A compact cubic residence in Kanoni uses recesses, courtyards and carefully positioned openings to mediate between domestic privacy, planting and the heterogeneous urban fabric of Corfu.

The Habitus Project by Thymi Architects is located in Kanoni, Corfu, within a transitional area between the urban and suburban fabric. Rather than seeking a formal reference in the heterogeneous architecture of the surrounding neighbourhood, the residence develops its relationship with the context through controlled views, planted setbacks and a sequence of intermediate spaces.

The house is conceived as a compact volume in which voids and openings acquire a defining role. Its architecture does not rely on direct visual exposure towards the surroundings. Instead, different depths, frames and thresholds establish a selective relationship between interior spaces, garden and neighbourhood.

 

Subtraction from a compact volume

The architectural composition develops through a process of subtraction from an initially cubic mass. Recesses, voids and openings articulate the otherwise restrained form and determine relationships between different parts of the house.

The openings vary according to orientation, programme and the degree of exposure required. Deep apertures frame specific views towards the neighbourhood and landscape, while narrower vertical cuts introduce controlled daylight. Elsewhere, larger openings reinforce continuity between the living spaces and the garden.

On the principal façade, the recessed ground floor creates a protected entrance threshold and adds depth to the elevation. On the upper level, another subtraction forms an internal courtyard, introducing daylight, vegetation and an outdoor area within the compact volume.

The result is a façade shaped less through applied elements than through shadow, depth and the changing relationship between solid and void.

 

Planted setbacks as part of the house

The mandatory distances between the building and the boundaries of the plot are incorporated into the architectural composition rather than treated as residual strips of land.

Planting establishes a first layer of separation from the street and adjacent buildings. Boundaries, vegetation and openings work together to maintain contact with the neighbourhood while moderating visibility and protecting the privacy of the interior.

This strategy allows the residence to retain a degree of inwardness without becoming isolated. The surrounding urban fabric remains present, but is repeatedly selected, concealed or framed through architecture and landscape.

 

Living spaces connected with the garden

The residence develops across three levels. The principal domestic spaces occupy the ground and upper floors, while ancillary functions are accommodated in the basement.

On the ground floor, kitchen, dining and living areas form a continuous space in direct relationship with the garden. Although visually connected, the different functions maintain their individual character through the arrangement of fixed elements and changes in material treatment.

The staircase occupies the core of the composition. More than a means of vertical circulation, it establishes visual relationships between the levels and contributes to the spatial continuity of the house.

The design therefore extends connection not only horizontally towards the garden, but also vertically through the interior.

 

An internal courtyard for the private level

On the upper floor, the main bedroom and ancillary functions are arranged around the internal courtyard.

The courtyard operates simultaneously as a source of natural light, a planted outdoor space and a means of maintaining privacy. Rather than opening the private rooms directly towards the surrounding buildings, it creates a protected external environment within the volume itself.

This inward-facing landscape is balanced by selected views towards the wider context. The house continually alternates between openness and enclosure, using each opening to establish a specific degree of visual connection.

 

A restrained material palette

The material approach follows the same principle of restraint that governs the spatial composition. A limited number of materials recur throughout the residence and help define its different zones.

Timber wall linings and integrated storage elements establish continuity across the interiors and give functional definition to the open living areas. Dark metal window frames emphasize the depth and precision of the apertures, reinforcing their character as cuts within the compact building mass.

A continuous cement-based finish creates visually uninterrupted surfaces, while marble is introduced selectively in floors, steps and individual details.

The limited palette allows changes in daylight and shadow to remain clearly perceptible. Material surfaces operate as a background against which the geometry of the openings and the movement of natural light become more prominent.

 

Framing the suburban context

The Habitus Project responds to the heterogeneous character of its surroundings without adopting the forms of the neighbouring buildings.

Instead, architecture becomes a means of regulating the relationship with the context. Voids, boundaries, planting and openings determine what remains visible, what is protected and how the transition from private interior to neighbourhood is experienced.

Through this system, the house maintains both connection and distance. The changing daylight, planted areas and selected views of the surrounding fabric become part of everyday domestic life, while the compact volume preserves a clear sense of privacy.

A former family residence in the dense centre of Fira is transformed into a five-suite hotel, where restored Cycladic forms, natural materials and planted spaces translate the principles of vegan hospitality into architecture.

