Citadel Within the City

Set within the Matosinhos Sul Urbanization Plan by Álvaro Siza, the former Brandão & Companhia canning factory occupies a privileged position near the coastline, retaining a strong connection to the industrial past and maritime identity of the area. The intervention reinterprets this legacy through a mixed-use development that consolidates healthcare, commercial, office, and residential functions within a unified architectural system, restoring the original envelope and chimney while introducing a contemporary layer.

 

Urban Integration

The proposal addresses the fragmentation of the existing structure by re-establishing continuity within the urban fabric. While the original volumetry occupied almost the entire plot, the project introduces permeable and green voids that allow natural light and circulation to penetrate the block. These interstitial spaces generate visual and physical connections between programs, enhancing accessibility to upper levels and fostering interaction within a dense, multifunctional urban environment. The ground floor accommodates commercial and service functions, offices are positioned on the first level, and residential units are organized in elevated volumes.

 

 

Programmatic Organization

At the entrance to the residential areas, a reception space opens onto a patio that operates as the central node of circulation, linking communal zones and distributing movement across the complex. The spatial hierarchy is structured to balance privacy and collectivity, ensuring fluid transitions between different uses. The distribution of the building mass into distinct volumes creates a dynamic composition that responds both to the scale of the plot and to the surrounding urban context.

 

 

Material Palette

The architectural language is articulated through a juxtaposition of materials with varying densities, notably pigmented concrete and aluminum stretched mesh. This contrast reflects the dialogue between past and present, emphasizing both the solidity of the existing structure and the lightness of the newly inserted volumes. Suspended above the courtyard, these elements introduce a sense of elevation and permeability, with a material palette inspired by the proximity to the sea. The intervention ultimately establishes a balanced relationship with adjacent buildings and the public realm, contributing to the revitalization of the block and supporting a broader strategy of sustainable urban development.

 

Cohesive framework

Conceived as a new architectural landmark for South Tyrol, the Museum Depot responds to the need for a centralized facility dedicated to the protection, conservation, and public accessibility of the region’s cultural assets. The project rethinks the fragmented system of existing depots, consolidating diverse collections into a unified structure that accommodates over one million objects, ranging from artworks and museum holdings to archaeological finds and audiovisual archives.

 

Programmatic Integration

The proposal addresses a dual objective: to operate as a highly efficient preservation facility while simultaneously engaging with the cultural and institutional demands of the region. Rather than functioning as a series of isolated storage units, the building establishes a cohesive framework that integrates research, conservation, and exhibition. Offices, laboratories, workshops, storage areas, and public galleries coexist within a single architectural system, fostering collaboration and exchange between institutions.

The spatial organization prioritizes relationships and workflows, structuring the program around a central courtyard that introduces natural light into the working environments while offering visual and physical access to a landscaped outdoor space. This arrangement enhances both functionality and user experience, positioning the depot as an active cultural infrastructure rather than a purely technical repository.

 

 

 

Spatial Strategy & Sustainability

A key aspect of the design lies in the careful distribution of functions across different levels. Storage and exhibition spaces are located underground, ensuring stable climatic conditions essential for the long-term preservation of sensitive artifacts. Above ground, administrative and research functions benefit from daylight and visual permeability, creating a balanced working environment.

Circulation is conceived as a continuous and legible system, connecting the various programmatic elements while reinforcing their interdependence. The interior is defined by clear spatial sequences and controlled transitions, allowing both staff and visitors to navigate seamlessly through the building.

 

Design Philosophy

The architectural form draws from the vernacular typologies of South Tyrol’s alpine and valley regions, translating traditional elements into a contemporary language. A raised, pitched roof defines the building’s silhouette, while the street-facing entrance opens into a transparent and welcoming foyer.

Partially embedded into the ground, the structure reduces its visual impact and establishes a sensitive relationship with the surrounding landscape. The green roof extends the natural terrain, reinforcing continuity between the built form and its environment. This integration is further emphasized by the material palette and the modulation of volumes, which echo local architectural references while maintaining a distinct contemporary identity.

The main entrance connects directly to the urban fabric and adjacent plaza, while additional access points through underground parking ensure functional efficiency. At the heart of the interior, a sculptural spiral staircase acts as both a spatial and symbolic element, linking the exhibition spaces below with the public and administrative areas above.

Upon completion, the Museum Depot will not only provide optimal conservation conditions for previously dispersed collections but will also reposition them as accessible and active components of the region’s cultural landscape, reinforcing their value within both local and broader contexts.

 

Horizontal form

Located in Agios Tychonas, Cyprus, this private residence is conceived as a clear architectural composition of horizontal and vertical volumes that respond to the natural slope of the site. The building rests on an exposed concrete structural frame that establishes a solid base, while the white-rendered upper level introduces a sense of visual lightness. Continuous south-facing glazing and wooden louvers reinforce the relationship between interior space and landscape, creating transparency and warmth. The overall composition emphasizes horizontality, directing views toward the horizon and the infinity pool, which operates as a spatial extension of the interior living areas. The project’s architectural identity balances the raw texture of concrete with warm wooden surfaces and glass, establishing a contemporary dialogue with the surrounding natural environment.

 

Spatial Organization

The functional layout is structured around an open-plan ground floor where living, dining and kitchen spaces unfold seamlessly toward the outdoor terrace and swimming pool. This arrangement strengthens the connection between interior and exterior while extending everyday living into the garden.

The upper level accommodates the private areas of the house. Bedrooms and bathrooms are organized along a linear circulation corridor and are complemented by perimeter balconies that enhance privacy while encouraging cross-ventilation. The clarity of the plan establishes strong visual axes that guide the gaze toward the surrounding landscape, while allowing flexibility of use and a comfortable everyday spatial experience.

Bioclimatic Strategy

Environmental considerations are integrated into the project from the earliest stages of design. The building’s orientation and form respond directly to the climatic characteristics of the site, enabling passive regulation of temperature and daylight.

Carefully positioned overhangs and cantilevered elements, combined with adjustable wooden louvers, mitigate solar exposure during the summer months while allowing the lower winter sun to penetrate the interior spaces. Large openings facilitate natural cross-ventilation and passive cooling, while the exposed concrete structure operates as thermal mass, storing and gradually releasing heat to maintain stable indoor conditions.

 

 

Materials & Landscape Design

The architectural expression of the residence emerges from the dialogue between its material palette and the surrounding landscape. Concrete, wood, glass and white render are employed with restraint, establishing a balanced composition that reflects both modernist clarity and sensitivity to place.

Strategic planting around the perimeter contributes to the improvement of the microclimate, while the presence of the pool and landscaped surfaces enhances evaporative cooling. The overall form of the building adapts to the topography of the site, minimizing environmental impact while shaping a calm and open living environment.

Through this approach, the residence functions as a contemporary retreat where interior and exterior spaces merge seamlessly. Each volume, opening and material choice contributes to a spatial experience that prioritizes sustainability, clarity and a strong relationship with the natural landscape.

 

Reflection of the City

The new National Gallery building, now incorporating a major expansion and museological upgrade of its exhibition spaces, constitutes an important landmark in the contemporary urban landscape of Athens: to the pre-existing building of 9,720 m², which is listed as a modern monument, an additional 11,040 m² was added, more than doubling the functional spaces to a total of 20,760 m².

 

Design Philosophy

Through the new proposal, additions were implemented between the two units of the historic building (“Building A” facing Vasilissis Sofias Avenue and “Building B” facing Michalakopoulou Street), at the point where they are connected by a bridge above the location of the Ilissos riverbed, while underground spaces (“Building C”) were also opened where the groundwater level permits. The interior of the complex was completely redesigned.

The new building volumes, characterized by large glass surfaces, clearly stand apart from the architecture of the preserved building, with its exposed reinforced concrete structure and white marble infill elements. On the Michalakopoulou Street side, the new National Gallery gained an additional floor, while in the void between the two old wings an additional depth of three levels was added.

In the garden created south of the historic main entrance, the Gallery acquires an independent entrance, while the configuration of the surrounding landscape recalls the presence of the Ilissos river, through the creation of a water channel and the extension of greenery. The museum also features visitor circulation ramps with views toward the city skyline, elevators and staircases, full accessibility for people with disabilities, and modern security systems.

 

 

Spatial Organization

The entrance to the building complex takes place through a multifunctional space of 910 m², where in addition to control, information and visitor services, multiple digital information systems provide access to content about the building, the collections and the activities of the Gallery.

The main Gallery shop is also located there, equipped with versatile display cases. From the reception area visitors can move either towards the exhibition spaces of the permanent collections or towards the temporary exhibition areas, as well as to the 350-seat amphitheater or the café.

The interior architecture and the museographic study shaped the spaces accessible along the visitor routes. The museological core of the National Gallery consists of the permanent exhibition halls on the first and second floors of Building B, where the permanent collection of Greek painting and printmaking of the 19th and 20th centuries is presented, the permanent exhibition hall on the second basement level of Building C, where the permanent collection of Western European painting and printmaking is displayed, as well as the halls for rotating exhibitions on the third floor of Building B, where the continuously expanding collections of Contemporary Art (20th and 21st centuries) are presented through a rotating program.

In the permanent exhibition halls, spatial organization is mainly achieved through the placement of fixed exhibition panels that extend across the full height of the space, contributing to the narrative continuity of the exhibits. Through the use of these panels, the path of the gaze is designed through the revelation and concealment of spatial depth, while directions and visual perspectives are created, encouraging multiple associations and readings of the exhibits and forming central configurations as thematic focal points.

 

 

Museography and Exhibition Strategy

In these halls, suspended ceilings with general and accent lighting have been installed, incorporating a translucent elastic sound-absorbing membrane, while the exhibition walls and panels with a final fiber gypsum board surface allow for the hanging of artworks.

The exhibition panels are supported by the floor and the structure of the translucent ceiling, allowing cable routing inside them from the ceiling wiring system. Similarly, cable routes along the perimeter walls are placed at their upper termination. The exhibition space, beyond the exhibition surfaces, is equipped with display cases that enrich the exhibited material with drawings, watercolors and prints, while the artwork security systems allow the identification of each work individually and the immediate monitoring of any change in its condition.

In the halls for rotating exhibitions, in order to address special requirements, a suspended ceiling system was implemented that ensures uniform general lighting, isotropic distribution of accent lighting for the exhibits, as well as the possibility of supporting exhibition panels and hanging exhibits or projection systems. In addition to the permanent collection exhibition halls, the second basement of Building C hosts the temporary exhibition hall, where the suspended ceiling–lighting–display system used in the rotating exhibitions of the permanent collection has been extended in order to provide a suitable supporting background.

