as a student-built prototype, a research project and a small inhabitable structure for two people, including a sleeping area, workspace and bathroom.

A Resting Rock in the Landscape

The form of the cabin is inspired by the rocky terrain of the Pyrenees. Conceived as a block of stone that appears to have rolled down the mountain and come to rest on the site, its faceted geometry is shaped by inclined walls and a sloping roof.

This sculptural form is not only symbolic. The geometry responds to programmatic needs, climatic conditions and solar exposure, adjusting ceiling heights and spatial proportions within a compact footprint. Carefully positioned openings frame views of the surrounding mountains and enable cross-ventilation, while operable wooden shutters provide complete darkness at night, reducing light pollution and supporting the site’s astronomical activities.

 

 

Local Timber and Fire-Aware Construction

The structure and envelope were built using locally sourced cross-laminated timber panels and charred wood from nearby forests. The exterior façade is made of pine boards with natural edges, charred according to the Japanese Yakisugi or Shou Sugi Ban technique, which burns the surface layer of the wood to increase resistance to insects, water, fire and mold.

The boards were cut to size and charred by the students themselves. Beyond improving durability, this treatment symbolically connects the cabin to fire management and prevention, a crucial aspect of regenerative forestry in the Pyrenees. The project therefore treats fire not only as a threat, but also as a material and cultural condition embedded in the landscape.

A Continuous Wooden Interior

Inside, the cabin becomes a compact, fully integrated wooden environment. Custom-made CLT elements, including the bed, built-in furniture, washbasin counter and seating, were designed and fabricated by the students at Valldaura Labs.

Architecture, structure and furniture are brought together as a single material system. The interior avoids unnecessary separation between building and object, allowing the compact space to function with clarity while preserving a strong sense of warmth and material continuity.

 

 

Hands, Wool and Stone

Forestone extends its material logic beyond timber. During an annual wool festival in the nearby town of Sort, students collaborated with local farmers to collect sheep’s wool. The wool was then washed, dried and transformed into felt at Valldaura, with the support of Dutch artist Rian van Dijk.

The resulting blankets, rugs and pillowcases furnish the cabin, integrating local craftsmanship and agricultural by-products into the project. During the same visit, students collected a stone from the surrounding landscape and manually carved it with power tools to create a unique washbasin. Through these gestures, the cabin becomes materially tied to its geographical and cultural context.

A Replicable Prototype for Forest Habitation

From the beginning, Forestone was conceived with an emphasis on replicability. It demonstrates how small-scale architecture can be built with local timber, regional knowledge and low-impact construction methods, while inhabiting forest landscapes without altering existing ecosystems.

The use of modular CLT elements, dry-assembly techniques and locally available materials allows the cabin to be adapted, replicated or dismantled as needed. In this sense, the project proposes a model of sustainable forest habitation, aligning architectural production with long-term environmental stewardship.

 

 

Education, Industry and Regenerative Forestry

Forestone brings together education, local industry, craftsmanship and regenerative forestry. Through its careful detailing, layered construction and direct connection to place, the cabin proposes an alternative approach to building in sensitive landscapes.

From January 2026, the cabin is open to guests at MónNatura Pirineu in Planes de Son, offering visitors the opportunity to inhabit the prototype and experience its relationship with landscape, materials and climate first-hand.

A Detached Workshop for Ceramics in West Seattle

In West Seattle, Ceramics Studio by GO’C is a new detached workshop and classroom, permitted as a detached accessory dwelling unit, or DADU. Designed for a compact urban residential lot, the building provides generous interior and exterior spaces for forming and firing ceramics, while allowing for future residential use.

The project was commissioned by a maker of functional ceramics whose work is deeply informed by the landscape and memory of Northern Saskatchewan. The design challenge was to create a space that could support her practice, reflect the quiet strength of her work and offer an inspiring environment for teaching others.

A Space for Making, Teaching and Gathering

Finding adequate studio space for ceramics in Seattle is difficult and costly, especially for a growing practice that requires room for sculpting, firing, storage, classes and pop-up shops. Having lived in the existing residence for several years, the client decided to build a dedicated studio closely aligned with her functional needs and design sensibility.

The new structure was conceived not only as a workspace, but also as a flexible neighborhood hub. Since its completion, it has been used as a ceramics studio, classroom, holiday pop-up shop, kitchen prep space, setting for communal dinners and, in the loft, as an office and guest bedroom.

 

 

Light as a Working Tool

Natural light is central to the project. Large skylights pierce the roof in three key locations: the loft, the main interior studio and the covered exterior kiln terrace. Each opening brings daylight where it is most needed, supporting both the precision of ceramic work and the atmosphere of the space.

A large cantilevered roof extends from the interior toward the exterior, creating a covered terrace for two kilns and expanding the usable area of the studio. This gesture connects making, firing and gathering within one continuous architectural sequence.

Structure, Wood and Material Continuity

Exposed rafters inside and outside create a clear structural rhythm, bringing warm wood tones through the entire building. The roof structure becomes a unifying element, visually connecting the interior studio, the loft and the outdoor working terrace.

A strong material transition defines the interior: white display walls below and warm wood above. This contrast supports the display of ceramic work while echoing the lines of the structure and the cantilevered roof. Linear up/down lighting illuminates the wood underside of the roof, adding warmth during Seattle’s long winters.

 

 

A Simple, Powerful Architectural Expression

The client’s ceramic practice is described through quiet forms, simplified designs and natural earthy tones. The architecture responds with a similarly restrained language: direct, warm and carefully detailed, without unnecessary visual noise.

Rather than producing a neutral utility shed, the project gives the act of making an architectural presence. It is compact but generous, modest but precise, and designed to support both solitary work and collective activity.

Built Through Collaboration

The project was built on a tight budget. The client worked full-time alongside the contractor during construction, while her partner and friends also contributed to the making of the space. This collaborative process gives the studio a particular character: it is not only a designed object, but a place shaped through shared effort.

Ceramics Studio brings together making, teaching, hospitality and future adaptability in a single small building. It demonstrates how a detached workshop can become both an intimate space of production and a generous social infrastructure for a creative practice.

A House in the Forested Landscape of Canela

Set within a residential condominium in Canela, in the mountainous region of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, House in Canela by 0E1 Arquitetos explores the relationship between architecture, construction technique and landscape. Surrounded by native forests and rolling hills, the house occupies a 500 sq.m. sloping plot, where the terrain drops approximately 10 m from the entrance to the chosen building site and around 15 m across the entire lot.

This topographical condition became one of the main conceptual drivers of the project. Rather than treating the slope and vegetation as obstacles, the design uses them as the basis for the siting, access and construction strategy of the house.

A Compact Retreat for Flexible Use

The house was commissioned by a family with a strong interest in architecture, who actively participated in discussions and decisions throughout the process. Conceived as both a weekend retreat and a short-term rental, the project required a compact and self-sufficient program capable of comfortably accommodating up to two couples.

Within approximately 120 sq.m. of built area, the house needed to ensure independence between bedrooms while maintaining generous spatial quality. The result is a small but carefully worked residence, where every square meter is tied to a clear functional and atmospheric intention.

 

 

Site Analysis and Minimal Impact

Before the design process began, a multidisciplinary team of biologists and surveyors carried out a detailed site analysis. Vegetation was mapped, trees were catalogued and species were classified as native or exotic, allowing the architects to understand the forested terrain with precision.

The house was placed in the only existing clearing on the plot, minimizing tree removal and reducing the need for major earthworks. This decision preserves the surrounding ecosystem and turns the forest into an active component of the architectural experience.

A Square Plan with Pinwheel Organization

The house is organized on a square footprint measuring 10.8 x 10.8 m. Within this regular geometry, the spaces are arranged dynamically in a pinwheel-like configuration. The living room occupies the center of the plan and acts as the main organizational core.

From this central room, the service areas and private zones radiate outward. Two independent suites, a kitchen, service area, barbecue area and terraces are connected to the central living space, creating a clear balance between communal use and privacy.

 

 

Light Steel Frame as Construction Strategy

The choice of a light steel frame system responds directly to the constraints of the terrain and to the experimental character of the project. Lightweight and quick to assemble, the system eliminated the need for concrete mixers on site and reduced impact on soil and vegetation.

A leveling slab acts as the platform for the metal structure, helping reduce waste, maintain a clean construction site and ensure precise control over the building process. Beyond its technical role, the steel frame also informed the architectural language of the house, allowing generous spans, accurate closures and a clear volumetric relationship with the landscape.