Ethos Vegan Suites in Santorini by Kapsimalis Architects occupies a former two-storey family residence in the centre of Fira. Originally constructed after the 1956 Santorini earthquake and extended vertically during the 1980s, the building was reorganized as a small hotel with five independent suites.

Two suites and a compact reception and kitchen occupy the ground floor. Three additional suites are arranged above and accessed through an open staircase integrated with planting. Each room combines sleeping and sitting areas with a kitchenette and bathroom, while private yards, balconies or terraces extend the accommodation outdoors.

 

 

Reworking the existing shell

The transformation retains the characteristic geometry of the original building while simplifying later additions and adapting the structure to its new use.

Existing forms were restored and clarified to establish a contemporary relationship with the compact, whitewashed fabric of Fira. Selected parapets, decorative cornices and parts of the enclosure were removed or replaced, reducing the visual complexity of the former residence.

New thin metal handrails, solid surfaces and perforated ceramic screens introduce a lighter architectural layer. The screens define different degrees of privacy around the rooms and circulation areas while allowing daylight and air to pass through.

The intervention therefore does not attempt to reproduce a historic Cycladic interior. Instead, it works with the existing building and its recognizable forms, introducing new elements that respond to contemporary hospitality.

 

Five suites around shared and private outdoor spaces

From the pedestrian street, the entrance leads to a common semi-outdoor area. This intermediate space functions as a point of arrival and informal gathering before the circulation divides towards the individual suites.

On the ground floor, each unit extends towards a private yard with a small pool and sitting area. The rooms on the upper level open onto balconies or terraces, also incorporating small water elements and views towards the eastern part of Santorini and the Aegean.

The roof is partially planted with aromatic herbs and local vegetables. These are connected with the operation of the hotel and its vegan food and drinks, extending the project’s concept beyond the interiors and into the everyday use of the building.

 

 

Vegan principles as design parameters

A central objective was to translate vegan hospitality into architectural and material decisions rather than treat it solely as an operational concept.

Materials and furnishings derived from animal products were avoided. In their place, the architects selected natural and recyclable materials including ceramics, clay, stone, oak, mineral mortars, cotton, hemp and linen.

Local craftsmanship and custom-made furniture also form part of this approach. Built-in elements reduce the need for additional objects, while planting, water, daylight and natural ventilation contribute to an interior environment closely connected with natural processes.

The material strategy is therefore integral to the identity of the hotel. Vegan principles are expressed through sourcing, construction and atmosphere rather than through applied imagery.

 

Ceramic surfaces and mineral textures

The restrained palette combines variations of earth tones with the material character of ceramics, timber and mineral finishes.

Outside, small square terracotta tiles are laid with visible joints filled with natural beige mortar, creating a repetitive grid across the floors. The exterior walls and ceramic screens are predominantly off-white, connecting the hotel with the surrounding urban fabric.

Inside, large square floor tiles incorporate small ceramic fragments and tesserae. Walls and ceilings are finished with textured plasters containing natural components, while smooth white plaster emphasizes the vaulted ceilings of the two ground-floor suites.

Bathrooms are treated with pale cement-based finishes. Coloured glass partitions in yellow and green create translucent boundaries around the showers and introduce controlled variations within the otherwise muted interiors.

 

 

Oak, terracotta and recycled aggregates

Natural oak is used for wardrobes, shelving and other fixed elements, bringing a warmer material layer into the rooms.

Thin terracotta tiles appear on selected walls, while ceramic claustra are also used inside as supports for desks and as permeable elements that conceal technical equipment.

Kitchenette and bathroom surfaces combine plaster with recycled stone or coloured recycled glass. Their irregular aggregates give the surfaces a distinct texture and make the reuse of material visually apparent.

Bronze-toned mirrors, black metal details and custom travertine tables complete the composition. Lighting made from clay, coloured glass, timber and metal continues the same material language.

Rather than aiming for a uniform finish, the interiors bring together surfaces with different densities, textures and degrees of reflection.

 

Hospitality within the dense fabric of Fira

The project uses an existing building to create a small-scale form of hospitality within one of Santorini’s most densely built settlements.