At the junctions between exhibition halls and the horizontal and vertical circulation areas of the building, circulation, signage and information nodes are defined and marked by wood cladding on the walls and ceilings. The visitor route is structured as a sequence of exhibition halls and circulation nodes where visitors can orient themselves and redesign their route, obtain digital information about the content of each exhibition hall and view additional exhibition material related to the content of the halls in specially designed display cases.

Overall, the extensions and reconstructions include new exhibition spaces of 2,230 m², modern art storage facilities of 1,645 m² and a space dedicated to educational programs. The new museum is equipped with state-of-the-art conservation laboratories, administrative offices, as well as a library that develops across two floors. It also includes two café-restaurants, with the second, located on the top level of the building, offering panoramic views toward the Acropolis, Mount Lycabettus and the Saronic Gulf.

In the new building, 1,000 works can be displayed as part of the permanent collection, whereas previously the old building could accommodate no more than 400 works. The new temporary exhibition hall approaches 2,000 m², while the storage spaces can house up to 10,000 artworks.

 

New connections

Eleftheria Square lies adjacent to the Venetian walls and the dry moat that surrounds Nicosia. These distinctive defensive fortifications, originally built during the Middle Ages and extensively restored by the Venetians in the 16th century, define the historic core of the capital, separating the old city from the newer districts that developed beyond the walls.

 

Urban Design Strategy

The transformation of the square into the city’s primary gathering space is based on the creation of new connections intended to contribute to the reunification of the divided capital. The design secures unobstructed views toward the historic walls, establishing them as an integral component of Nicosia’s identity, while simultaneously opening the moat to public uses, allowing it to host festivals and outdoor events.

The project elevates the level of the moat to form a bridge that connects organically with the surrounding urban fabric, creating a new civic square at the heart of the city. Within this framework, extensive archaeological excavations were carried out, alongside conservation and protection works for the historic Venetian fortifications. The project also includes the creation of two cafés within the square and the construction of a new underground parking facility, accessed from Omirou Avenue.

 

 

Elements of Circulation

Staircases and elevators directly link the square with the Solomos Square bus terminal, reinforcing the functionality and permeability of the area. The transformation of previously inaccessible areas within the moat into plazas, gardens, and palm-lined pedestrian paths establishes a new “green belt” around the city.

This belt has the potential to extend along the historic fortifications, forming a continuous network of public spaces that encircle Nicosia and reconnect the communities of the divided capital. In this way, the square acts as a catalyst for the activation of public space, offering new opportunities for social interaction and urban life.

 

 

Materiality & Lighting Design

Within the broader vision of transforming the moat into an urban park, the project’s fluid geometries emerge from the triangulation of the irregular forms of the fortification perimeter. Points of spatial intensity are transformed into seating areas, planting beds, or water elements, shaping a dynamic urban landscape. Granite paving introduces a sense of timeless solidity, while the open joints between the slabs function as a passive system for stormwater drainage. Newly planted trees contribute to the natural regulation of water levels, reducing erosion around the foundations of the medieval walls.

The upper-level bridge and its supports are constructed from sculptural concrete forms that ensure seismic stability, while the bases of the columns are shaped to function as integrated seating elements. Through this transformation, Eleftheria Square emerges as the largest urban public space in Nicosia. By bridging the Venetian walls and the moat, the square becomes a significant gateway to the old city, while the underground parking facility removes vehicular traffic from the historic center, facilitating its future pedestrianization. In this way, the project enriches the urban landscape of this historic district while simultaneously creating new public gardens and gathering spaces for residents and visitors alike.

Finally, the lighting design reinforces the square’s fluid geometry and acts as a spatial guidance system during the evening hours. Linear lighting elements are discreetly integrated along the contours of the curved surfaces and bridges, emphasizing the dynamic morphology of the composition and enhancing the legibility of the structure within the urban landscape. At the same time, low-intensity lighting fixtures embedded within the paving create a subtle “field of light” that follows the geometry of the circulation paths and areas of pause. This approach highlights the plasticity of the concrete surfaces, enhances the sense of safety, and transforms the public space into a nocturnal landscape where light operates both functionally and atmospherically.

 

 

Geometric elements

Built amidst fields of wheat, the house is defined by the geometric treatment of three natural elements: Earth, water, and light. The composition becomes a sequence of different impressions throughout the day, and the poetics of space creates a detachment from the environment, as a layout raised above the landscape.

 

Design Philosophy

At once, a home, and imagery: the former attribute is experienced practically, and the latter becomes the source of ideas. One layout and one clear line, diagonally traced upon a simple volume, define the building. It is an elongated volume of bare concrete, placed in-between the ground and the sky. Its elegant character is described in simple lines, uniting and dividing.

The floor-to-ceiling opening maintains proportions which allow an unobstructed sky view. The building volume is subtracted from the soil, creating a seamless flow of open air space beneath – a gesture further accentuated with the water axis, perpendicular to the building.

 

 

Façade Morphology

The shell is introverted, with only a few incisions on its surface, and the dominant bare concrete is complemented with a screen of perforated, folded bronze shades. Contact with the outside remains at the disposition of the inhabitant. Each idea requires a practical application. The living experience is entirely introverted, with the materiality of concrete enforcing this impression. The bold gesture at the entrance -an oversized prism which absorbs a disproportionate part of the whole- acts as a bridge to the interior, with its geometry and size underlining the distance between public and private.

 

 

Materials & Sustainability

Incisions are few, and precise: one opening at the kitchen looks downwards; one light well at the end of the corridor accentuates a sculpture in space, and marks arrival. At the entrance prism, a vertical aperture is juxtaposed to the incision of the kitchen; as a result, each afternoon, a strip of light crosses through. Those elements are brought into a marked contrast with the other two faces of the volume, where the wall is expressed as absence.

The shading device is also a mechanism, a filter in an environmental approach. The ample height of the spaces alludes to vernacular architecture, where the large air volume stabilizes interior temperature. The thermal mass of the walls adds to this effect. The tectonic shell of the project wraps this interior in an austere line, without any superficial gestures.

 

In dialogue with nature

The new exhibition space is located in the heart of Platres, nestled among pine trees and the stone textures of the mountainous Troodos landscape, and stands as a contemporary, understated architectural gesture. From the outset, the intention is clear: not to impose upon the environment, but to shape a structure that rises organically from its natural setting, engaging it in terms of balance and continuity.

 

Material Palette

The composition is grounded in the use of natural materials – local stone and exposed concrete surfaces – that draw their tonal qualities and textures directly from the earth. Rather than confronting the mountainous terrain, the building integrates into it, adopting a calm, grounded presence. Clean lines and a minimalist volumetric expression reinforce a sense of measure, establishing a contemplative dialogue between the natural and the man-made, the solid and the transparent.

 

 

Design Philosophy

The building’s formal articulation is achieved through a series of horizontal concrete slabs, differentiated in height and projection, generating a controlled interplay of light and shadow. This succession of planes introduces rhythm and a subtle sense of movement, as though the architecture were interpreting the geometry of the landscape itself. Materiality and geometry act as carriers of atmosphere, shaping a space defined by continuity, serenity, and spatial clarity.

 

 

Functional Organization

The transition between interior and exterior is treated with complete fluidity. Full-height aluminium glazing dissolves visual boundaries, allowing natural light, forest air, and ambient sounds to permeate the interior. The exhibition space operates as an open platform for art and culture, hosting exhibitions, installations, and community events. More than an autonomous structure, it constitutes an experience of inhabiting nature through architecture – a poetic composition that invites visitors to reconsider their relationship with the landscape through the lens of art, light, and materiality.

 

In-between zone

The residence is located in the region of Argolis, in Ermioni, on an amphitheatrical site offering views to the sea to the north and the mountainous terrain to the east. The design field itself dictated from the outset the manner in which the building would develop, shaping an architectural gesture that mediates between the road and the open landscape.

 

Spatial Organization

The building is organized to clearly define its boundaries toward the road and neighboring properties, ensuring privacy while remaining open and extroverted toward the surrounding vistas. The residence turns decisively toward the sea and the mountain, with the distinctive curve at its southwestern edge symbolically and spatially expressing this movement, while simultaneously marking the sequence of entry.

Interior spaces are arranged to secure direct visual connections with the environment. The ground floor accommodates the living areas, a guest room, and auxiliary functions serving the outdoor spaces, while the upper level hosts the bedrooms, maintaining both privacy and unobstructed views.

 

 

Design Philosophy

In front of the residence, a swimming pool extends along the façade, its geometry following that of the building and reinforcing the coherence of the composition. The water element operates as an intermediate threshold between the built structure and the natural terrain, visually amplifying the relationship with the horizon and intensifying the dialogue with the sea.

The overall configuration of the outdoor areas underscores the continuity between interior and exterior, transforming movement through the house into a sequence of experiences shaped by light, shadow, and framed views.

 

 

Material Palette

The selection of materials – stone, wood, and earthy tones – strengthens the connection to place and anchors the building within the landscape of Argolis. The architectural approach remains restrained and austere, employing clear geometries that allow the user to experience directly the relationship with nature – the sea, the mountain, and the land.

Through human scale and natural materials, the project proposes a contemporary understanding of luxury: simple, essential, and deeply intertwined with the environment and the lived experience of the landscape.

 

Sinuous structure

The winery is part of a family-run wine tourism development in Portugal’s Alto Douro Wine Region, a UNESCO World Natural and Cultural Heritage Site. Together with a hotel still under construction, the winery blends into the landscape, combining tradition with innovation and sustainability.

 

Context Integration

Designed to minimize environmental impact, the project utilizes existing infrastructure while anticipating future adaptations. Its curvilinear architecture echoes the zigzag vineyards without compromising functionality. Locally sourced materials such as schist and granite reduce transport emissions, while wooden structures replace concrete where possible, limiting CO2 release. Over time, the pinkish greys, greens and browns take on new hues and textures, potentiating the building’s integration into the environment.

The configuration of the building is a set of interlocking naves that follow the existing topographic slopes, replicated on its internal mechanics, where the winemaking process takes place by gravity. The gravitational system is a traditional solution on the banks of the River Douro and this wine cellar showcases it with all its up to-date operational capabilities.

 

 

Design Philosophy

The geometry of the cellar’s roof interprets the vernacular gable roof structured in wood. This structure is exposed in the winery, and becomes a sinuous, continuous and organic sculptural element that flows through the tangential curves of the vineyards.

The winery’s main entrance houses a visitor center with a reception area and a wine shop that leads up to a meeting room with an all-glass wall and to the wine tasting area in a spacious balconied gallery, overlooking both the wine ageing area in the central nave of the building and the surrounding landscape. These rooms have access to the vineyard and a stone little old chapel, via a large terrace overlooking the Douro. Events that favor a prestigious wine tourism may be hosted to promote the winery and the region and celebrate both nature and architecture.

