Frame House

Frame House is a residence built on a hill in Athens’ northern suburbs. The sharp slope of the area to the southwest reveals a breathtaking view of Athens, while the municipal road runs along the northeast side. The duality of the plot constituted the starting point of the design for redeveloping the original building. The old building was simplified into a rectangular white volume to allow the view to play the leading role it deserves. The façade to the street has small openings to maintain privacy; while the white volume ‘opens’ to let the view in the house. On the north side of the residence is a perforated box of wooden blinds that is used for shading, and also serves as a windbreak. The side of the box near the pool is opened with the help of a series of hydraulic pistons. Movable panels can obscure even the lowest south-western light. The introverted character of the residence is underlined with the wall of exposed concrete that wraps around the building. The shape of the wall is adjusted to set the house’s entrance and parking area, and ends up defining the pool’s overflow. The architectural elements of the Frame house’s format convey the dual intentions of privacy and welcoming the view.