Its identity emerges from the relationship between the restored shell, porous ceramic surfaces, planting, natural materials and individual outdoor spaces. The result combines the spatial character of a traditional island house with a contemporary programme organized around five suites.

Ethos Vegan Suites translates its operating philosophy into the architecture itself, using material selection, natural light, ventilation and landscape as basic components of the guest experience.

 

The project was first published in print in ek magazine 270 | September 2022, a monthly issue by ek Architectural Publications.

Three interconnected stone dwellings reinterpret the rural house of Chalkidiki, weaving between mature pines and olive trees through an elongated composition shaped by privacy, hospitality and outdoor life.

 

 

Treelithon is a countryside retreat in Chalkidiki by Studio Not a Number Architects. Set on a long, narrow plot that slopes gently beneath mature pines and olive trees, the 200m² project combines a family vacation home with accommodation capable of operating independently for short-term guests.

Completed in 2025, the complex reinterprets the archetype of the rural Greek stone house through three interconnected dwellings. Their arrangement responds directly to the proportions of the site, the existing trees and local planning regulations, which required the building volumes to remain attached rather than fully detached.

 

Three dwellings within an elongated composition

The resulting plan follows an elongated Z-shaped configuration that negotiates privacy between the different occupants while moving around the existing vegetation.

At opposite ends of the site, two landscape elements anchor the composition. A small pine canopy creates a sheltered outdoor retreat for the architects’ family, while a long swimming pool serves the guest accommodation.

Between them, the three dwellings are conceived as a contemporary interpretation of a trilithon: two upright monolithic volumes frame and support a central horizontal element. The reference establishes a common architectural identity without imposing an identical spatial organization on each house.

The three units develop over one, two and three levels respectively. This variation produces different relationships with the terrain, from horizontal single-storey living to vertically stacked spaces. Each residence also develops its own entrance sequence, internal rhythm and framed views towards the garden.

 

 

Outdoor rooms between house and landscape

Terraces extend the enclosed spaces into the surrounding landscape. Some are sheltered by long-span timber pergolas, while others occupy the shade of existing trees.

Rather than functioning simply as peripheral patios, these areas become outdoor rooms for dining, gathering and retreat. Their distribution also allows the three households to maintain independence while preserving subtle visual and spatial connections.

The sloping terrain contributes actively to this organization. Limited grading interventions transform it into a network of routes across the site. Paved paths alternate with stepping stones, creating a gradual sequence between the different residences and gardens.

 

Load-bearing stone as structure and enclosure

Locally sourced stone forms the load-bearing perimeter walls. The choice extends the logic of traditional rural construction into a contemporary building while anchoring the new volumes materially in their setting.

The substantial masonry is not treated as a decorative skin. It performs simultaneously as structure, enclosure and architectural expression. In this sense, the project tests the capacity of traditional stone-building techniques to respond to current construction requirements.

Openings are positioned selectively within the monolithic walls. They frame specific views of the vegetation, introduce daylight and support passive cross-ventilation rather than dissolving the envelope through extensive glazing.

 

 

Timber elements that regulate exposure

Timber introduces a lighter and more adaptable layer alongside the stone construction. It is used for window frames, furniture and staircases, as well as the long-span pergolas that define the principal outdoor spaces.

Operable sliding panels provide an additional environmental filter. Their position can be adjusted to regulate sunlight, air movement, privacy and views according to season and use.

The envelope therefore combines permanent and movable elements. The stone walls establish a stable, protective framework, while the timber components allow the houses to respond more directly to changing climatic and domestic conditions.

 

A restrained interior palette

Inside, the material treatment remains closely connected with the construction of the buildings. Stone walls are either left exposed or finished with white render, allowing differences in texture to shape the atmosphere of each room.

Terrazzo flooring incorporates subtly coloured aggregates and extends a mineral character through the interiors. In-situ concrete slabs remain exposed, making the structural system visible while contributing thermal mass.

Against these harder surfaces, timber furniture, doors and stairs introduce a warmer layer and emphasize craftsmanship. The limited palette allows differences in texture, natural light and construction to define the interiors rather than relying on additional decorative treatments.

Through its three-part organization, Treelithon balances the apparently opposing requirements of a shared family retreat and independent guest accommodation. Its architectural identity emerges from this negotiation: interconnected but autonomous houses, protective stone walls and adaptable outdoor thresholds arranged within the existing landscape.