Industrial Materials at Domestic Scale

Instead of covering the steel frame to imitate conventional masonry, the house embraces its industrial logic. The exterior walls and roof are clad with trapezoidal sandwich panels, a material usually associated with industrial buildings, here applied at the scale of a domestic retreat.

The panels provide thermal and acoustic performance, require low maintenance and visually unify the building. Their installation demanded specialized teams, ensuring construction precision and a controlled finish. Externally, the dark-toned cladding reduces visual impact, allowing the house to appear discreetly among the trees.

 

 

Skylight, Openings and Forest Views

The asymmetrical roof culminates in a skylight at its highest point, creating the only direct view of the sky from within the dense forest. This opening brings consistent daylight into the interior, enhances the perception of space and creates shifting patterns of light and shadow throughout the day.

Generous floor-to-ceiling windows, 2.4 m high, bring in natural light and ventilation while turning the surrounding forest into a continuous presence inside the house. Slightly recessed rather than flush with the façade, the windows create a sequence of planes and framed views that add depth to the envelope.

Access Through the Terrain

Access to the house is carefully integrated into the slope. A staircase of 64 steps winds through the site, avoiding trees and roots. Each step measures 1.20 x 0.30 m, with intermediate landings of 1.20 x 1.20 m.

The staircase was adjusted during construction in response to the terrain. Centrally supported steps create subtle cantilevers, and together with the landscaping, they give the impression of a light, almost floating path through the forest.

 

 

Interior Planes, Wood and Slate

Inside, the architecture is organized in two visual planes. Up to 2.40 m high, the walls remain white, continuing through doors and terrace openings. Above this level, Tauari wood panels follow the slope of the roof, while black metal trim marks the material transitions and reappears at the baseboards.

Slate flooring reinforces the material palette. Originally supplied in 0.40 x 0.40 m slabs, it was cut into 0.10 x 0.40 m pieces, creating a pattern reminiscent of parquet. Over time, the slate develops a greenish patina, allowing the effects of climate and humidity to become part of the house’s character.

Living Room, Kitchen and Autonomous Suites

The living room, elevated about 2 m above the ground, opens onto a terrace with a hidden staircase leading to the garden. A wood-burning stove brings warmth to the cooler mountain climate and becomes a focal point in the central space. From here, the surrounding landscape unfolds like a constantly changing painting.

The kitchen faces the access side and maintains a direct relationship with the staircase and rear barbecue area. Basalt countertops are combined with cabinets in alternating white and wood finishes, following the interior’s broader material logic.

The suites are conceived as autonomous units. In the main bedroom, a wooden slat headboard incorporates a functional niche, while the bathroom door is camouflaged within the same plane, reinforcing visual continuity. Floor-to-ceiling windows open the bathroom to the forest, offering generous views while preserving privacy.

 

 

A Laboratory for Residential Construction

Started in 2021 and completed in 2024, House in Canela functions as an architectural laboratory. Its 120 sq.m. built area corresponds to the condominium’s minimum permitted size, achieved without removing trees by reducing lateral setbacks.

The construction process followed an efficient schedule: approximately two months for foundations, two weeks for assembling the steel structure and additional months for closures and interior finishes. Through this process, the project demonstrates how contemporary construction systems and materials rarely used at residential scale can respond to strict site conditions.

The result is a compact retreat that combines technical rigor with architectural sensitivity, offering an immersive experience of living within the landscape.

Modular Timber Architecture for Regenerative Tourism

Located in Barra dos Remédios, on the western coast of Ceará, Casa Daia Bungalows by UNA barbara e valentim forms part of a boutique hotel conceived around regenerative tourism, cultural immersion and a close relationship with the territory and its local community. Opened in 2025, Casa Daia is set within a remote and environmentally sensitive area, where architecture is asked to respond not only to program and comfort, but also to landscape, logistics and environmental care.

The project occupies a former farm of approximately 220 hectares, where mangroves, dunes, riverbanks, caatinga vegetation and coastal forest coexist in a complex overlap of ecosystems. Within this context, the bungalows operate as a precise and low-impact architectural insertion, using industrialized timber construction as a tool for hospitality in fragile territories.

Four Bungalows in Existing Clearings

The intervention consists of four bungalows, each approximately 90 sq.m., carefully positioned in existing clearings in order to avoid the removal of native vegetation. Shallow foundations and elevated decks minimize direct interference with the soil and preserve the natural permeability of the land.

The position of each volume was guided by studies of solar orientation and prevailing winds. Cross ventilation, shading and thermal comfort are achieved without relying on mechanical systems, allowing the buildings to work with the climate rather than against it.

 

 

Verandas, Overhangs and the Continuity of Landscape

The bungalows are defined by verandas, generous overhangs and large protected openings. These elements establish a continuous relationship between interior and landscape, allowing natural light, shade and air to become structuring parts of the spatial experience.

The architecture avoids a hard boundary between building and site. Instead, it creates shaded thresholds and open edges, where the experience of hospitality is shaped by the surrounding vegetation, the coastal climate and the slower rhythm of the land.

Modular BV: An Industrialized Timber System

The bungalows were built using Modular BV, a construction system developed by UNA barbara e valentim in partnership with the Brazilian engineered timber manufacturer Crosslam, and assembled on site by Abaeté Construtora e Incorporadora. The system is based on prefabricated modules made of reforested eucalyptus CLT, produced in a controlled factory environment and dry-assembled on site.

For a project located in a remote and environmentally sensitive area, this system offers clear advantages. It increases control over cost, time and environmental impact, while reducing waste and shortening the construction process compared to traditional high-end building methods.

 

 

Industrial Precision and Architectural Authorship

At Casa Daia, prefabrication is not treated as a limitation. By combining architectural authorship with industrial precision, the project proposes a model in which technology supports the architectural intention rather than replacing it.

The result is a modular timber system capable of responding to the environmental, logistical and cultural conditions of the site. Casa Daia is the second built example using the Modular BV system, following Modular Bahia, a single-family residence on the southern coast of Bahia that applied the same principles of independent timber structure, CLT enclosures, cross ventilation, shading and integration with the landscape.

Landscape, Community and Low-Impact Practices

The siting of the bungalows begins with the recognition of the environmental singularity of Barra dos Remédios, where multiple ecosystems and traditional ways of life coexist within a landscape that has resisted the passage of time. Before construction began, an extensive environmental zoning study was carried out, in alignment with the principles of regenerative tourism: minimal impact, integration with the landscape, appreciation of local culture and respect for the time of the land.

Casa Daia also maintains an ongoing dialogue with neighboring communities such as Pescada Nova and Praia Nova. The project prioritizes local labor, supports social initiatives and adopts low-impact practices, including rainwater harvesting, photovoltaic energy, waste management, agroforestry and the reduction of disposable plastics.

 

 

Architecture, Landscape and Community in Continuity

In a context marked by environmental and social transformation, Casa Daia positions itself as a sensitive and tangible alternative for contemporary tourism. The bungalows show how hospitality architecture can engage with remote territories without imposing itself on them.

Through modular timber construction, careful siting and a commitment to the surrounding community, Casa Daia articulates architecture, landscape and local culture in a relationship of continuity.

Lightness and Transparency

On a corner plot in Glyfada, with a southwestern orientation and openness toward the sea, Divercity Architects designed a residential building composed of three floor apartments and a two-level residence at ground level. The project responds to the conditions of the Athenian Riviera, where the Mediterranean climate encourages the daily use of outdoor space and turns balconies, terraces and gardens into essential parts of domestic life.

The building is developed through an architecture of slabs and large glazed surfaces, seeking a balance between light and shadow, view and privacy. Rather than treating the façade as a fixed boundary, the project uses it as a layered interface between the interior, the city and the surrounding landscape.

Balconies, Views and Filtered Privacy

Large openings and continuous perimeter balconies define the main façades, giving the residences a sense of transparency and lightness. The apartments open toward the view while remaining protected through a system of movable shading elements that filter sunlight without obstructing the visual connection from the interior.

These light shading screens create moments of privacy and allow the façade to change throughout the day. Their movement and material expression mediate between exposure and retreat, making the exterior envelope responsive to climate, orientation and inhabitation.

 

 

Vertical Gardens as Spatial Filters

A series of vertical gardens is integrated into the balconies, separating shared from more private zones. These planted elements introduce greenery into the experience of urban living, while also supporting the creation of a more favorable microclimate around the residences.

At night, the gentle lighting of the vertical gardens transforms them into luminous markers within the building’s composition. Their presence produces a subtle play of shadows and reinforces the dialogue between architecture, planting and atmosphere.

White Geometry and Precise Detailing

The clean white geometry of the envelope and the careful handling of details give the building a sense of clarity and duration. The architectural language remains restrained, allowing the contrast between solid slabs, transparent surfaces, planting and movable screens to define the project.