 

 

Sustainable Design & Vegetation

The development uses renewable energy sources, namely geothermal energy, to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and to provide ideal hydrothermal conditions for wine production and human comfort. Energy efficiency is fundamental to the winery’s design. The building’s northerly orientation and its specific insulation ensure optimum indoor temperatures and humidity levels, with limited mechanical climate control. The few windows and skylights frame the landscape and maximize the use of natural light.

Water conservation is also integral to the winery, which lacked public water supply infrastructure. Rainwater is harvested, drinking water sourced from artesian boreholes, and wastewater is treated and recycled for irrigation, cleaning, and fire prevention. Permeable pathways return rainwater to agricultural use, reducing waste and preserving resources.

The landscape design revives native flora, enriching biodiversity and supporting ecosystems that benefit vineyard health and promote economic activities that run parallel to the wine production.

 

Structural honesty

The project constitutes a new residential composition on the outskirts of Chania. The proposal is developed as a set of two autonomous building volumes, organized around a clear structural logic and characterized by the extensive use of exposed reinforced concrete. The architectural language of the complex is grounded in the honesty of the load-bearing structure, transforming construction into a primary morphological element and creating a discreet yet dynamic presence within the Mediterranean landscape.

 

Design Morphology

The volumes are shaped through the interplay of solid and void, generous balconies and deep overhangs that filter natural light, provide shading, and enhance the bioclimatic performance of the residences. Large openings and carefully articulated cuts in the building envelope frame views and strengthen the relationship between interior spaces and the natural surroundings, fostering a sense of calm and clarity.

 

 

Material Palette

The interiors are designed with an emphasis on functionality, spatial flow, and simplicity. Natural materials, understated surfaces, and neutral tones compose a restrained aesthetic that highlights the character of the exposed concrete and supports a way of living closely connected to the land and the local climate. Transitions from private to semi-outdoor and outdoor spaces are smooth and seamless, reinforcing a sense of continuity and openness.

 

 

Design Philosophy

Recently completed, the project stands as an example of contemporary Mediterranean architecture that combines efficient construction methods, material economy, and a clear architectural expression. In particular, the design proposes an accessible, contemporary model of living, where structure, light, and landscape exist in a continuous dialogue.

 

Daily living

The overall approach conveys a contemporary residence of high aesthetic quality, where comfort, functionality, and materiality coexist in harmony, offering a living environment characterized by identity, calmness, and timeless value.

 

Design Philosophy

The apartment is located in the heart of Thessaloniki, on Palaion Patron Germanou Street. The new floor plan has been organized into distinct zones, responding to the everyday life of the family. A spacious common area, with direct access to the two openings on the main façade, accommodates a large kitchen with an island and dining area, along with a comfortable living room. A concealed bar and a small home office, flanked symmetrically by storage units for daily use, stand out for the character they add to the space.

Particular emphasis was placed on storage solutions, which were carefully designed both in terms of their external appearance and internal configuration, ensuring maximum spatial efficiency. The master bedroom includes a walk-in wardrobe, an additional workspace, and a private en-suite bathroom. Two children’s bedrooms and a larger shared bathroom complete the layout of the residence.

 

 

Custom Elements

Starting from the apartment’s existing morphology, a series of custom-built elements were designed to “dress” and resolve areas that required intervention. A characteristic example is the large structural beam that interrupted the open-plan space, which was reinterpreted as a coffered slab and seamlessly integrated into the overall composition. The decision to rely exclusively on custom-made furniture allowed for complete design freedom, without constraints in materials, dimensions, or standardized solutions, ensuring spatial coherence, functionality, and a unified aesthetic identity.

 

 

Materiality and Lighting

The combination of distinctive and diverse materials formed the core of the design concept, adding character and visual interest throughout the apartment while maintaining a balanced and harmonious result. Material transitions were used as a narrative tool, marking the passage from one space to another – such as the patterned tile in the entrance and hallway, which acts both as a clear threshold and as an introductory element to the living areas. Natural and artificial lighting were carefully studied to enhance textures and materials, while also shaping the appropriate atmosphere for everyday living.

 

 

Concrete frame

An existing concrete structure forms the point of departure for the project. Such frames became a familiar presence in the Greek landscape following a regulation that allowed building permits to remain valid if only the structural skeleton was constructed. By the time the project began, this concrete frame had stood unfinished for more than a decade. Its reuse was a deliberate choice, directly addressing issues of sustainability, economy, and legislation – concerns that are particularly pressing in the context of overtourism in the Cycladic islands.

 

Reuse Strategy

The intervention was based on a strategy of subtraction and addition using elementary geometries. Only the necessary portions of the existing structure were carefully removed, while new L-shaped and rectangular volumes were introduced to establish formal and programmatic clarity. This measured approach produced a solution that both transcended the limitations imposed by the site’s past and navigated its complex regulatory framework.

The plot is characterized by its flat terrain and proximity to the port and village. Surrounded by neighboring developments on all sides except the western edge – which is expected to remain undeveloped due to its protected forestry status – the site lacks the extroverted qualities typical of a seaside plot. As a result, the house is conceived as a balance between introversion and openness.

 

 

Functional Layout

At ground level, volumes are arranged around a central pool to form an inner courtyard, mediating between privacy and openness toward anticipated or existing construction. This configuration moves away from a conventional sequence of enclosed rooms, proposing instead a communal mode of living in which water becomes the focal point of daily life.

On the upper floor, the living area and master suite are oriented toward both the active port and the island’s northern landscape. A large opening frames views of the port, allowing daily activity to remain visually present. An external staircase provides independent access to the upper level and the roof, where unobstructed views extend across the surroundings. With its restrained geometry, the house emerges quietly, maintaining a measured dialogue with its context.

 

 

Sustainable Design

Beyond standard strategies such as cross-ventilation and high-performance thermal insulation, a skylight positioned above the interior staircase transforms it into a passive cooling tower. Photovoltaic panels generate sufficient energy for autonomous operation, reducing reliance on the local grid. Native trees and vegetation, selected for their low water demand, help filter views toward neighboring hotel facilities, ensuring privacy while acknowledging the realities of building within an existing village fabric.

 

Sculptural retreat

The study concerns a property located within the consolidated urban fabric of the town of the island of Chios, characterized by dense development. The specific plot adjoins a neighboring property to the northeast, while its remaining sides are free.

 

Design Philosophy

The aim of the composition was to seek an architectural expression that resists the mechanistic application of formal restrictions. The building’s massing is shaped by the interplay of different geometries that articulate the façades, achieving a sense of peripheral plasticity. The interlocking of volumes forms the compact core of the building, which is anchored to the stairwell nucleus, transferring movement from the basement to the roof terrace.

 

 

Functional Organization

The ground-floor apartment benefits from direct access to outdoor spaces on both sides: to the east, the living areas open onto an outdoor space, while to the west, the bedrooms connect to a small, privately defined garden. Large openings on the façades contribute to visual openness from the interior toward the landscaped exterior and enhance the extroverted character of the apartment, while privacy is ensured by a perimeter enclosure composed of a solid wall and latticework.

The upper-floor apartment is organized on two levels: the main level and a loft. All spaces have access to terraces at different points along the façades, offering varied geometries and visual perspectives. By positioning the loft above the bedrooms, a double-height space is achieved in the shared areas, which, in combination with the metal structure to the south and the large openings to the northwest, introduces diverse spatial qualities throughout the apartment. A defining element of the façade is the lattice screen, which provides solar protection without obstructing outward views from the interior. Conversely, the large, glazed opening to the south allows winter sunlight to penetrate through a system of internal blinds, enabling direct solar gain.

 

 

Materials & Vegetation

Along the main street, the curved form guiding access to the entrance simultaneously reinforces a sense of enclosure. The composition of different materials – colored renders, exposed concrete, metal structures, and glazing – highlights the geometries of the volumes. Finally, priority was given to surrounding the building with dense vegetation; for this reason, the areas paved with cast material in the open space are limited to what is strictly necessary to ensure access.

 

Simple aesthetic

Skrew is an all-day bar-restaurant designed for relaxation and socializing, serving as a favorite meeting point for its guests from morning until late at night. The owners’ desire for a fresh yet timeless space, housed within an existing industrial building, defined the overall design approach.

 

Design Philosophy

The interior preserves the restrained aesthetic of exposed concrete while incorporating distinctive features, such as a striking bar set against a 3.5-meter-high backdrop and a counter clad in tin. The dining area offers a variety of seating options, including banquettes paired with custom-designed marble tables and vintage chairs. At the rear, the open kitchen with its glass frontage adds vibrancy and a sense of interaction. The presence of plants, combined with a diverse selection of furniture and architectural elements, creates a layered experience, with different spatial qualities unfolding in every corner.

 

 

Spatial Layout

A key element of the restaurant is the sculptural metal staircase leading to the secluded mezzanine, which also functions as a display surface for wines. Its industrial character reinforces the identity of the building, while its bold color introduces an artistic accent within the otherwise neutral setting. The upper level accommodates a lounge area, ideal for working or reading during the day, as well as a retail corner featuring a curated selection of accessories and clothing.

 

 

Material Palette

The existing terrazzo flooring, with its three-color composition, lends a nostalgic touch to the space. Yellow leather details on the bar stools complement the overall color palette. The combination of diverse styles and textures -raw concrete, polished cement, glass blocks, and the leather-clad bar front- creates an atmospheric and dramatic setting. The final result is a two-level space that blends pop and classic culture, luxury and informality, quiet daytime moments and vibrant nightlife.

 

Sincere geometry

The residence is conceived as an architectural gesture rooted deeply in its natural setting. Specifically, the building’s form merges from an interactive engagement with the landscape, resulting in a structure that both asserts its presence and remains open to the immediate context.

 

Design Philosophy

Simple lines and rigorous proportions carry a “sincere” visual geometry that is further enhanced through the material honesty of exposed concrete. The design rejects imitation and speaks to an architectural ethos that embraces authenticity. Material, form and space are all approached with profound architectural discipline, eventually producing a residence that feels both monolithic and porous.

 

 

Functional Organization

Organized on a steep hillside, the residence unfolds through a sequence of interlocking volumes and voids. Large rectangular openings break up the rigidness of the square, acting as apertures that connect the residence to the site, shifting between interior and exterior thresholds. The plan is comprised of layered planes and long horizontal spans that create double height spaces as well as sheltered outdoor rooms. In parallel, a series of structural elements, such as a concrete staircase leading to a sunken courtyard, celebrate the residence’s sculpted simplicity. The plan is straightforward yet spatially rich, offering a continuous dialogue between enclosure and openness.

 

 

Context Integration

The residence is positioned within the terrain with precision, rising from the forest canopy as a measured, geometric insertion. Rather than imitating the surrounding nature, the building becomes a dynamic counterpoint, where its rigid concrete form contrasts the organic densities of the surrounding nature.