Three independent residences step along two terraces in Lefkes, preserving dry-stone walls and mature olive trees while gradually framing the Parian landscape.

 

The residence in Lefkes by KP Office is formed by a complex of three independent houses known as Pezoules House. It occupies a narrow, steeply sloping site in one of the most traditional settlements of Paros.

The project takes its name from its position across two agricultural terraces, or pezoules. Opposite the site, some of the island’s best-preserved terraced fields extend across the hillside. These longstanding structures have shaped both the cultivation and the architectural character of the Cycladic landscape.

 

Buildings arranged along the slope

The narrow proportions and pronounced gradient of the site determined the articulated arrangement of the building volumes. Rather than creating a single compact mass, the design distributes the programme across a sequence of interconnected structures.

The composition follows the two existing terraces. As a result, the buildings remain close to the ground and adapt to the changing levels instead of imposing a uniform platform on the site.

Openings appear gradually as visitors move through the complex. Some provide broad panoramic views, while others frame isolated parts of the surrounding hills. The landscape is therefore revealed as a sequence rather than as a continuous image.

The main project collaborator was Studio265, whose work with KP Office contributed to the architectural and constructional development of the complex.

 

Three independent residences

Each of the three houses develops across two or three levels. Their ground floors contain the principal living and dining areas, together with semi-outdoor sitting spaces integrated into the main volumes.

The bedrooms have private bathrooms and occupy more protected positions. Their distribution establishes a clear distinction between communal and private life without disconnecting them from the landscape.

The stepped organization also gives each house a degree of autonomy. Individual terraces, pools and outdoor rooms are separated from one another, although all three residences remain part of the same architectural composition.

The published ground-floor plan and longitudinal section clarify this relationship. The plan shows the houses extending along the narrow site, while the section explains their gradual descent through the two terraces.

 

Framed views and semi-outdoor rooms

Covered seating areas are incorporated within the principal volumes rather than added as independent structures. They form deep thresholds between enclosed rooms, swimming pools and the surrounding terrain.

These intermediate spaces protect everyday outdoor activity from direct sunlight. At the same time, they preserve visual continuity with the hills and the distant horizon.

The arrangement of openings reinforces this controlled relationship. Windows and passages do not simply provide a view from every point. Instead, they direct attention towards selected elements of the landscape and make orientation part of the movement through the house.

 

Stone from the site

Rendered masonry defines the enclosed residential volumes. In contrast, exposed stone is used for retaining walls, boundaries and other external architectural elements.

The stone was recovered exclusively during the excavation of the site. Its reuse strengthens the material relationship between the new construction and the surrounding terrain.

Existing dry-stone walls were preserved and structurally reinforced. Where sections had collapsed, they were rebuilt with local stone, maintaining the continuity of the agricultural terraces.

The masonry therefore serves several roles. It retains the sloping ground, organizes circulation and outdoor rooms, and connects the new complex with the longstanding constructional logic of the Parian landscape.

 

Building around existing olive trees

The outdoor spaces were designed with the aim of limiting intervention in the natural terrain. Building volumes and circulation routes were positioned around mature olive trees that already occupied the site.

The landscape design by Outside Landscape Architecture extends this approach. Gardens contain olive and cypress trees, vines, herbs, aromatic shrubs and flowering plants associated with the Mediterranean ecosystem.

Rainwater-storage tanks contribute to the irrigation of the planted areas. The intervention therefore relies on specific landscape and water-management measures rather than treating planting as an applied decorative layer.

 

Local techniques and contemporary elements

The houses combine references to traditional Cycladic construction with contemporary building components. Small openings and walls up to 60cm thick create substantial, protected envelopes.

Many elements were custom-made by experienced local craftspeople. In parallel, exposed-concrete ceilings, thermally insulated frames and stainless-steel fittings introduce a more contemporary constructional language.

The project does not reproduce a historic building type. Instead, it draws on the environmental and material logic of local architecture and adapts it to current residential needs.

The result is a sequence of houses embedded in the terraces, where stone walls, framed views and intermediate outdoor rooms establish a measured relationship with the landscape.

 

The project was first published in print in ParosVillas Vol.4, a special edition by ek Architectural Publications.