This balance gives the building a timeless quality, avoiding excess while supporting a generous mode of living. Light, air, shade and view become the main materials of the residential experience.

 

 

Ground-Level Residence, Water and Greenery

At ground level, the two-level residence is framed by water and planting. A large swimming pool defines the outdoor living area, while the perimeter planting visually connects the plot with the dense vegetation beyond its boundaries.

The result is a building that extends domestic life outward, using terraces, gardens and shaded thresholds to connect the apartments with the climate and landscape of Glyfada. Transparency and lightness are not only formal qualities here, but conditions of inhabitation.

A Wooden Façade in a Densely Wooded Setting

Built from scratch in a densely wooded area of São Paulo, MLL Residence by Dado Castello Branco Arquitetura is introduced through a wooden façade that immediately reveals the project’s organic character. The house is conceived in close relation to the landscape, where architecture, vegetation and everyday family life are brought into a continuous domestic experience.

The residence does not stand apart from its surroundings. It is framed by trees, shaded paths and generous timber elements, allowing the built volume to settle softly within the garden while maintaining a clear architectural presence.

Landscape as an Extension of Domestic Life

A defining feature of the project is the way the landscaped pathways, designed by Isabel Duprat, appear to flow naturally into the interiors. This continuity creates a direct connection between the residence and the neighboring property, which belongs to the resident’s brother.

The gesture reflects an important aspect of the family’s daily life: the tradition of gathering for shared meals. Landscape is therefore not treated as a decorative frame, but as an active part of the house, supporting movement, encounter and everyday rituals.

A House Organized Around Family Connection

The relationship between the two neighboring properties gives the project a specific social dimension. The pathways do more than organize circulation through the garden; they reinforce the bond between two houses and the family members who inhabit them.

A wide canopy shelters the walkway toward the second house, creating a protected passage through the vegetation. This architectural element turns movement between the two homes into a daily experience of proximity, shade and continuity.

Tropical Greenery and the Social Area

In the social area, a striking wall of Monstera deliciosa forms a lush green backdrop. Native to Central America and widely loved in Brazil, the plant introduces depth, texture and drama into the interior atmosphere.

This living surface reinforces the project’s broader intention: to allow vegetation to participate directly in the spatial experience of the house. Greenery is not kept outside the architecture, but becomes part of how the residence is perceived, used and inhabited.

Generous Openings, Wooden Eaves and Spatial Amplitude

The residence is defined by expansive openings, generous wooden eaves and a ceiling height of 3.50 m, all of which enhance the feeling of spaciousness. These elements allow the house to feel both sheltered and open, protected from the climate while remaining connected to the surrounding vegetation.

Through material warmth, landscape continuity and an emphasis on family gathering, MLL Residence forms a calm and generous living environment. The project turns the house into a place where architecture and nature support a shared way of life.

A Courtyard House Shaped by Urban Constraints

In Baghdad, Shatt Al-Arab House by Fran Silvestre Arquitectos is conceived from the limitations of its site. Located at street level on one of the city’s busiest avenues, the plot is defined by the geometry of the surrounding urban fabric and by the need to create privacy, openness and domestic calm within a dense metropolitan condition.

The brief called for a residence that would bring together a daytime living area, two nighttime rooms and a space for physical exercise. Given the limited size of the plot, the most immediate strategy would have been to build vertically, freeing part of the site for a garden. Instead, the architects chose to occupy the entire plot with an extensive single-storey volume.

A Horizontal Strategy for a Compact Plot

The decision to work horizontally allows the house to establish a different relationship with the exterior. Rather than concentrating the program in a compact vertical form, the project expands across the site and connects with outdoor space in two distinct ways.

The first is a perimeter garden, which acts as a filter between the house, the avenue and the surrounding streets. The second is a central circular courtyard, which becomes the main open space of the residence and the organizing element of the entire plan.

The Circular Courtyard as the Center of the House

The central courtyard gathers the more public and open areas of the house around it. In one direction, it creates a sequence of indoor and outdoor spaces that begins and ends in the perimeter garden, allowing the interior to extend visually and physically across the full depth of the plot.

This spatial sequence is defined by four glass boundaries that can be fully retracted along the side walls. When opened, they create a hybrid condition between interior and exterior, transforming the house into a continuous open space that stretches from one end of the plot to the other.

Perimeter Garden, Privacy and Retractable Boundaries

The perimeter garden plays a dual role. It protects the house from the intensity of the surrounding urban context, while also allowing each space to remain connected to greenery and natural light. As a boundary, it is not a hard separation, but a planted threshold that mediates between domestic life and the city.

The retractable glass enclosures reinforce this sense of permeability. They allow the living areas to change character according to use, climate and time of day, expanding the domestic interior into the garden and courtyard whenever needed.

Night Rooms, Service Cores and Spatial Clarity

In the opposite direction from the main open sequence, the two primary nighttime rooms are positioned with a more controlled relationship to the exterior. These rooms open only toward the perimeter, ensuring privacy while maintaining contact with the garden.

At the four corners of the house, enclosed cores concentrate the service areas. This clear distribution frees the central and perimeter spaces, giving the plan a precise organization in which open, private and service zones are carefully balanced.

A Rooftop Oasis Above the City

The roof completes the spatial composition of the house. Accessed by an internal staircase, it is conceived as an elevated oasis defined by a series of boundaries. On the outer edge, the vegetation of the garden provides privacy from the city.

On the inner edge, a sheet of water crowns the circular courtyard below. One side of this water element becomes deeper, allowing it to be used for bathing. The roof therefore extends the logic of the house vertically, creating a final outdoor space where vegetation, water and enclosure form a protected domestic landscape above the street.

 

A Midcentury Modern Home Reimagined in Alexandria

Located at the end of a cul-de-sac in Alexandria, Virginia, the Menachery Residence by MODE4 Architecture transforms a midcentury modern developer home into a more expressive, functional and enduring family residence. Framed by mature perimeter trees, the property benefits from a canopy that provides privacy and shade, grounding the house within its natural setting while allowing it to retain a confident presence in the neighborhood.

The project began as a radical rethinking of the existing house. Select portions of the original structure were retained in order to direct resources toward new construction, while much of the previous envelope was replaced after proving structurally unsound. This process allowed the architects to introduce a taller roofline and an entirely new massing composition, giving the residence a renewed architectural identity.

New Massing, Taller Roofline and Vertical Rhythm

The added height of the new roof enabled the vertical tower elements to be integrated within a broader and more cohesive form. Instead of appearing as isolated volumes, these elements now participate in a unified architectural composition, where proportion and rhythm shape the overall character of the house.

A key reference for the design was the visual movement of musical notes across a staff, inspired by the clients’ teenage daughter, who is a pianist. This idea informed the project’s vertical rhythm, producing a composition that feels carefully structured while retaining a lyrical quality.

 

A Contemporary Court-and-Garden Sequence

The first floor introduces a formal foyer, office, dining room, pantry with wet bar, powder room, mudroom, family room and a new three-car garage with integrated storage. The main stair anchors the plan, organizing the sequence from the driveway court to the double-height foyer and onward toward the rear garden terrace.

This spatial continuity reinterprets the traditional court-and-garden typology within a contemporary suburban context. Arrival, movement and domestic life are treated as parts of a single architectural experience, where the house opens gradually from the street-facing court toward the more private landscape at the rear.

A New Upper Level for Family Life

The second floor extends the program with a primary suite and attached bath, connected to the first level by its own private stair. The upper level also includes a bridge, secondary family room, guest suite, laundry, powder room and storage areas.

A new wing extends from the main house to form an L-shaped plan, strengthening the dialogue between structure and site. This configuration balances openness, privacy and flow, allowing the house to accommodate family life with greater spatial clarity.

 

 

Quiet Modernism Through Restraint and Precision

Through proportion, restraint and clarity of form, the Menachery Residence reflects MODE4 Architecture’s Quiet Modern ethos. The project does not treat renovation as surface renewal, but as a deeper transformation of structure, sequence and identity.

Calmness is achieved through precision rather than excess. The familiar language of the midcentury suburban home is reworked into a more timeless architectural composition, where massing, movement and family life are brought into careful balance.

Urban Housing Around Open-Air Courtyards

Located in the Brooklyn neighborhood of Southeast Portland, Brookland Apartments by Hacker proposes a residential model shaped around light, air, greenery and everyday contact with the outdoors. The 166-unit, five-storey building reintroduces natural connections within a dense urban setting, using a sequence of open-air courtyards to bring planted outdoor space directly into the life of the apartments.