 

Dialogue of place & structure

The building design reflects Nikos Ktenàs’ belief that architecture emerges from a profound dialogue between place, structure, and human presence. Situated within one of Athens’ urban suburbs, the project explores the relationship between private living and the expansive cityscape.

 

Design Philosophy

The making of the building is regarded as an investigative process, where the design draws from the immediate site, eventually “returning” to the landscape a new scale and form. The composition is minimal and clear, celebrating the honesty of materials avoiding shallow, imitative gestures. Specifically, concrete – a rather popular, albeit misunderstood, material in Athens – becomes a medium of authenticity used for both structural stability and material texture.

 

Functional Layout

The project unfolds vertically, creating a sequence of shifting interior and exterior spaces. A transparent core, placed at the edge of the concrete façade, contains the central staircase that becomes the primary circulation route throughout the residence, allowing in parallel ample natural light to enter the space. Each level establishes a different visual connection with the city, reinforcing the relationship with urban space. The concrete blocks retreat at times, forming terraces, intermediate balconies and deep windows, crafting a residence that is both private and public, introspective and outward-looking.

 

 

Material Palette

Concrete is the material protagonist of the design, where its tactile presence is intentionally left visible. In contrast, the glass-clad staircase introduces lightness and a transparent quality that break up the building’s solidity. In the interior, metallic elements, shutters and railings add a layer of precision throughout the space, reinforcing the building’s modernist character.

 

Sculpted Skin

The building, through its structural logic, addresses the reinvention of the apartment-building typology, positioning the uncovered courtyard (akalyptos) as the central entrance space and as a transitional zone between the city and the private living areas.

 

Design Philosophy

The akalyptos becomes a spatial pause, a moment of shift from horizontal to vertical movement, from public domain to private realm. This reinterpretation restores to the akalyptos the spatial significance of a contemporary atrium: a central void through which visitors access the surrounding living areas, and which, in turn, projects outward to complete the urban façade.

 

 

 

Structural System & Façade

The load-bearing structure, composed of exposed reinforced concrete, frames only the central atrium, supporting the floor slabs as cantilevers. This arrangement provides maximum freedom in configuring both the apartment layouts and the exterior façades.

These façades are conceived as a self-supporting “sculpted skin,” incorporating essential functions of the residences through voids, projections, bay windows, and fully operable glazing. The result is a volume that appears monolithic yet permeable – transparent in selected fragments that frame views of the immediate urban context.

 

 

Urban Integration

The top floor is designed as a “hanging garden.” Toward the interior of the block, it is enclosed by a solid continuous wall of exposed concrete; toward the city, it is defined by the upper edge of the self-supporting façade. At this elevated level, the interplay between these two structural elements enables visitors to reorient themselves and reconsider the building’s relationship to the broader urban fabric.

 

 

Nikos Ktenas became widely known through his project “Inside-Out” -one of the most iconic apartment buildings in Athens. The building not only transformed the urban landscape of Neo Psychiko, standing out as a radically contemporary proposal, but was also honored with the 2013-2017 Architecture Award of the Hellenic Institute of Architecture. As an architectural gesture, “Inside-Out” established itself as a landmark, offering a creative and timely reinterpretation of the apartment-building typology, with a distinct impact on both the building’s internal organization and its external form.

 

Spatial richness

To open up to a place and move beyond the boundaries of the ordinary. To allow a home to be infused with the rare experience of coexisting with nature. To uncover the beauty of simplicity and feel the quiet strength of life itself.

 

Design Philosophy

This residence combines simplicity with spatial richness, creating distinctive experiences at every turn. Born from the harmony between architecture and its setting, the house is both open and sheltered, enveloped by a green mantle that protects its intimacy and fragility. Perched among the trees and following the contours of the terrain, it establishes a constant dialogue with nature. Open yet private, it allows its inhabitants to live fully immersed in the jungle landscape, attuned to the rhythm of light, air, and sound.

 

 

Context Integration & Layout

The sloping terrain presented both a challenge and a guiding principle in the design process. The form of the house responds to the complexity of the land, adapting to its contours and preserving existing tree roots so that the surrounding vegetation becomes part of the architecture itself. The living areas open completely to the landscape, allowing light, sound, and air to dissolve the boundaries between interior and exterior space.

Designed as both a permanent home and a seasonal retreat, the villa unfolds over two levels. The main living area above opens to sweeping ocean views, while the lower level, containing the bedrooms, remains discreetly embedded in the landscape. A network of terraces, a pool, and connecting stairs create a fluid circulation between spaces, seamlessly blending indoor and outdoor living.

 

 

Material Palette

The home’s earthy palette harmonizes with the surrounding greenery. Rammed earth, concrete, steel, glass, and cedar wood are combined to express both strength and natural balance. Finishes are left raw and authentic, embracing the passage of time as a means to deepen their texture and character.

 

Pure hierarchy

The project reflects an approach focused on redefining interior space through the subtle interplay of geometry, proportion, and material. The concept emerged from the need to reconfigure an existing apartment into a contemporary living environment that combines warmth, precision, and flexibility. Attention to detail guided every stage of the process, from spatial planning to the selection of textures and colors.

 

Design Philosophy

The apartment’s layout was redesigned to establish fluid connections between areas while maintaining a sense of privacy where needed. Walls were repositioned to optimize circulation and to allow natural light to permeate deeper into the space. Transitions between rooms were carefully considered to create a continuous flow that enhances the perception of openness.

 

 

Spatial Organization

The program is organized around a clear hierarchy of spaces. Public areas such as the living room, kitchen, and dining zone are visually connected, forming a coherent ensemble for daily activities. Private areas, including the bedrooms and bathrooms, are strategically separated to provide comfort and intimacy. Every element, from furniture placement to lighting, was designed to promote functional clarity.

 

 

Material Palette

Red birch wood plays a central role in defining the character of the apartment, adding depth and warmth to the minimal composition. Its natural grain and color variations create a visual rhythm that contrasts with neutral surfaces and fine details. Stone, metal, and light were integrated as complementary elements, emphasizing craftsmanship and tactile quality.

 

These images present a compelling visual study of brutalist architecture reimagined through sculptural expression.

 

Conceptual Approach

Embracing concrete as both structure and skin, these buildings transcend the rigid, monolithic associations of Brutalism by introducing fluid geometries, dynamic spirals, and deeply carved façades. The tectonic language shifts from static mass to a more performative role -where the interplay of light, shadow, and curvature animates the heavy materiality of concrete.

Each structure explores the potential of form to evoke movement and emotion. Helical ramps twist upward like ribbons, while façade treatments undulate, peel, or drape, pushing against the orthogonal tendencies of traditional brutalist design. The fusion of monumental presence with sculptural detailing reflects a desire to humanise brutalism, offering new spatial narratives and tactile engagement. Openings and voids are carved rather than punctured, suggesting a dialogue between erosion and construction.

This approach champions a more poetic Brutalism -one that does not shy away from its raw, expressive nature but instead channels it through craftsmanship, plasticity, and spatial drama. The result is architecture that is both grounded and transcendent, offering a powerful reinterpretation of concrete’s potential as a medium for artistic and architectural tectonics.

 

 

Prompts & Software

A white concrete spiral building designed in the style of Tadao Ando, exterior view, green grass field in the background, trees.

Created with Midjourney & Magnific AI

 

Simple language

The project is situated on a narrow rectangular plot, within a new residential neighbourhood on the outskirts of Nicosia. The surrounding buildings adopt diverse architectural styles, providing a context that allowed the house to develop its own minimalist architectural language.

 

Design Philosophy

The house is organized under a table-like structure, oriented toward the street with a restrained façade, and elevated from street level. The southern portion of the plot was used for the garden. The building follows a rectangular grid of 12×24 meters, with a perimeter canopy of exposed concrete providing shading and protection. On the southern side, a 4-meter cantilever creates a generous veranda supported by a cylindrical column.

 

 

Functional Layout

The internal layout is divided into two zones: the west zone, where bedrooms enjoy the evening summer breeze, and the east zone, where living areas open to the surrounding greenery. Large openings connect the interior visually to the garden, offering continuity and daylight. A 17-meter exposed concrete wall runs the length of the house, separating the zones while maintaining a visual axis to the garden.

 

 

Material Palette

The restrained architecture is expressed through carefully selected materials: large ceramic tiles in communal spaces, wooden floors in bedrooms, exposed concrete walls and soffits, and white plaster on vertical surfaces. Doors, cabinetry, and kitchen fittings were crafted in oak, introducing warmth and a domestic atmosphere.

The garden is planted exclusively with Mediterranean vegetation, ensuring minimal maintenance while enhancing perspectives and reinforcing the relationship between interior and exterior spaces.

 

Unified space

The residence is organized around a single defining line: an 80-meter wall that stretches across the entire plot, from the entrance to the navigable canal. This element defines the structure, organizes the program, and unifies the project. More than a formal gesture, the wall is a strategy: structure, program, technical concealment, and architectural language.

 

Design Philosophy

The project was designed for a couple seeking to merge their countryside and beach lifestyles. The presence of the mountains and the canal guided the positioning, views, and flows. Standout features include the swimming pool with a helical ramp for accessibility and bathrooms with retractable roofs, demonstrating harmony between architecture, nature, and daily living in Angra dos Reis, Brazil.

 

 

Functional Layout

On one side of the wall are the technical areas: service spaces, functional circulation, and systems. On the other, the living experience unfolds through the pool, the lounge, and the outdoor areas. The architecture allows the space to open seamlessly towards the exterior with sliding doors that retract into the wall itself.

On the lower level, service and functional spaces are hidden behind the wall. Above, a suspended volume contains the private quarters, while the main living room occupies the void between. The layout prioritizes openness, seamless flow, and strong indoor-outdoor relationships.

 

 

Material Palette

The material palette is direct and expressive: exposed concrete, pressed bamboo, and Brazilian marble. Post-tensioned structure spans distances of up to 12.5m with cantilevers of 6.5m. Vernacular construction techniques were preserved, such as ribbed formwork, native wood supports, and precise, simple solutions.

 

Preserved materiality

Near the iconic Pôr-do-Sol Square in the Alto de Pinheiros neighborhood of São Paulo, a couple with two daughters and a dog acquired a beautiful house with vaulted roofs, originally designed by modern Brazilian architect Ennes Silveira Melo and completed in the 1970s. The project adopts an approach that respects the existing geometry and materiality of the house, preserving its original character while incorporating new elements.

 

Renovation Strategy

Besides the geometry of the roofs, the house featured exposed concrete structural elements that needed updating to meet the new family’s needs. The residence required a redistribution of the layout, as the split-level organization limited the integration of living spaces. With this challenge in mind, the main intervention was relocating the kitchen, previously small and hidden on the intermediate floor, to the lower floor, thus integrating it with the residence’s social areas, including the TV room, barbecue area, and garden.