A Residential Framework for Well-Being and Community

The project is conceived as a framework for well-being and community. Rather than treating circulation as a purely functional requirement, the building organizes movement around exterior walkways, planted thresholds and shared outdoor spaces. These courtyards operate as collective “front yards,” lined with seating, planters and vine-covered pathways, while also extending outward to form terraces along the building perimeter.

 

Bright Interiors and Shared Amenities

Inside, the apartments are designed with restraint and clarity. The residential mix includes micro studios, studios, one-, two- and three-bedroom units, supported by communal amenities such as a ground-floor lounge, coworking space, fitness center, sauna and rooftop commons. Simple, bright interiors, calm colors and natural textures create a measured contrast with the warmth of Western red cedar and the dense planting of the courtyards.

Natural Light, Fresh Air and Dual Orientation

A key aspect of the design is the relationship between private units and shared outdoor space. Each apartment is planned to maximize access to natural light and fresh air, with openings toward the internal courtyards as well as views toward the surrounding neighborhood. This dual orientation reinforces the connection between domestic life, collective space and the wider urban context.

 

Open-Air Circulation and Western Red Cedar

The 127,500-square-foot building uses its open-air circulation to encourage informal encounters between residents. Walkways and stairs line the courtyards, creating moments of contact and visibility across the building. Western red cedar surfaces wrap the outdoor voids, adding visual warmth on Portland’s cloudy days and offering a tactile, natural counterpoint to the building’s scale. Vine-covered trellises provide shade and texture along common paths, while planting softens the experience of moving through the complex.

Terraces, Rooftop Commons and Urban Well-Being

On the upper levels, the courtyards open toward terraces, expanding the sense of connection to the neighborhood. The rooftop commons further extends this social and environmental agenda, offering residents sunlight, views and shared outdoor space within the city. Mechanized parking stackers improve parking efficiency, allowing more of the site to be dedicated to housing and shared amenities.

 

Nature, Community and Density as One Strategy

Through its combination of compact living, generous communal areas and carefully integrated greenery, Brookland Apartments explores how urban residential architecture can support everyday well-being. The project turns circulation, courtyards and terraces into active spatial elements, creating a housing environment where nature, community and density are not treated as opposing conditions, but as parts of the same architectural strategy.

 

 

Architectural gestures

Located in a quiet neighborhood of Palaio Faliro, this small-scale 1950s house is reapproached through a series of restrained and precise architectural gestures. The project seeks to preserve the domestic identity and spatial memory of the existing shell while adapting it to the demands of contemporary everyday living.

 

Spatial Organization

The original layout of the residence is largely maintained, with selective interventions enhancing functionality and spatial flow. The central design gesture is the reconfiguration of the kitchen, which transforms from an isolated, enclosed room into an open core of daily life. Its extension toward the entrance reinforces the continuity of the interior, while its relationship with the living area is organized through the framing of the existing opening, allowing visual connection without fully dissolving the separation between functions.

 

 

Reintegration of Existing Elements

Rather than disconnecting the house from its past, the intervention seeks to creatively incorporate traces and elements of its previous life. The decorative plaster ceiling moldings are preserved as carriers of memory, while the original kitchen sink is restored and repurposed within the bathroom, acquiring a new function in a different spatial context. The residence thus becomes a field of continuity, where old and new coexist without resorting to nostalgic imitation.

 

 

Material Palette

The material palette follows a calm and tactile logic, shaped by natural textures, earthy tones and clear geometries. Wood acts as the primary element of warmth and continuity throughout the interior, while the stainless-steel kitchen countertop introduces a subtle contemporary tension within the otherwise restrained composition. In the bathroom, the relationship between refinement and rawness is reinforced through materials that reference exposed concrete and rougher flooring surfaces, intensifying the tactile experience of the space.

The project approaches the idea of an “urban holiday house”: an intimate domestic environment where simplicity, material honesty and spatial clarity coexist with a subtle sense of nostalgia. Without attempting to replicate the past, the design seeks to carry its traces into the present, allowing the house to evolve while preserving its distinct character.

 

Architecture in the in-between

The “Polikatikia” is located on the island of Karpathos and consists of six family residences. The project approaches dwelling within the island landscape not as a strictly typological exercise, but as a complex field where morphology, topography and the everyday experience of the Mediterranean climate collectively shape a unified architectural system.

 

Landscape Integration

The arrangement of the six residences is organized through a series of overlapping volumes that shift and subtly rotate, disrupting the strict orthogonality of the conventional apartment building. The composition evokes an initially solid mass that gradually appears to fragment, separate and split into distinct spatial elements.

These geometric displacements operate not only as formal gestures but also as environmental mechanisms, generating intermediate voids, shaded areas, natural light penetration, outdoor extensions and visual openings toward the landscape. The staircase is positioned precisely within the “in-between” void created by the displacement of the volumes, transforming this transitional space into the primary vertical connective tissue of the complex.

 

 

Design Philosophy

The architecture seeks to reinforce the relationship between interior and exterior space, following the principles of Mediterranean living. Large openings and the horizontal development of the primary volumes allow the living spaces to extend outward toward the landscape, creating a sense of spatial continuity with light, air and views toward the sea.

The transitional outdoor areas function as intermediate climatic zones, providing shade, protection from strong winds and different spatial qualities throughout the day. Through this compositional approach, the residence is not perceived as an isolated object, but rather as part of a continuous experience of place and climate.

 

 

Spatial Organization

The internal organization of each apartment is structured around three distinct functional zones. At the center lies the “service core” containing the auxiliary and wet areas, naturally illuminated and ventilated through light wells, enhancing both comfort and environmental performance.

The living spaces, including the living room, dining area and kitchen, are arranged toward the north, directly oriented toward the sea views and surrounding landscape. In contrast, the bedrooms are positioned on the southern side, protected from strong winds while benefiting from natural light.

The overall composition seeks to translate the particularities of island dwelling into a contemporary architectural language, where building, climate and landscape operate as interconnected components of a unified spatial experience.

 

Dissolving into the landscape

Located within a residential development on the outskirts of São Paulo, the project was conceived as a residence where architecture, landscape and everyday life operate as a unified spatial experience. It responds to a site bordered by a golf course and an artificial lagoon, establishing a careful dialogue between built form and the surrounding environment.

Rather than emphasizing monumentality, the design strategy seeks to fragment and soften the scale of the residence. The house develops primarily across a single horizontal plane, while secondary technical spaces and recreational functions are discreetly concealed within a lower level. This organizational approach allows the architecture to remain visually grounded within the landscape, reinforcing a sense of continuity with the terrain rather than imposing itself upon it.

 

Spatial Organization

The residence is structured around a central planted courtyard filled with native Atlantic Forest vegetation, transforming nature into an active spatial nucleus rather than a peripheral backdrop. This internal garden mediates circulation, light and visual continuity throughout the house, while simultaneously reinforcing the atmosphere of retreat and privacy that defines the domestic experience.

The program includes four bedrooms, expansive living areas and entertainment spaces organized around carefully framed views toward the surrounding landscape. The spatial composition privileges openness and fluidity, allowing interior and exterior environments to overlap continuously.

A generous covered gallery occupies the most privileged edge of the plot, overlooking both the lagoon and the golf course. In response to the Brazilian climate and its strong culture of outdoor living, this semi-exterior space becomes the social heart of the residence. Inclined concrete partitions regulate western sunlight, reducing heat gain during the afternoon while preserving visual openness and airflow.

 

 

Material Palette 

Material restraint and geometric clarity define the architectural language of the project. Concrete surfaces, controlled proportions and elongated horizontal lines establish a calm and cohesive architectural identity, while the interplay between solid partitions and open voids generates constantly shifting conditions of light and shadow.

The elevated swimming pool extends directly from the main living level, visually merging with the adjacent lagoon through reflective continuity. Its infinity edge creates a cascading effect toward the lower ground, transforming the pool into both an infrastructural and sculptural element within the composition.

The bedrooms, positioned toward the front garden, establish a quieter domestic zone where vegetation operates simultaneously as privacy filter and environmental mediator. Large openings reinforce the inhabitants’ connection with nature while maintaining controlled intimacy from the street frontage.

 

 

Construction

An essential dimension of the project was the collaborative relationship established between architect, clients and construction team. Specifically, the successful realization of the house depended largely on the owners’ commitment to preserving the integrity of the architectural vision throughout the construction process.

Despite geographical distance, the coordination between the architectural office and the construction company remained continuous and highly collaborative. This ongoing exchange enabled the project to maintain coherence from concept to execution, resulting in a residence where the built outcome closely reflects the precision and atmosphere of the original design intent.