 

 

Functional Layout

On the intermediate floor, which serves as the entry level, there is a generous living room organized into two distinct environments. The first dedicated especially to musical practice, while the second is more intimate, featuring a fireplace and designed as a library for the residents’ literary collection.

On the upper level, the office visually protected by the canopy of native trees. A generous restored wooden sideboard runs along the entire lateral facade, adding a touch of elegance and functionality. Despite the spacious areas and different levels, the layouts designed to bring coziness and integration, providing visual permeability that allows each social environment to seen from different points in the house. Finally, a linear balcony is created to connect the bedrooms and shade the living room on the lower floor.

 

 

Materials & Lighting

Key decorative elements are the rugs along with the carefully selected furniture, combining new pieces with items from the owners’ collection. The upholstery follows the earthy palette of the furniture, including sofas and armchairs in caramel brown fabric and leather. The existing materiality marked by the wooden floor and concrete railing carefully restored as well as all the windows and doors.

The natural light that enters the space through the glass facade reflected by the vaulted roof and white walls, maximizing the interior’s brightness. On the bedroom floor, the original layout, which included one suite, two bedrooms, and one bathroom, updated to three suites. Skylights were installed in the new bathrooms, taking advantage of the original architecture’s structural modulation. In parallel, indirect lighting fixtures such as wall sconces and linear lights illuminate the curved roof.

 

Desert and city

Located on a three-quarter-acre parcel with views of the Las Vegas Strip to the east and Red Rock Canyon to the west, this site endures strong winds, cold, dry winters, and harsh, hot summers with monsoon rainstorms. Protection from the sun and wind, as well as durability and privacy were the simple constraints that shaped the formal direction and materiality of the house.

 

Design Philosophy

The residence repeats the spare behavior of the desert in material and form. A subtractive process left a wind-protected court to the east and provided an opportunity for an elevated basin of water that mirrors the dimensions of the living space. The distant view of the city calls out its ephemeral nature and delicate relationship with water. Entry to the house is gained via a narrow opening in the concrete mass. The threshold, at eye level with the water, leads to a closed and shaded passage that ramps up slightly to an entry court, open to the sky and inhabited by a vertical landscape of native plantings. The architecture represents a contextual conversation between the desert landscape and the city.

 

 

Materials & Ventilation

Locally sourced sand, gravel, and fly ash mix concrete floors and walls in the harsh desert light take on a buff hue that associates with the distant mountains, rising from below grade to build a habitable landscape. Over half of the built area is below grade, ventilated, and lit with openings in the structure to introduce sunlight, including several submerged under the basin’s water level.

 

 

Sustainability Approach

The mass-heavy house sports a reflective roof, 45 KW photovoltaic array and high-efficiency glazing, mechanical, and lighting systems. Upper level sleeping rooms inhabit a screened framework sheathed in perforated weathering steel and elongated along the east/west axis to shield the pool from wind and sun. A south-side shaded deck screened with perforated mesh extends over the form to shade the structure and cars below. Open to the Red Rock Canyon to the west and the city lights of the east, the cantilevered form balances the sculptural weight of the basin and water. The earth-like ground form, fitted with its layer of weathered steel, is a nod to the geology of the Las Vegas Valley and Red Rock Canyon beyond.

 

Spatial psychology

Architecture represents the most complete of all art forms. It is the precise craft of drawing meaningful lines that, once translated into walls and openings, express the intentions, passions, and aspirations of the designer. More than the act of constructing buildings, architecture creates spaces that resonate with life, culture, and the natural world. Thoughtful design should not only fulfill functional needs but also evoke emotion, provoke reflection, and enhance the well-being of its users. This philosophy is embodied in the Veterinary Hospital project, where vision, passion, and enthusiasm have materialized into a physical place.

 

Design Philosophy

The hospital’s soft, flowing exterior stands in deliberate contrast to the structured logic of its internal layout, generating a sense of harmony and intrigue. What begins as simple, static geometry- rooted in anthropological principles and spatial psychology -evolves into a dynamic interplay of curves, transforming the structure into a place animated by movement and life. These fluid forms dissolve any instinctive fear of enclosure, cultivating a sense of openness and freedom.

Rather than dominating its surroundings, the architecture rises organically from the landscape in sculptural, wave-like gestures. These curved forms blur the boundary between building and environment, appearing as living sculptures rather than a traditional medical facility. The result is not simply a building, but an alternate world -one that is joyful, mysterious, and designed with the well-being of animals at its heart.

 

 

Materials & Landscape Design

A deliberate tension between soft, organic forms and the raw strength of brutalist concrete imbues the design with both durability and aesthetic richness. Terraces and gardens are integral components, serving therapeutic functions rather than mere decoration. They provide access to light, air, and nature -key elements in the healing process for animal patients.

Internally, the spatial configuration is carefully tailored to the psychological needs of its occupants. As in human healthcare, spatial psychology is fundamental. The design ensures that various species, particularly those with natural antagonism, are accommodated with comfort, separation, and an emphasis on coexistence. Spaces for cats and dogs are organized using principles that prioritize ease, security, and emotional well-being.

 

 

Cultural Integration

This project contributes to a broader architectural renaissance in Albania -a movement toward institutions that are both intelligent and beautiful. As the country engages more deeply with the world, it faces a critical choice between rigid, ideology-driven design and a more humanistic, nature-aligned approach. Contemporary architecture too often seeks to impose itself upon the landscape, neglecting the essential truth that nature is not an external force- it is intrinsic to life itself.

The Veterinary Hospital is a seed planted for a better architectural future, one that honors Albania’s rich climate, culture, and historical context. It marks a shift from static, commemorative spaces toward living, immersive environments that invite growth, interaction, and vitality. This is not merely a facility -it is a testament to visionary thinking, artisanal skill, and a collective desire to create architecture that serves, heals, and inspires.

 

The images reveal a conceptual study merging Japan’s rich architectural heritage with contemporary design approaches.

 

Conceptual Approach

Drawing inspiration from Tadao Ando’s minimalistic concrete structures and SANAA’s fluid geometries, the series explores how solids and voids can harmonize through carefully shaped volumes, reflective water elements, and subtle greenery. Traditional Japanese concepts of space such as the interplay of interior and exterior are reimagined via curved pathways and organic openings, creating dynamic boundaries that guide movement while preserving openness.

These four thematic series were generated primarily with Midjourney, where text-to-image prompts referencing Ando’s reinforced concrete, SANAA’s fluid lines, and Japanese gardens yielded unexpected visual explorations. By combining text prompts with reference images, the AI often produces surprising results that spark innovative directions. When stricter volumetric parameters are needed, tools like Comfy Flux and Stable Diffusion (with ControlNet) help align the concepts with real-world constraints. The outcome is a poetic interplay of light, texture, and reflection, blurring the line between sculpture and architecture. Ultimately, this project aims to inspire architects and designers to embrace advanced technologies while honoring the serene beauty and discipline of Japanese spatial philosophy.

 

 

Prompts & Software

Photo of a modern courtyard residence in a suburban neighborhood of Japan, inspired by contemporary minimalist Japanese architecture, during a cloudy day… The structure features raw concrete surfaces with large curved and circular cutouts that frame the serene courtyard and reflective water elements… The composition emphasizes symmetry and void, with the subtle mountain silhouettes in the background softened by mist… Canon L Series lens, 24mm, f/2.8.

Photo of a modern sculptural concrete home in a Japanese residential area, designed with influences from Tadao Ando and brutalist minimalism, in the calm light of early morning… The facade has smooth, pale concrete panels punctuated by oversized geometric openings, reflected in the tranquil water garden below… Bare deciduous trees and low shrubs contrast with the stark surface, enhancing the meditative stillness… Sony G Master lens, 35mm, f/2.8.

Photo of a modern minimalist house inspired by Tadao Ando and SANAA, located in a quiet Japanese suburb during a misty morning… The building is composed of interlocking volumes of smooth, exposed concrete with large, organic cutouts and curved walls that frame a contemplative central courtyard with shallow reflective water… The architectural language blends brutalist strength and ethereal transparency, with seamless glass walls and fluid circulation… Soft ambient light filters through the fog, casting gentle shadows and highlighting the textures of the concrete and water… In the background, neighboring traditional rooftops contrast subtly with the futuristic composition… Zeiss Otus lens, 24mm, f/2.8.

Created with Midjourney, ChatGPT & Archiprompt

 

Split-level

The project consists of the design of a two-story single-family house. The plot has a significant slope of approximately three meters between the street level and its midpoint. To address this challenge while also taking advantage of the site’s potential, a “split-level” system was adopted.

 

Context Integration

The façade facing the public road appears as a single-story volume, while the rear part of the house is developed across two distinct levels. Thus, the pedestrian and vehicular entrances are positioned at the street level, leading to an upper half-floor where the private areas are located, and to a lower half-floor designated for social areas, situated approximately at the existing ground level. Although this lower level is designated as floor -1, none of the living areas are underground, as the entire façade faces east, south, and west, ensuring natural light and ventilation. This solution takes advantage of the steep slope of the terrain, integrating the construction harmoniously into the existing topography.

 

 

Functional Layout

The programmatic organization of the project is structured into three distinct areas. Upon entering the house, there is a hall from which all residential spaces are distributed. On the same level as the entrance, there is also access to a covered garage with capacity for three vehicles, a technical area, and a guest room/home office with a private bathroom. The private areas include a master suite and two smaller suites, all equipped with bathrooms, walk-in closets, bedrooms, and balconies. The entire upper floor, including the garage doors, is clad in solid wood slats, providing a uniform look and creating a warmer, more welcoming atmosphere.

The lower floor is dedicated to all leisure areas, with direct access to the outdoors through large, glazed openings. On this floor are the living room, kitchen, laundry room, guest bathroom, and a small game room. The large openings create visual and functional continuity between the interior and exterior spaces, through two covered terraces that offer access to a garden and a swimming pool. The social areas were conceived as a single, continuous space, integrating the living room, dining room, and kitchen.

 

Material Palette

The transition between these areas is subtle, reinforced by the use of uniform materials, such as wood for the furniture and microcement for the flooring, promoting a sense of continuity and spaciousness. The transition between the living room and kitchen can be closed off using two wooden panels, allowing the level of openness and privacy to be adjusted as needed. The kitchen was also designed with a panel system that, when closed, conceals all the functional elements of the space -cabinets, countertops, appliances, and utensils- reinforcing the multifunctional character of the environment.

This residential project is characterized by a contemporary approach, integrating natural materials and architectural solutions that favor the blending of indoor and outdoor spaces. The house design emphasizes spaciousness and flow, providing a welcoming and functional atmosphere. The volumetric composition stands out for its interplay of materials, combining exposed concrete, wood, and stone, which give the construction a robust yet elegant character.