 

Interconnected space

The project consists of two interconnected interventions: the restoration of a 1920s Cretan stone residence and the addition of a contemporary vertical extension, together forming a unified family home. Originally built as part of the refugee housing settlements of the early twentieth century, the existing structure represents a characteristic example of vernacular domestic architecture, now reinterpreted through a contemporary architectural language that allows the building to regain visibility and presence within the urban fabric.

 

Restoration Strategy

Rather than concealing the traces of the original dwelling, the intervention embraces the existing stone shell as a bearer of memory and spatial identity. Elements of the historic residence are preserved and incorporated into the new architectural composition, particularly within the lower level where the shared living functions are organized. Century-old details remain visible throughout the interior, contributing to an atmosphere that balances familiarity, permanence and subtle nostalgia.

 

 

Design Philosophy

The new extension is constructed through a lightweight metallic structural system combined with a timber roof and an additional loft level. The design approach seeks to establish a coherent architectural dialogue between the permanence of the original masonry structure and the lighter contemporary intervention. Clean geometric volumes, semi-transparent surfaces, generous ceiling heights and a restrained material palette contribute to an environment defined by spatial clarity and continuity.

 

 

Spatial Organization

Within the upper levels, where the private sleeping quarters are located, the architectural composition explores variations in height and section to introduce spatial complexity and moments of openness. The shifting interior volumes generate a sense of lightness and optimism, reinforcing the experiential quality of everyday domestic life. The result is a residence where restoration and contemporary addition coexist without hierarchy, producing a unified architectural narrative grounded equally in memory and transformation.

Linear volume

Conceived as a continuous linear volume that bends and unfolds across the site, the Courtyard Office organizes its program around a large internal garden that becomes the social and environmental core of the project. The building’s geometry creates a porous workplace environment where circulation, landscape and workspace remain in constant visual dialogue, fostering openness, interaction and environmental comfort.

 

Spatial Organization

The office develops sectionally between two and four levels, allowing the building mass to respond dynamically to orientation, climate and circulation requirements. At the southwest and northeast edges, the volume lifts from the ground plane, enabling prevailing south-westerly breezes to move naturally through the internal courtyard and enhancing passive cooling throughout the complex.

Additional lifted corners at the northeast and northwest ends generate generous double-height volumes that accommodate shared collective functions, including a cafeteria and a library. These spaces establish visual continuity between floors and encourage informal interaction across different departments and working environments.

The primary circulation spine traces the perimeter of the courtyard, maintaining constant visual contact with the landscape while connecting the office floors. Workspaces are arranged along the outer edges of the building envelope, opening toward planted gardens and benefiting from natural light and framed exterior views.

 

 

Climate-Responsive Design

The geometry of the building was carefully developed to maximize environmental performance. Its longest facades are oriented toward the north, ensuring consistent indirect daylight across the office interiors throughout the day. On the remaining elevations, angled louvers filter sunlight while directing views and light northwards, minimizing heat gain and reducing the building’s overall energy demand.

Natural ventilation strategies are embedded directly into the architectural form. The lifted ground conditions, landscaped courtyard and sectional variation collectively generate airflow through the building, creating comfortable internal conditions while limiting dependence on mechanical cooling systems.

 

 

Design Philsoophy

Drawing inspiration from the spatial logic of traditional Indian courtyard houses, the project reinterprets the courtyard not merely as an outdoor void, but as an active climatic and social device. Open and enclosed environments alternate throughout the complex, creating a varied sequence of volumes, orientations and atmospheres that support different modes of work and interaction.

The result is a workplace environment where architecture and landscape operate as a continuous system, balancing environmental efficiency with spatial diversity and human experience.

 

Levitating mass

The house is located in a quiet rural area, with one floor above ground and another dug into the earth. Featuring imposing black pigmented concrete, the design is centered around three main masses, creating a balance between open spaces and solid structures. The transparent central volume serves as the heart of the building, while the surrounding landscape plays an integral role in shaping the living experience.

 

Design Philosophy

The lower floor contains a large, excavated courtyard, which acts as a central gathering space. The central mass, over 5m high, offers clear views of the entire site. On either side, two long, parallel masses extend across the lot, reinforcing its length and creating a balanced composition. These masses penetrate the central structure, giving the appearance of floating concrete beams that stretch outward, enhanced by differences in the roof heights.

A floating bridge made of reflective stainless steel connects the entrance of the house across the courtyard, offering a clear view of the interior spaces. The path leads through a shallow reflecting pool, revealing the private areas of the house that are not visible from the street. This bridge also creates a visual link between the two long masses that extend through the structure.

 

 

Functional Organization

The upper floor includes the main living spaces, with a large living room, kitchen, dining area, and family rooms. The master suite features a walk-in closet, bathroom with a shower inside a reflecting pool, and a bedroom with views of the garden. A staircase made of dark natural stone leads to the lower level, where the wellness and leisure spaces are located, enhancing the flow between the levels.

The lower floor accommodates an indoor pool, gym, spa, cinema room, and a hospitality area, including a bar and wine room. Additional spaces for supporting functions, such as a laundry room and staff quarters, are also located here.

On the opposite side of the house, a large, landscaped garden includes a soccer field, pool, outdoor kitchen, and living areas, designed to support various social and recreational activities.

 

 

Material Palette

The house features clean, modern lines with black concrete facades, fiber-c cladding, and large glass openings. Dark natural stone flooring is complemented by blackened brass details. The design emphasizes an illusion of levitation, where the contrast between solid concrete and floating masses is achieved through roof disconnection and transparent elements.

 

Varying context

Located in Ílhavo, Portugal, the project unfolds as a single-storey residence that seeks to reconcile the programmatic requirements with the specific characteristics of the site. The plot is situated within an area that currently remains undeveloped along its periphery, though it is expected to undergo significant residential growth in the near future. Within this transitional context, the residence attempts to establish from the outset a clear relationship between private living and the surrounding landscape.

 

Functional Organization

The decision to resolve the entire program on a single level transforms the outdoor space into an integral component of the architectural composition. The remaining green areas are not treated as residual space, but rather as active elements of everyday habitation and the overall spatial organization of the house.

The arrangement of the volumes gradually defines the spatial hierarchy of the residence. As movement progresses deeper into the site, the spaces acquire an increasing sense of privacy and seclusion. Architecture employs the positioning and geometry of the volumes as tools for organizing daily life, creating a clear transition from the more public to the more protected functions.

 

 

Design Philosophy

The architectural proposal is structured around two distinct volumes, differentiated both formally and functionally in response to the specific content of the program. These volumes are strategically positioned on the site in order to maximize solar exposure, establish controlled relationships with the surroundings and frame the outdoor spaces.

At the same time, the openings and incisions of the façades allow for controlled natural light while reinforcing the continuity between interior and exterior space. In this way, the residence develops a constant visual and functional extension toward the landscape, integrating greenery into the spatial experience of the interior.

 

 

Material Palette

The form and materiality of the project draw reference from the region’s traditional constructions, reinterpreting familiar architectural elements through a contemporary compositional language. Clean volumes, inclined surfaces and a restrained material palette compose an architecture that engages with the local building tradition without resorting to mimicry.

The use of zinc surfaces, natural timber and bright neutral materials throughout the interior reinforces the understated character of the residence, while simultaneously introducing durability and timelessness to the composition. Light is treated as a primary architectural tool, shaping interiors defined by calm atmospheres and subtle variations of illumination throughout the day.

The result is a residence articulated with clarity and economy of means, transforming the relationship between built and unbuilt space into the central core of the architectural experience.

 

Domestic prototype

In the wake of the global realignment brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic, Riverhouse emerged as a deeply personal exploration of domesticity. Situated within a protected river corridor in rural Rhode Island, the project reflects broader cultural shifts toward slower living, environmental consciousness and closer engagement with nature. Designed as both family residence and experimental retreat, the house reconsiders how architecture can support evolving modes of living, working and gathering.

Originally occupying the site was a deteriorating summer structure that had hosted a series of informal architecture camps since 2014. These gatherings brought together architects, collaborators and families in an environment centered around dialogue, collective reflection and shared living. Over time, the fragile building became increasingly unsustainable, prompting the architects to envision a new dwelling capable of preserving the spirit of the site while responding to contemporary environmental and spatial demands.

 

Domestic Prototype

The new residence occupies the footprint of the original structure while introducing a compact yet highly articulated architectural form. Elevated to comply with floodplain regulations, the house balances technical rigor with an atmosphere of informality and warmth. Conceived according to Passive House principles, the project incorporates triple-glazed openings, heavily insulated wall assemblies and rooftop photovoltaic systems with battery storage, allowing the building to operate entirely on electricity while minimizing year-round energy consumption.