 

Inspired by the geophysical forces that shape the island’s character, this residence in Tinos reinterprets the encounter between stone and air -an encounter that leaves its mark on the land’s morphology.

 

Design Philosophy

Where air and stone collide, one element always prevails: either forming linear projections or shaping cavities enclosed by stone. This dynamic, minimalist residence expresses these spatial qualities, negotiating the parallel relationship between openness and introversion -between visibility and shelter- and exploring how space is experienced. The design creates vantage points and protective cavities that emerge both from within and above the terrain. The client envisioned a personal retreat: a place of seclusion with nothing more than a long, narrow pool for exercise and a sheltered sleeping area.

Translating both the reading of the landscape and the client’s desire into architecture, the design consists of two elongated volumes beneath a planted roof -one enclosed for the bedroom, and one open for the pool. A third enclosed volume, set perpendicular to the first two, serves occasionally as a guest house. To evoke the feeling of carved stone, the residence is built entirely of exposed concrete, with the imprints of the wooden formwork left visible. The surfaces are thus adorned with patterns reminiscent of those found on tree trunks -markings created by nature itself. The structure is embedded in the land, revealing itself as a fissure in the terrain. The roof is planted exclusively with native shrubs found on the site’s perimeter, preserving unobstructed views for neighboring homes.

 

 

Pool Design

The large rocks unearthed during excavation were carefully selected and repositioned around the building, filling voids and creating a horizontal transition zone between the artificial and natural landscape. The pool -the focal point of the composition- is oriented so that its axis aligns precisely between two headlands that descend symmetrically toward the sea. The directional lines established by the pool’s orientation also guide the alignment of the two sleeping areas. Their openings are positioned to frame views of the horizon. In keeping with the client’s desire for complete seclusion, each sleeping unit features its own enclosed courtyard and a private, doorless bathroom.

 

 

Functional Layout

The sheltered space between the main volumes accommodates only a kitchen, a living area, and an auxiliary bathroom. The sense of a cave-like retreat is heightened by sliding corner glass panels that fully retract, merging interior and exterior without the interruption of columns. From the rear -backed by the excavated rock- natural light and air flow into the space, enhanced by three strategically placed skylights. The result is a sequence of autonomous spaces: some fully open and exposed, others turned inward and completely protected. The linear water element running between them introduces a sense of fluidity. Ultimately, the residence embodies the qualities of the natural forces that shape the landscape, offering a contemporary interpretation of the ongoing dialogue between the elements of nature.

 

Visual comfort

Located in Heraklion, Crete, this pharmacy embodies a contemporary, clean, and human-centered approach to healthcare design.

 

Design Philosophy

The design is rooted in the concept of wellness. Drawing minimalist yet clear references from nature, the spatial forms and functional elements evoke the natural world as the original source of mental and physical health. The project reimagines the pharmacy not merely as a place of service, but as an experience -an architectural composition that embodies care, well-being, and comfort.

A harmonious blend of materials, along with deliberate contrasts between light-toned, textured, and smooth metallic surfaces, helps structure the interior into distinct zones. These elements emphasize natural light, enrich the tactile experience, and enhance visual comfort.

 

 

Spatial Organization

The pharmacy unfolds over two levels: the ground floor houses the primary display and customer service areas, while the upper level accommodates more private functions. Two centrally placed vertical display elements, paired with low-height seating, serve both as focal points and as tools for guiding movement. The spatial flow is intentionally open and fluid, encouraging visitors to navigate and explore independently.

 

 

Custom Elements

At the rear of the space, the service area adopts a warmer, more intimate atmosphere through the use of wood -a material that reinforces the sense of care and familiarity. In the display zone, tall white walls welcome natural light through large openings, enhancing the clarity and transparency of the interior. Above, a metal grid structure on the second level acts as a light filter, creating a rhythmic interplay of light and shadow that enriches the overall sensory experience.

 

White house

The residence is located on a beautiful Brazilian beach, along the northern coast of São Paulo. Its design prioritizes environmental comfort and long-term durability -two critical considerations when building in tropical, coastal environments where high temperatures and salty sea air create challenging conditions. These factors shaped both the layout of the floor plan and the choice of materials.

 

Functional Layout

On the ground floor, the social area occupies the northern section of the house, combining the living and dining spaces. This area seamlessly connects to a semi-outdoor space featuring additional seating and dining areas, a patio with a Jacuzzi and sunbeds, and a swimming pool on the eastern side. The kitchen and service areas are located on the southern side, adjacent to one of the two side gardens. The upper floor accommodates five bedrooms, each with its own en-suite bathroom and closet. The master suite includes a spacious bathroom, ample storage, and an adjacent family sitting area.

 

Custom Structures

The rooftop terrace is designed as a garden deck, accessible via a minimalist staircase and protected by a hatch door. All interior spaces feature floor-to-ceiling windows -or sliding glass walls- that create a seamless flow between the indoor and outdoor spaces, providing a comfortable thermal experience. In the ground floor living room, large 3m x 2.5m glass doors slide into the walls, merging the interior with the balcony and facilitating cross ventilation to reduce room temperatures naturally.

 

 

Material Palette

Wooden perforated doors inspired by traditional “muxarabi” screens shade the interiors while allowing natural ventilation. Similarly, perforated and folding mesh metal brises envelop the upper volume, providing shade and privacy. The combination of wood, concrete, and white aluminum -chosen for its resistance to the corrosive sea air- imbues the house with a tropical minimalism influenced by Brazilian modernist architecture.

 

Visual flow

From the very first visit to the 98m² apartment in São Paulo, the future owners felt an immediate connection to its history. The exposed concrete structure -with its visible pillars, beams, and raw-finish slabs- carried the marks of time, evoking a sense of authenticity. However, the outdated infrastructure and rigid layout called for a renovation that could preserve the apartment’s original character while meeting contemporary needs.

 

Design Philosophy

The central challenge was to unify the spaces, fostering a physical and visual flow that would support interaction in everyday activities. For the couple, both of whom work from home, the conventional idea of a closed-off office did not resonate. They sought an integrated, open layout that encouraged connection rather than division. The original floor plan included two bedrooms and a strict separation between the social, service, and private areas. In the renovation, nearly all interior walls were removed -except for those enclosing the powder room and main bedroom. Activity zones are now defined by cabinetry and furniture rather than structural barriers. Three core materials create the base of the design: exposed concrete, which remains visible as a tribute to the building’s history; white-painted masonry, chosen to amplify natural light from the large windows; and wooden plank flooring, which spans the entire apartment except for the bathrooms.

 

 

Custom Structures & Furniture

In the entrance, custom Freijó wood cabinetry arranged in an L-shape serves a dual purpose. On one side, it forms a workbench that organizes the home office. Above it, open shelves in the same finish, supported by French brackets, house the couple’s book collection and add a distinctive design touch. On the other side, the cabinetry holds a turntable and handmade speakers -an homage to the owners’ passion for vinyl and music, now deeply embedded in their home life.

At the far end of the apartment, the living room reflects the seamless integration of old and new. A poster brought back from New York decorates the wall, while other vintage furniture punctuate the space, blending eras and styles. To address the asymmetry revealed by the cantilevered beams after the walls were removed, metal sheet shelving was custom-designed to conceal these irregularities. The addition of houseplants on the shelving brings a touch of nature into the interior.

In the kitchen, Freijó wood cabinetry continues the visual language, offering cohesion across spaces. Marble countertops add sophistication, while a central island -rounded at the edges and clad in terracotta-colored tiles- provides a softer contrast to the apartment’s orthogonal architecture. This island also functions as a practical space for quick meals. The kitchen flows directly into the dining area, encouraging easy interaction between cooking and socializing during gatherings.

 

 

Lighting Design & Materials

Lighting throughout the apartment is achieved with electrified tracks, which illuminate the exposed concrete slabs while preserving their aesthetic integrity. In the bedroom, a neutral palette creates a serene environment conducive to rest. White walls and wooden-finish furnishings echo the warmth of the social areas, while the suite continues the same inviting tone. In the bathroom, ceramic tiles offer a gentle chromatic transition: terracotta at the base rising into white above, creating a subtle interplay of texture that continues across the countertop. A sink in the same terracotta tone, paired with a wooden cabinet, completes the harmonious design.

 

Formal clarity

This project explores a balance between formal clarity and the experiential quality of space. It is a single-family residence designed for a family of four, situated on a plot with indistinct boundaries and minimal urban context. The design aspires to create a clean, functional, and well-ventilated shell that uses light, shadow, and geometry as core architectural elements.

 

Design Philosophy

The plot is elongated along the north-south axis, featuring pronounced elevation changes and a direct adjacency to public green space on its western edge. The composition is shaped by the way the site gradually reveals itself to the visitor, approached along an east-west axis from the street. The house is positioned one meter above street level, recessed into the terrain to create a buffer zone that offers both visual and functional privacy.

The ground floor is organized as a longitudinal rectangle along the north-south axis, articulated into two zones: a wider zone housing the primary living spaces (living room, dining area, kitchen), and a narrower strip accommodating secondary functions such as storage, a study, and vertical circulation. The main entrance is located at the southwest corner and is conceived as a choreographed passage through exposed concrete walls, creating a sense of transition and anticipation.

 

 

Spatial Organization

The upper floor includes three bedrooms and two bathrooms, aligned along the north-south axis. Private areas are situated along the eastern façade, while a circulation corridor runs along the west, punctuated by openings to the north and south. This configuration enhances cross-ventilation and mitigates heat gain from the afternoon sun during the summer months.

The architectural expression reaches its peak in the introduction of a single, exposed concrete slab that separates the two floors. Acting as a horizontal datum, this slab delineates programmatic zones while emphasizing the sculptural quality of the design. Extending southward, it forms a covered veranda supported by cylindrical columns. From a distance, the slab appears to make the building float, visually lightening the volume and allowing it to blend subtly with the surrounding landscape.

 

 

Sustainability Strategies & Materiality

Natural light and ventilation are maximized through large openings and strategically placed cross-ventilation apertures, which draw in cool air filtered through the adjacent olive trees in the public green space. These passive strategies reduce reliance on mechanical cooling in summer and enhance overall energy performance.

The material palette is intentionally minimal and earthy. Rough-textured white plaster is paired with exposed concrete cast in Swedish timber formwork, establishing a clear visual contrast and a sense of material authenticity. The exposed concrete defines the slab, structural beams, and vertical elements such as retaining walls and the frame of the covered parking area.

Crucially, the natural environment is not treated as separate from the residence, but as an extension of it. The surrounding garden remains uninterrupted, unfolding organically and engaging in dialogue with the adjacent public green space. Outdoor areas are paved with brushed concrete and pebble-finished surfaces, enriching the tactile experience and reinforcing the home’s connection to the Cypriot landscape.

 

Privacy matters

Situated on a plot commonly referred to in Portuguese as a terreno de gaveta -a narrow, elongated site nestled between neighboring buildings with limited street frontage- this residence occupies a 10 by 18-meter lot, totaling 180m2. Due to the compact size and proximity to adjacent structures, ensuring privacy from both the street and neighbors was a key challenge. The residence itself spans 184m2 of built area, with an additional 70m2 dedicated to the rooftop.

 

Design Philosophy

To address privacy concerns while capitalizing on the sweeping coastal views, the design inverts the conventional layout. Private spaces, including bedrooms and a home office, are located on the ground floor, oriented toward a central courtyard. In contrast, social areas are elevated to the upper floors, establishing both visual and functional separation from the public street.

At the heart of the home is the staircase, a central vertical element that connects all levels while enhancing visual permeability throughout. On the ground floor, it begins with a masonry volume clad in the same flooring used outside, featuring clay brick steps. As it ascends, the staircase transforms: vertical steel cables extend the full height, supporting floating steps anchored to the wall, creating a striking architectural feature.

 

 

Material Palette

The residence is constructed with a mix of concrete and steel, materials that recur throughout the design in details such as bathroom partitions and stair finishes. Drawing from modernist influences prominent in São Paulo architecture, the design emphasizes proportion, verticality, and a rhythmic composition of horizontal volumes. The exposed concrete ceilings are a highlight, meticulously crafted with formwork designed by the architects to achieve a refined texture. Every detail -from the placement of lighting fixtures to the integration of embedded systems- was carefully pre-planned. Curtain tracks, for example, were embedded in the concrete slab during the formwork stage.

Expansive aluminum and glass openings frame coastal views, flood the interior with natural light, and encourage cross-ventilation, enhancing energy efficiency and reducing the need for artificial lighting and cooling. This integration of indoor and outdoor elements is central to the architectural concept, dissolving the boundaries between the two. Exterior-grade materials were intentionally brought indoors, reinforcing this seamless transition and creating a cohesive living experience.

 

 

Spatial Organization

The upper-level social spaces extend outward through deep overhangs with integrated benches that double as guardrails, giving the living areas a sense of openness and continuity. The kitchen, designed as a social hub, centers around a large island that facilitates circulation and interaction during gatherings. Furnishings include existing family pieces and new elements in wood and rattan, contributing to a relaxed and understated ambiance. Storage solutions are discreetly built into the staircase zone, with custom panels that blend seamlessly into the architecture.

On the ground floor, the bedrooms are shielded with wooden panels that ensure complete blackout and privacy. These are complemented by an Accoya wood brise-soleil, whose acetylation treatment enhances moisture resistance and durability. A soft, neutral palette defines the bedroom interiors, creating a tranquil atmosphere. Bathrooms feature metal-framed doors with textured glass panels, adding both privacy and aesthetic depth. The office, extending from the main volume, benefits from continuous daylight via generous glass frames and a skylight that highlights the floor textures. Its cabinetry mirrors the surrounding finishes, with concealed panels that create a clean, uninterrupted surface. The central table, supported by a single leg and cantilevered at the base, adds to the room’s light, minimal character.

 

 

Sustainable Design

Designed with local climate conditions in mind, the residence is protected from the strong northern winds common in Northern Portugal. This allows the interior to remain open and airy, even on blustery days. The rooftop terrace features a built-in pool that is sheltered from the wind and opens onto a secluded green area bordering the beach. Strategic ventilation openings- one on the rooftop and another at ground level -facilitate rapid cross-ventilation, reducing the need for mechanical cooling. During the colder months, underfloor heating throughout most rooms ensures warmth and energy efficiency.

 

Architecture of contours

Anadu Pine Villa is situated in a secluded valley, a two-hour drive from Shanghai, enveloped by pine forests and shielded by a mountain draped in bamboo. This boutique estate comprises just three elegantly designed guest suites, each with panoramic views, complemented by a refined wine and cigar bar.

 

Design Philosophy

In line with Anadu’s philosophy of “Find yourself in nature,” the objective -from planning to architectural design- is to showcase the unique beauty of the valley’s pine forests. Consequently, the design aim was to harmonize with the natural landscape, creating an unparalleled retreat experience exclusive to Pine Villa. The buildings are thoughtfully positioned along the valley’s contours, each oriented to capture unique views. Guests are invited to embrace the gentle valley breeze as they embark on their journey to tranquility. At the entrance, a bamboo-textured concrete and charred black wood “L”-shaped gate harmoniously merges with the landscape, welcoming guests with open arms -embracing the valley’s greenery on one side and inviting visitors on the other.

Originally, an abandoned old house stood where the wine house now sits. To honor the site’s history, the new building echoes the old structure’s gabled roof, redesigned into a four-sloped form that creates a harmonious, tranquil scale from every angle. The walls are entirely made of glass, maximizing the views, while the northeast dining area faces a quieter hillside, and the semi-enclosed lounge provides a more private atmosphere.

 

 

Spatial Organization

A curved bamboo-textured wall leads guests from the wine house to the guest area, where the hard ground transitions into soft gravel paths, evoking a vacation atmosphere. At the path’s end, a small plaza provides a moment of pause before entering the guest area, enhancing the sense of seclusion. The three minimal standalone structures sit quietly in the valley, surrounded by the forest. Facing staggered walls that obscure the rear of the space, guests are invited to imagine what lies beyond.

Upon entering the space, the view dramatically opens up: two concrete slabs face the valley with no obstructions. The interior flows seamlessly with 270-degree panoramic views, offering a fully immersive experience. The rooms are embraced by nature on three sides, each framing its own unique view.

 

 

Materials, Lighting & Furniture

To keep the structure minimal, the buildings are cast from exposed concrete with integrated beams and embedded piping, ensuring no visible ceiling beams, lighting fixtures, or suspended structures. The clean concrete slabs unify the space. The floor slab floats above the valley, respecting and connecting with the terrain, while appearing to hover above it. Through the glass doors, each room opens onto a private backyard in the pine forest. The eaves extend into a shaded area, blending the indoors with nature. Every guest room has its own floating outdoor deck, offering a further connection to the valley.

The landscape design softens the boundaries between the estate and its surroundings, using native valley plants to integrate seamlessly into the environment. Discreet lighting, resembling fireflies, dots the pathways and grounds, enhancing the serene, secluded atmosphere.

The project extensively utilizes woodwork, wooden furniture, and wooden crafts, most of which are crafted from old wood sourced from local markets, with 80% of these items handcrafted by artisans. These repurposed woods are thoughtfully shaped by craftsmen to match the scale and essence of their surroundings, thereby enhancing the unique ambiance as well as supporting the preservation and continuation of local craftsmanship.

 

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.

 

Winner of the European Prize for Urban Public Space 2024 in General Category

The project embraces the memory of the site through its materiality. Specifically, rubble from the Second World War that has shaped the mound is transformed into concrete to create the park’s new structures.

 

Existing Condition

The Uprising Mound, which was as dumping ground for the rubble of the city during the Second World War, is located in one of Warsaw’s most central districts and a rapidly growing residential area. In the 1990s, a memorial was erected on the top of the mound with symbols of the Polish resistance movement, turning the site into a venue for annual commemorations.

 

Design Approach

Efforts focused mainly on adapting the mound to the needs of all users. Due to the complex terrain, this required the creation of footbridges and artificial gullies. With the help of concrete specialists, technology was used to make concrete from the rubble, applying modern circular economy criteria. The slopes of the resulting gullies resemble the geological layers of an anthropogenic mound. The project also included recreational features, with the design of numerous resting and walking areas, including a children’s playground.

 

Landscape Design

In terms of vegetation, a planting plan was developed in collaboration with a specialist in phytosociology. This was based on an analysis of the natural processes initiated by pioneering and invasive species, followed by a model for new ecosystems. As part of the education and outreach work, an outdoor exhibition on the reconstruction of Warsaw -and the new type of landscape it created- was set up in collaboration with a historian and a nature educator.

 

Urban Impact

The project has strengthened the local population’s sense of belonging, who now have a better understanding of its history and can appreciate the use of the rubble that formed the mound. In parallel, the design offered the city with a new green space that is resilient to climate change by employing an array of landscape management strategies and improving the access to the park.

Concrete Frames

The 150m² house is located in the southeastern side of the island, overlooking a deserted gorge. The choice of concrete in this project is a reference to “kathikies”, the scattered, earthen agricultural constructions that appear as accents in the local dry-stone walls, dotting the landscape.

 

Architectural Morphology

The design is monolithic and primitive, seamlessly integrated into the landscape due to its materiality, light-absorbing properties, and scale. The concrete, with its neutral, stone-like appearance, evokes a sense of molten rock, contributing to the structure’s monolithic character and blending harmoniously with its surroundings. The wooden board formwork suggests stone construction, enhancing the impression of a sculptural, articulated material.

 

Layout Organization

The house is divided into three distinct volumes, each containing a bedroom, with a shaded space defining the living room. All movement and access occur externally. The design responds to three different qualities of the surrounding views: The living room offers panoramic views, making it the focal point, while providing a theatrical sense of space. In contrast, the movement towards the bedrooms frames vertical glimpses of the landscape, offering a cinematic quality. Two parallel walls surrounding the bedrooms act as picture frames, focusing attention on specific views, like a work of art.

 

Materiality & Circulation

These three distinct views are framed by concrete, which blends seamlessly into the landscape with its grey color, creating an illusion of absence. The neutrality of the concrete frame dissolves boundaries, enhancing the experience of movement and vision. As tenants move through the space, the interaction between objects, people, and the concrete structure creates a dynamic relationship where the house itself becomes part of the background, almost vanishing into its surroundings.

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Permeable barrier

The project objective is to expand an existing property near Lake Tahoe in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. The site sits on a north facing slope, looking down to the Martis Valley and up to Lookout Mountain through a dense forest comprised of 100-year-old Jeffrey pine trees.

 

Landscape Integration

The design philosophy is to create a residence that responds to its immediate context, employing natural, local materials as well as a sustainability approach that successfully integrates the building in the wild landscape. The color palette derives from the surrounding forest, filled with basalt boulders, sugar pines, and rust colored pine needles creating a sese of calmness and connection with nature.

 

Interior Organization

The bedrooms are organized around an exterior courtyard and maintain a high level of privacy, while the communal spaces connect the courtyard with the landscape and the distant forest views. Glazing is used throughout the space, maximizing the amount of natural light entering the building and adding a layer of transparency to the space. A series of double, 20cm thick, insulated walls made of concrete construct the residence’s exterior shell and extend upwards, reaching a sloped, thin steel roof. Clerestory windows close the gap between the walls and the roof and create a sense of lightness in the space.