Rather than emphasizing technological performance as an end in itself, the project integrates environmental systems seamlessly within the architectural language. The design maximizes natural ventilation and daylight through strategically positioned apertures, while outdoor rooms, terraces and roof gardens extend domestic life into the surrounding landscape. The architecture negotiates openness and enclosure through a sequence of carefully calibrated spatial conditions that reinforce the connection between interior and exterior environments.

The distinctive geometry of the house emerged through an iterative process of physical model-making. A folded blue metal roof descends asymmetrically across the facades, producing a diagonal ridgeline that creates dynamic sectional relationships throughout the interior. This manipulation of volume allows for double-height spaces, mezzanine rooms and carved outdoor courtyards that bring light deep into the plan while framing views toward the river and surrounding forest.

 

 

Material Palette

Material selection played a central role in shaping the identity of the project. Thermally modified ash wood cladding, unfinished plywood surfaces and handmade Lebanese tiles introduce tactile richness while maintaining a restrained material palette. Vibrant window frames punctuate the muted exterior composition, echoing the changing colors of the surrounding vegetation throughout the seasons.

Inside, the house is organized around a spacious communal living area designed for both everyday inhabitation and collective gathering. Storage systems are embedded within the architectural envelope to maintain spatial clarity, while each room is dimensioned with precision to maximize efficiency without sacrificing comfort. The spatial organization privileges adaptability and fluidity, allowing domestic routines, work and social activities to coexist seamlessly.

The project evolved through an extended process of collaboration involving architects, designers, artists and craftspeople. These interventions blur the boundaries between architecture, interiors and objects, reinforcing the house’s role as a continuously evolving environment shaped through collective authorship.

Construction itself became part of the project’s narrative. Built incrementally within a modest budget, the project relied heavily on the involvement of friends, collaborators and local builders. The process unfolded gradually, with many contributors living alongside the project as it took shape, reinforcing the architects’ broader understanding of architecture as a social and participatory act.

 

 

Design Philosophy

Beyond its role as a private residence, the project operates as an ongoing platform for exchange, experimentation and dialogue. Continuing the legacy of the original architecture camps, the project supports gatherings that foster conversation around architecture, ecology and collective living. A second phase currently underway introduces a pavilion, swimming pool and gardens intended to accommodate future communal events and workshops.

In this sense, Riverhouse belongs to a lineage of architect-designed experimental houses that function simultaneously as homes and spatial manifestos. Yet unlike historical precedents centered on formal autonomy, this project responds directly to contemporary concerns surrounding climate adaptation, evolving family structures and the redefinition of domestic space in an increasingly uncertain world.

The result is a residence that resists the notion of retreat as isolation. Instead, the project proposes an architecture rooted in openness, resilience and environmental sensitivity – a carefully inhabited structure that remains unfinished in the most productive sense: continuously adapting, evolving and engaging with the people and landscape that surround it.

 

 

Refined Materiality

This generational home was designed as a gathering place for an international client’s extended family. A longtime appreciator of modern design, the owner was looking to carefully craft a biophilic living space for his wife and young twins, as well as a home to entertain and host visiting friends and family.

 

Design Philosophy

The private site is situated on a flag lot, surrounded by open space with mature perimeter trees and vegetation. The 455m² structure consists of two forms layered perpendicularly. On the ground level, a kitchen, dining, and family room flow naturally into outdoor living spaces, centered around a passively cooled double-height living room that pulls cold air from lower levels to the warmer second story via strategically placed windows. A covered patio at the rear of the house and trellis at the front foster a sense of openness; the surrounding scenery is framed thoughtfully by architecture, becoming almost transparent.

The L-shaped structure nestles a protected, private courtyard and pool between the house and hillside, which directly connects to the guest suite. The suite is thoughtfully designed as a space for the client’s visiting parents. Supported by the lower level on one end and the hillside on the other, the private second floor is balanced gracefully atop its lower counterpart. The primary suite lightly floats above a grove of mature oaks, overlooking distant views of the San Francisco Bay to the north. On the opposite end, the twins’ rooms mirror each other as to “not to favor one over the other”, equally divided by a shared study nook.

 

 

Functional Organization

A double height stone clad fireplace connects the first and second floors, and wood slats splash patterns of daylight onto a rich material palette. A subterranean level houses the office, guest room, and nanny suite, complimented by lightwells that welcome natural light into each space. The office connects via an outdoor staircase to the covered patio -a primary outdoor gathering space for friends and family, with a fireplace and moveable wood slatted screens allowing flexibility to control exposure to southern sunlight.

 

 

Material Palette

The home’s materiality is subtle and refined, allowing natural textures to create visual contrast. The exterior is clad with bush-hammered travertine and reclaimed Ulin wood siding. A simple, warm interior palette of white oak paneling, black laminate, and white marble with brass accents allows the surrounding landscape to add color and light. Understated, comfortable furnishings accented with the daughter’s hand sketches create a warm, open, materially rich space deeply and intimately connected to the site and its occupants.

 

Reference point

The project’s design considers both the current state of the area and its future development. In this direction, a distinctive, contemporary architectural language is created with the aim of establishing a point of reference in the growing district of Voula.

 

Design Philosophy

The main idea is to create a double shell that envelops the building, providing the necessary privacy for users. The irregular shape of the plot and the narrow frontage on the adjacent streets, with large sides located at the plot boundaries, determine a need for private spaces while preserving a sense of continuity with the uncovered neighboring areas. The shell is traversed by a sparse perforation, contributing to the natural lighting of the interior of the building while ensuring the necessary privacy where needed. The perforations are clad with robust semi-transparent glass elements that create interesting reflections inside. The curved slabs, with their slight rotation, give the impression of a not-so-compact volume, offering intriguing shadows and different visual perspectives from the balconies.

Bioclimatic Strategy

In pursuit of sustainable development, local climate features were incorporated into the design. Water surfaces and green areas play a central role in creating a microclimate for residents and the neighborhood. On the ground floor, the designed shallow pond, with irregular islands and a swimming tank, is part of the approach. This composition, combined with the planting of gardens with interesting varieties of tall trees, creates a harmonized natural climate of coolness and tranquility at the entrance level, which extends to the surrounding neighborhood.

 

 

Custom Elements

On the balconies, green spaces are created, adding to the aesthetic quality of the exterior arrangement, and contributing to bioclimatic design. The perforated pergola on the roof level, acting as a filter, serves as an additional architectural element that creates ideal conditions for shading and ventilation, enhancing the aesthetic and functional character of the space.

 

Inclined tower

The project is located along the coastline of Limassol, 9 km east of the city center. Rising to a height of 50m, it consists of luxury apartments offering a 180° sea view. The construction of the building required the study and supervision of specialized consultants and contractors due to its large cantilevers, which gradually shift and extend away from the building’s core on the ground floor.

 

Design Philosophy

Each floor is displaced by 1.5m to maximize the orientation and create expansive, both covered and uncovered, south-facing verandas with views of the sea. This displacement results in the building sloping at an angle of over 20°, presenting unique technical challenges regarding the structure, vertical circulation, mechanical and electrical systems, and security. At the same time, it defines the building’s key feature, transforming it into an iconic landmark.

 

 

Urban Integration

The building leans toward the road and the urban landscape. On this elevation, behind the parametric perforated sloped GRC shell, the mechanical spaces are located, functioning as a vertical buffer zone between the public and private realms.

Water Element

In the horizontal dimension of the building, at ground level and spanning 50m in length, a water element connects the interior to the surrounding environment, reaching the shore. The elongated swimming pool, entirely clad in green marble, accentuates the north-south axis that links the urban landscape with the natural one, guiding the user from the public to the private space. The pool also serves as an area for leisure, relaxation, and rejuvenation.

The design, along with the selection of natural materials, plantings, and water elements, creates a sense of balance and a deep connection to the earth, both inside and out.

 

Bioclimatic shell

The project, located next to a traffic junction in one of the busiest and noisiest areas on the outskirts of Nicosia, is a medical center that provides day-care services across multiple fields, featuring modern and specialized operating rooms.

 

Design Philosophy

The elongated plot along Tseriou Avenue, oriented north–south, made it crucial to protect the building’s spaces from western and eastern solar exposure, as well as from excessive noise. The building is organized across six levels, two of which are underground. The ground floor, aligned with the adjacent pedestrian pathways, accommodates reception and service areas, a café, various gathering spaces, and offices. Medical areas, such as operating rooms and recovery rooms, are located on the first and second floors. The basement levels include support spaces and parking, while the third level houses mechanical installations.