 

Natural Materials

Native cedar cladding is used for the interior walls, while basalt tiles are chosen for the flooring. Metallic details made of exposed steel complement the natural materials. The kitchen is constructed from black and is placed at the center of the open-plan space. The furniture selection is discrete, following the same subtle tones and material textures of the residence.

 

Fire Prevention Strategy

Situated in a dense wild forest, the residence incorporates fire-prevention systems during its early design stage as well as its construction. More specifically, non-combustible materials such as concrete and steel-frame tempered windows form a fire resistive barrier, which results to an exterior shell that protects the interior spaces.

Progressive transformation

The project involves the reuse of an old office building and its conversion into a modern assisted reproduction clinic. Its aim is to become a new landmark for the wider area as well as promote sustainable design principles.

 

Conservation strategy

The renovation retained key elements of the original four-storey office building, including the load-bearing structure, staircases, elevator shaft, corridors, balconies, and roofs. During the project’s execution, it was also decided to preserve all external steel window frames, due to both technical considerations as well as to minimize overall expenses. The building’s dynamic transformation was initially implemented in its interior to create the new offices, the operating rooms, as well as the reception and waiting areas. An overall exterior design intervention concluded the building’s refurbishment. The staircase divides each level into two distinct spaces. Τhe ground floor houses the main areas of the new clinic: the central lobby, the café and a small restaurant with beautiful open-air facilities are located on one part, while the operating theatres, doctors’ offices and main laboratories on the other.

 

Spatial organisation

Particular emphasis was placed on ergonomic design and the creation of unobstructed circulation routes between the separate rooms and functions. The first floor houses the medical offices and examination rooms. The waiting room, consulting rooms and offices are located around an impressively designed area, while the marketing and accounting services are concentrated in a second section within the building. The administration offices, conference rooms and a few support services are located on the top floor. The basement houses essential support facilities, including additional workshops, preparation rooms, a small gym, and wellness spaces. Additionally, all MEP equipment is situated in the basement, along with designated parking spaces.

 

Façade design

The exterior elevation was transformed, through a bold gesture, into a moving façade of large aluminium and wooden beams: a “fluid” partition unfolds into two separate strips, creating an extraordinary form with curved and elastic shapes, which embraces the building’s existing volumes and elevator shaft. A pebble pond shaped with similar curved lines and the carefully designed paths, outdoor facilities and intriguing vegetation complete the composition.

Concrete canvas

On a sloping, rocky plot of 4,070m2 with panoramic views towards Kalathas beach, a single family residence was designed with a focus on maximum integration into the landscape. The form of the partially underground building emerged as a conscious response to the character of the natural environment and the desire for minimal alteration of the terrain and its morphology.

 

Context Integration

The house develops linearly, following the geometry of the plot. It is located on one of the two natural plateaus of the slope, where the incline is gentler. An attempt was made to preserve the existing flora and to incorporate the characteristic tamarisk tree that dominates the entrance at street level. Access is achieved through a crevice in the rock, leading the visitor through a long, uncovered corridor-light well to an entrance hall, which divides the residence into living and sleeping areas.

 

 

Functional Layout

From this point, there is a central view of the islet of Kalathas and the window frames fold back to unify the interior and exterior of the residence. The main living space combines the lounge, dining room, and kitchen in an open plan layout, directly connected to the exterior through a large 14m sliding glass door. Five bedrooms with en-suite bathrooms are located in the western wing, along with the vertical connection to the underground auxiliary spaces.

 

 

Material Palette

In all, the building’s total area comprises of 36m2 for main functions, 40m2 for parking and reception and 100m2 for underground auxiliary functions. The architecture seeks to converse with the surrounding landscape through the use of exposed materials: bare concrete was chosen as the primary expressive medium, acting as a neutral canvas upon which the artworks of Netherlands-based visual artist Daniella Rubinovitz are displayed.

Combined with the polished concrete mortar flooring and the warm textures of wood and metal, there is a balance between simplicity and material density. The similarity of the concrete and natural ground color tones allows the building to visually integrate into the mountain, while excavated rock fragments were reused in the landscape design. Large openings, the diffusion of light, and the use of natural materials, such as the pergola with a wicker covering, enhance the continuity between interior and exterior spaces. The residence embraces the qualities of the landscape, functioning a discreet backdrop that highlights both nature and art.

 

Pure Volume

The house is built in a rural urbanization in the outskirts of Buenos Aires, surrounded by polo clubs and longstanding woods. Rows of willow trees cut through the terrain’s flat topography. The commission was made by a young couple with no children, wanting to build their permanent residence. They asked for a house with a pure external image and an uncomplicated inner distribution.

Building Program and Future Expansions

A single floor needed to accommodate a master suite and a second bedroom with a shared bathroom, as well as an integrated social area. The clients wanted a spacious gallery that would allow them to be in close touch with nature, as well as a swimming pool and a patio. They also requested a study for a future enlargement, in view of the possibility to include a third bedroom.
The house was designed as a pure volume. Considering the regulatory restrictions and keeping in mind a future expansion, the built area covered the lot’s whole width. A concrete platform allows one to walk over a reflecting pool and reach a semi-covered reception hall. Upon entering, a leafy inner patio behind a glass panel is immediately visible. This patio arouses the senses, expanding the views towards the back of the lot.
The path connecting the entrance, the patio and the pool in the backyard crosses the main interior circulation, which leads to the organization of the house along two axes. Facing north, the main areas open towards the exterior space through the gallery, whereas aligned service areas become part of the façade and the inner patio establishes a border between the private and social areas of the house.

Façade Design with a Wooden Latticework

The main facade’s most noticeable characteristic is its system of lapacho wooden planks, hanging vertically along the entire front. Behind this latticework, short hanging walls in combination with translucent glass, configure the inner skin of the wet spaces. The plank system harmonizes these openings and closures by creating a rhythm and organization that allows for outward gazes without being seen from the street. As these planks remain at a distance from the floor, a short black flagstone wall rises; its darkness gives the impression of a recess, which in turn makes the planks stand out from the wall, so the entire structure appears to be floating. The facade itself was intended to appear hovering above the water.

Concrete and Glazing create Opacity and Openness

Unlike the front skin, the back of the house is completely clad in transparent glass. The openness with which its joinery is designed from floor to ceiling allows for complete integration between the inside and the outside. The semicovered gallery serves as a transitional space towards the backyard and shelters the inside from direct sunlight.
The side shell is made of almost blind partitions, standing on the floor. Contrary to the other two systems, the sides of the house demonstrate the connection between the volume of the house and the terrain. The side adjacent to the street employs one of the tools used in the facade system: With the intention to allow some light to enter the house and to provide some views from the street into the social area, a series of vertical wooden planks float over the glazed pane. This way, considering the connection of this area with the inner patio, the unified living and dining rooms are sunlit and open on three sides. On the other hand, the opposite side of the house is opaque: a concrete wall and glazed panes cover the most intimate parts of the house.

Lighting Design

Lighting equipment intensifies the building’s horizontality. Inside, two sets of rails hang from the ceiling from side to side, both on the front and at the back. Also, a row of built-in lights is set along the gallery’s ceiling and floor.
Concrete Loadbearing System
The structure of the house employs a concrete loadbearing wall system that interacts with inverted T-beams, which sustain the loads and hide the system from view. The rooftop is a traditional flat roof system, including a light sloped base-floor over the slabs, concrete bed and membrane. Inside, the exposed slabs function as ceilings.
Material Palette
The bare concrete surfaces reflect their handcrafted formwork: The walls feature horizontal pine boards, but the places where the phenolic plates touched each other on the ceiling also remain visible. The clients asked for the inner walls of the private side of the house be white, so these were built with plastered bricks. The austere exposed concrete prescribes the building’s ageing process. Furthermore, the selection of materials integrates the house with its rural environment. The simplicity of the functional organization, perceivable on the floor plan, is reflected in its containing morphology: a big tunnel, made of mainly horizontal edges.

The 450m² house overlooks a lagoon surrounded by the landscape of the Argentine Delta. Its north orientation prescribed the inclusion of a patio with abundant vegetation, which becomes the transitional space between the street and the domestic environment, orienting all internal circulation towards the heart of the building.

Architectural Scenography

On the west-facing façade, a wooden gate slides behind the concrete shell of the building, introducing a scenographic opening of the access towards the main entrance. This changing pathway leads pedestrian movement through the house, evoking different sensations.

Layout Design and Distribution

Past the gate, one first encounters the music room, opening outwards towards a sheltered multipurpose space, occasionally accommodating the car parking. The walk continues to the central patio, where the main entrance door is concealed inside extensive wooden paneling.

Moving forward, past the entrance, one crosses below a floating volume and reaches the backyard porch. This covered outdoor space frames the landscape and directs the gaze towards the infinity pool, where the water mirror merges with the lagoon. From there, one can enter the gallery directly, without going through the house.

Internally, the house is divided into two wings, with the main entrance and staircase at their connection. On the ground level, the main staircase with floating, solid wooden steps, becomes the centerpiece, located in the entrance hall. The integrated living and dining rooms face east and extend to a sheltered terrace, overlooking the infinity swimming pool. The kitchen is in a gallery, concealed behind the staircase. The west unit of the house contains an independent guest house, and the music room facing the street.

The private area is located on the upper floor, whose configuration follows the circulation arrangement of the ground level, dividing two sectors: on the east side, the adults’ area contains a master bedroom suite and a home office space, both with views of the lagoon, and on the west, the children’s area comprises two bedrooms and a bathroom.

A Material Palette in Exposed Concrete

The dominant material of the house is exposed concrete with visible formwork combining untreated wooden planks and smooth phenolic boards; the material palette further includes aluminum frames and travertine floors.

The design idea of the private house in Nicosia originates from the needs of its owners: Introversion and privacy were the two main requirements. To achieve this goal, and to create a space that will be used daily by a family, the design identifies several imaginary zones, which are implemented through physical and mental limits.

A façade of uncoated concrete

The large wall of uncoated concrete at the facade implements exactly this natural boundary which separates the interior of the house from the public space; it seals the privacy of the residence behind, while the openings create controlled entrances, with different levels of security. The structure of a castle is restated here with a different vocabulary, but with the same result. Wooden formwork bare concrete, as a simple, earthy material, with an internal structure like stone, functions protectively, concurrently defining the boundary and the aesthetics of the house.

Traditional architecture, reimagined.

The references to the traditional Cypriot architecture stand out: The concept of the inner courtyard, and the impenetrable aspect of traditional Cypriot architecture, are analysed and reconstructed in modern terms, within a new urban landscape with different aesthetics, remaining however faithful to the character of the structure and to the nature of materials.

Layout design.

Internally, the ground floor is organized as an open-plan space integrating the living and dining rooms to create a warm, open everyday space, partially separated from the kitchen with a natural boundary. The introverted character of the house is complete with the opposite façade opening, framing the entire rear view to the courtyard.