The ground floor maintains a direct visual connection with the surroundings, is easily and immediately accessible from the sidewalk, and is surrounded by planting and outdoor areas for rest and dining. In contrast, the first and second floors are more introverted, with selective openings designed in direct relation to the functions they serve.

 

 

Facade and Shading Strategies

On the first and second floors, the eastern, western, and southern façades incorporate large rotating shading devices integrated into the building envelope, allowing generous outward views. When closed, they block sunlight and provide near-complete blackout conditions. On the western side, fixed perforated shading elements protect two external balconies directly connected to the vertical circulation, which can be used as breakout spaces.

On the northern façade, where solar protection is not required, a green wall covers the entire surface. In the intermediate zone between the wall and the vegetation, two balconies are constructed for plant maintenance as well as for relaxation. Spaces with direct visual contact to the green wall mainly include operating rooms and recovery beds.

 

 

Spatial Organization

The internal organization of the building, while overall reflecting the need for efficiency in patient care, is enriched with internal green atria and rest areas with balconies overlooking the city. These features create a well-lit and pleasant environment for both visitors and staff.

Set within a valley at the foot of a wooded hillside, the house is embedded in a landscape often veiled in shadow, protected by both slope and vegetation. The project emerges from this chiaroscuro condition, proposing the restoration of the original structure alongside the addition of a suspended extension – an intervention defined by lightness, openness and a renewed relationship with the surrounding environment.

 

Restoration Strategy

The existing building, a construction of notable character, has been carefully restored through a process of subtraction rather than transformation. Interior partitions and superfluous finishes were removed, allowing the spatial continuity to re-emerge while revealing the integrity of the original timber framework. Plaster coatings were stripped away, exposing the tactile qualities of stone and embedded flint, while existing shutters were cleaned and reinstated.

This approach reestablishes the house’s primary material expression and reinforces its anchoring within the Vexin landscape. The architecture does not impose a new identity but instead clarifies and amplifies what was already present, allowing the structure to reconnect with its historical and material context.

 

 

Design Philosophy

In contrast to the grounded, mineral presence of the original volume, the extension adopts a distinctly lighter architectural language. Positioned perpendicular to the existing structure, it extends beyond the shaded footprint to capture optimal sunlight. Elevated three meters above the natural terrain, the new volume engages directly with the slope and surrounding vegetation, establishing a dynamic spatial dialogue between ground and canopy.

A slender footbridge, constructed in wood and clad in polished stainless steel, connects the two volumes, framing views toward the forest while reflecting the sky. This transitional element reinforces the experiential sequence between old and new, shadow and light, enclosure and openness.

 

 

Material Palette & Structure

The extension is anchored by foundations of exposed aggregate concrete incorporating flint, establishing continuity with local construction methods and materials. Above this base rises a triangulated pine structure, articulated through a fine and rhythmic framework that defines the project’s light and elevated silhouette.

This structural system, both precise and expressive, supports an architecture that balances stability and suspension. The interplay between the restored mass and the lightweight addition generates a cohesive composition that explores contrasts – between heaviness and lightness, opacity and transparency, shadow and illumination.

Between anchoring and elevation, the project articulates a nuanced architectural response to its environment, proposing a dwelling that is both embedded in its context and open to transformation over time.

 

Industrial Archaeology

The existing building is one of the rare examples of the Brutalist architectural movement in Greece. It was constructed in 1972 and represents one of the most significant works by the Tombazis office. It served as a flagship for the company specializing in industrial concrete production.

The revival of the historic building posed an ethical challenge in terms of the intervention limit on the existing structure. It is worth noting that over its 50 years of existence, the building had been covered in various hues and materials, with the most recent being an ochre shade, which obscured its original Brutalist texture. Therefore, the initial intervention focused on restoring the original (1972) composition of exposed concrete in all visible elements of the building (40,000 sqm).

 

Spatial Organization

The goal for the interior was not to eliminate intervention through a faithful reconstruction of its original form. The radical spatial rearrangements inside aimed to create a new space that was always there, in the building’s “subconscious” since 1972. This effort was primarily guided by the 1.20m x 1.20m grid, corresponding to the dimensions of the typical element of the barrel-vaulted roof. This grid became the basis for every architectural and electromechanical element of the building, designed upon the natural, three-dimensionally projected grid that defined the barrel-vaulted roof.

To highlight the geometry of the roof as the driving force behind the entire design, all mechanical or other equipment was removed. This contrasted with the initial state of the building, where the roof was covered with various false ceilings and other architectural and electromechanical elements. Thus, the previously “buried” barrel-vaulted roof serves as a significant archaeological finding that determines the new morphology of the building’s interior and guides the space “towards absolute architecture” (Jean Pierre Raynaud – Maison de La Celle-Saint-Cloud).

 

 

Material Palette

A fundamental intervention in the interior of the building is the implementation of a clear functional access axis on the horizontal plane, with continuous water surfaces. Additionally, a vertical axis is created by a series of self-supporting marble cantilevers integrated with the central staircase. Earthy materials and minimalist clean lines are applied to enhance the Brutalist elements of the building through contrast. Water elements are modernized, redesigned, and expanded within the building’s interior, while the central staircase is reoriented to relieve congestion and widen the circulation routes (horizontal and vertical) of the common areas. The mezzanine is removed, and a complete reconfiguration is executed in the entrance area, aiming to create a clean and iconic reception space. Auxiliary spaces are added, and an opening is made towards the surrounding area of the ground floor event hall to create a multifunctional contemporary space. Raised floors are implemented on all levels to accommodate all mechanical installations while leaving the barrel-vaulted slab untouched and visible. The courtyard is highlighted in the Administration area, and a limited, open-plan arrangement is employed in the closed office spaces with extensive use of glass, along with a functional open layout for the office areas. Finally, the basement is excavated with the aim of creating a wine cellar and tasting area.

 

 

Sustainability Strategy

Regarding the building envelope, all roof and terrace insulation is reconstructed, including waterproofing and thermal insulation. Thermal bridging points on all horizontal surfaces are addressed, minimizing them on vertical surfaces without causing any alteration to the facades. Additionally, all external openings are replaced with modern thermally broken aluminum frames and energy-efficient glazing. Solar shading systems are implemented to control sunlight, while water elements in the building’s exterior are modernized and expanded to provide natural cooling and improve the microclimate.

The architectural treatment of the facades is discreet, almost reverential, in terms of highlighting the character and overall philosophy of the building. One could argue that the choice of the same materials – concrete and glass, but in their present-day interpretation, almost 40 years later – better serves the core of the initial idea that governs the entire building, while simultaneously giving it a much more contemporary image.

 

Continuous dialogue

Set within a site of remarkable natural beauty and surrounded by a golf course, the residence is conceived as an architectural composition that seeks to integrate seamlessly with its landscape. Through a careful articulation of volumetry and material expression, the project balances an extensive program with a sense of spatial clarity and harmony. The L-shaped plan is positioned at a slightly elevated level relative to the street, allowing unobstructed panoramic views across the otherwise flat terrain. This gesture establishes a gradual spatial transition while encouraging a continuous dialogue between interior and exterior environments.

 

Design Philosophy

The formal language of the residence is defined by the interplay of strong horizontal lines and a series of nuanced geometric transformations. Corners are beveled, curved, or inclined, generating a dynamic architectural composition that combines precision with expressive fluidity. The material palette reinforces this relationship with the surrounding landscape, employing light and earthy tones that enhance visual continuity. Wood elements, applied in panels and ceilings, are paired with a metal structure, while exposed light concrete introduces a subtle contrast against the warmer textures of the ground floor. A large, slatted panel on the upper level further accentuates the sense of lightness, contributing to the layered articulation of the façade.

 

 

Spatial Organization

The architectural composition unfolds through a clear organizational strategy that divides the residence into two primary volumes. A longitudinal wing accommodates the private program, including three suites, a physiotherapy space, and a home office, while a transversal volume concentrates the social and service areas, such as the kitchen, dining space, and auxiliary functions. Upon entry, gently inclined and curved walls guide movement toward the main living area, establishing a fluid spatial sequence that connects directly with the leisure zones. The integration of amenities, including sauna, spa, gym, and children’s area, is enhanced by retractable glass panels, allowing for flexibility and continuity. This entire leisure front is illuminated by zenithal natural light, ensuring both privacy and spatial clarity.

 

 

Lighting Design & Materials

Large, glazed surfaces establish a constant visual connection with the surrounding landscape, framing views and reinforcing the contemplative character of the residence. Architectural elements such as pergolas and inclined planes modulate light and shadow across the façades, introducing temporal variation throughout the day. On the upper floor, the master suite and additional bedrooms are arranged along the axes of the L-shaped plan, complemented by workspaces that benefit from the tranquility of the setting. A metal slat screen filters natural light while preserving privacy, and a continuous metallic eave outlines the volume with refined subtlety. Internally, the design language mirrors the exterior, combining warm tones, natural light, curated artworks, and selected furniture pieces into a cohesive and elegant spatial experience.

 

Working laboratory

Taller Di Frenna Arquitectos has developed its own architecture studio in Colima, Mexico, conceived as both a functional workplace and a platform for creative exploration. The building accommodates workspaces, meeting areas, audiovisual facilities and interior courtyards, organized within a series of clearly articulated volumes. Through the use of exposed materials, textural experimentation and the integration of natural light and vegetation, the project reflects the studio’s broader architectural ethos.  

 

Design Philosophy

The headquarters is conceived as an environment where architectural production and research coexist. Beyond accommodating the daily operations of the practice, the building operates as a space for experimentation, collaboration and the development of ideas.

The program includes open-plan workspaces, meeting rooms, audiovisual areas and a dedicated model-making workshop. These functions are arranged to foster interaction between team members and to support the various stages of the design process, from conceptual exploration to final presentation.

Rather than functioning as a conventional office, the building acts as a working laboratory, embodying the studio’s design methodology while enabling the continuous testing and evolution of architectural ideas.

 

 

Construction Logic & Materials

The architectural composition is defined by a sequence of clean, well-proportioned volumes. Emphasis is placed on the use of exposed, honest materials, allowing construction elements to remain visible and to express their structural and tactile qualities.

Concrete, steel, charred wood and stone form the primary material palette. Their combination, through varied textures and finishes, generates a layered architectural language that negotiates between industrial precision and natural expression. This material strategy reinforces durability while foregrounding craftsmanship and construction techniques.

The approach aligns with a broader design philosophy rooted in clarity of form, authenticity of materials and the integration of artisanal knowledge within contemporary architectural practice.

 

 

Courtyards & Spatial Organization

A network of interior courtyards structures the spatial organization of the building. These voids introduce natural light and vegetation into the interior, while establishing visual and physical connections between different programmatic zones.

The interplay between interior and exterior conditions produces a gradual spatial transition, where built volumes and natural elements coexist in a continuous dialogue. Variations in light, shadow and level contribute to a dynamic spatial experience, mitigating the monotony typically associated with enclosed office environments. These intermediate spaces also function as areas of pause and informal gathering, supporting a working atmosphere that encourages reflection, exchange and collective engagement.

The realization of the building involved close collaboration with local builders and artisans, whose contribution is evident in the detailing, surface treatments and material finishes throughout the project.

 

Urban upgrade

Along the axis that, from antiquity to the present day, connects the port of Piraeus with the center of Athens, Pireos Street, a concrete building of approximately 10,000 m² has been constructed, accommodating a fashion company alongside office functions.

 

Design Philosophy

The design of the building seeks to address two critical issues of the contemporary city: the maximization of greenery in relation to the built environment and the optimization of its environmental performance. The architectural composition is articulated through the coexistence of two distinct volumes: a single-storey retail space of 1,300 m² and a five-storey office building in an L-shaped configuration that encloses it, forming a clear boundary towards the adjacent structures and Pireos Street.

The roof of the ground-level volume is transformed into an intensively planted green roof, functioning as an elevated urban garden for both employees and the city. In this way, the project introduces a new topography, where greenery extends vertically, redefining the user’s relationship with the environment.

 

 

Spatial Organization

Employees benefit from a direct visual and functional connection to the garden, ensuring privacy and distancing from the noise of the busy urban artery. At the same time, ramps leading to the planted roof, in combination with the geometry of the curved volume, establish a spatial continuity that connects the ground level with a higher, publicly accessible plane.

The façades is differentiated according to orientation through shading systems such as louvers and stainless-steel mesh, regulating solar exposure and reducing thermal loads without compromising outward views. Each surface is conceived as an active filter mediating between interior and exterior conditions.

 

 

Sustainability & Technology

The green roof is maintained year-round through an automated irrigation system that utilizes rainwater collection and reuse tanks. The storage of significant water volumes supports the survival of the vegetation even during the summer months.

In parallel, the use of air-to-ground heat exchangers – large underground ducts – allows the introduction of naturally tempered air, contributing to the building’s microclimatic performance. A Building Management System (BMS) controls lighting, ventilation, and air conditioning, as well as window operation and internal shading, ensuring optimal indoor comfort while achieving substantial energy savings.

The project embodies a holistic approach to sustainable design, where architecture, technology, and landscape converge into a cohesive system that redefines the contemporary workplace.

 

Introverted courtyard

The house is located in a suburban area of Nicosia and was designed to establish a strong connection between indoor and outdoor living, drawing references from the urban Cypriot houses of the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

 

Spatial Organization

This contemporary approach reinterprets the courtyard as the living core of the residence. The main spaces – living room, dining area, kitchen and two bedrooms – are arranged in an L-shaped layout around a central courtyard. At the heart of the composition, an elongated water element, the pool, acts as a natural extension of the living space.

The presence of water enhances the dialogue between inside and outside, while also contributing significantly to the formation of a favorable microclimate, providing natural cooling during the summer months. The courtyard thus becomes an intermediate space of everyday life, where the boundaries between private and open-air environments are softened.

 

 

Material Palette

The architectural proposal follows a strict minimalist logic, emphasizing geometric clarity and the elimination of any superfluous elements. The volumes are defined by clean lines, while the composition is structured around the balance between solid and void.

Exposed concrete is the dominant material, selected for both its structural properties and its restrained aesthetic. This unified materiality ensures coherence and durability, while the clean surfaces act as a canvas for the interplay of natural light and shifting shadows throughout the day.

 

 

Bioclimatic Strategy

The design carefully utilizes orientation and cross-ventilation to ensure optimal airflow and natural lighting. At the same time, the introverted organization of the residence guarantees a high level of privacy, in contrast to the surrounding urban context.

The result is a residence that engages with local architectural heritage, translating it into a contemporary language. Through the synthesis of space, material and climate, the project responds to current needs for quality of life, flexibility and a meaningful connection with the natural environment.

 

Renewed perspective

The project of Dexamenes matures gracefully over time, much like wine – a narrative defined by continuity, a gentle projection into the future, and a constant state of entropy. Quiet reinvention has become intrinsic to its character: the hotel evolves through modest gestures, extending itself layer by layer, season by season. Since its inception, it has consistently reactivated its existing components. The twin silos now pulse with wellness, art, and recurring culinary events, each iteration fostering an ongoing dialogue with the past.

 

Extension Strategy

In parallel, the building has sought its own modes of evolution, delicately emerging from its robust concrete base. A few years after its completion, as cultural and culinary programs continued to flourish, it became evident that the site could accommodate a new chapter in hospitality – an additional layer that would honor the original ethos while offering a renewed perspective. During the early stages of construction, when the interiors of the tanks remained inaccessible, time spent on their rooftops revealed a unique sensation of elevation. From this vantage point, the sky met the sea in a continuous, uninterrupted line. It was this immediate connection to the horizon that ultimately informed the addition of a new layer atop the concrete tanks.

 

 

Functional Organization

Eight new rooms now occupy this elevated structure. A lightweight framework of slender metal tubes and warm wooden planks hovers above the solid tanks, tracing the building’s geometry without imposing upon it. These refined elements dematerialize the presence of the new level, allowing a thin canopy to appear as though it floats effortlessly above the concrete volume. A linear water feature frames the horizon, visually merging the architecture with the sea. Sunlight reflecting off the wooden pergola animates the surfaces, reinforcing the nautical, raft-like character of the intervention. The new rooms extend the palette, aesthetic, and spatial logic of the existing accommodations. Each one opens toward the sea through a generous veranda, shaded beneath the pergola, while access from the rear courtyard integrates the upper level into the daily life of the hotel below.

 

 

Design Philosophy

From this elevated vantage point, guests engage with the silos, the cultivated vines of the garden, and the rhythm of activity below, now perceived from a distinctly different perspective. The addition does more than expand the hotel’s capacity; it encapsulates, activates, and extends the evolving narrative of Dexamenes. The rooftop of the rear tank remains intentionally open-ended, reserved as a space for experimentation and discovery. From here, the horizon stretches infinitely, uncharted and anticipatory, awaiting the next chapter in the life of the hotel.