The renovation opens a compartmentalized 1970s residence to daylight and transforms part of its interior into a generous semi-outdoor living space.

 

Heraklion Summer House is the renovation of a two-storey residence built during the 1970s in a suburb of Heraklion, Crete. Designed by iLi Studio, the intervention seeks to give the existing urban house a stronger vacation-home character by reorganizing its interior and reinforcing its relationship with outdoor life.

The project is conceived in two phases. The first, completed in 2025, concerns the renovation of the upper residential level. A later phase proposes the addition of a new volume on the roof terrace.

Opening the existing plan

Before the renovation, internal walls divided the residence into a sequence of separate spaces, including an entrance hall and an enclosed kitchen. This organization limited visual continuity and prevented natural light from reaching the full depth of the floor plan.

The intervention removes these partitions and combines the kitchen, dining room and living area within a continuous shared space. Instead of being distributed among separate rooms, the main domestic activities now unfold within an open plan.

The new organization improves circulation and establishes longer views through the interior. It also allows daylight to enter from different sides and move across the residence throughout the day.

 

A continuous living environment

The open-plan arrangement does not eliminate all spatial definition. The different uses remain legible through furniture, fixed elements and changes in orientation rather than through enclosing walls.

The kitchen forms part of the shared living environment, while the dining and sitting areas maintain direct visual contact with one another. Movement through the house consequently becomes more fluid, and the interior is perceived as a continuous sequence rather than a collection of individual rooms.

This reorganization uses the existing building as a framework for a different form of everyday life. The renovation does not depend on increasing the enclosed floor area. Instead, it redistributes the available space and gives greater importance to shared use, light and visual connection.

 

Giving up interior area for outdoor life

The project’s principal intervention is the creation of a new semi-outdoor space in front of the living room. The existing balcony was too narrow to function as a substantial extension of the house. iLi Studio therefore chose to reduce the enclosed interior and convert part of it into a deeper, more usable covered terrace.

Although the gesture decreases the internal floor area, it expands the range of ways in which the residence can be inhabited. The new space can accommodate everyday activities outdoors while remaining protected from direct exposure.

A large opening connects the living room with this covered area. When opened, it strengthens both the visual continuity and the functional relationship between the two zones. The living room and terrace can therefore operate independently or as a single extended environment.

 

From an urban house to a summer residence

The semi-outdoor space changes the balance of the residence. Outdoor life is no longer confined to a conventional balcony attached to the façade. Instead, the covered terrace becomes a principal room of the house and a threshold between interior and exterior.

This approach gives the existing suburban building a more pronounced seasonal character without treating it as a new construction. The holiday-home quality emerges from the organization of everyday activities around light, openness and outdoor occupation.

Through a limited number of targeted changes, Heraklion Summer House demonstrates how an existing residential shell can accommodate a different way of living. The removal of partitions brings daylight deeper into the plan, while the new semi-outdoor space establishes a more direct relationship with the Cretan climate.

Near Glyfa beach, the residence unfolds like a small settlement of white and stone volumes, connected by sheltered courtyards, internal pathways and outdoor spaces facing the sea.

 

The project is located in the tranquil southeastern part of Paros, near Glyfa beach. Designed by Maria Doxa Architecture Studio, the seaside residence overlooks the coast and the open horizon.

The complex develops linearly across the site, resembling a small island settlement rather than a single autonomous building. A white cubic residence is accompanied by four smaller stone volumes containing supplementary uses. Courtyards, paths and sheltered outdoor rooms connect the separate parts while preserving their individual scale.

 

A protected route through the complex

Access is from the north, through a stone-walled courtyard planted with olive trees, cypresses and aromatic species. A marble-paved path crosses the garden and leads towards the principal entrance.

The high stone boundary protects the arrival area from strong winds. Instead of immediately revealing the sea-facing side of the house, the entrance sequence gradually moves from the enclosed northern courtyard towards the open southern landscape.

The path continues beyond the entrance and extends along the length of the residence. It connects the principal house with the guest accommodation, the artist’s studio and the smaller gardens distributed throughout the site.

 

Two wings around an entrance axis

Inside, the principal residence is divided into two wings. To the right of the entrance, an open-plan living area contains the kitchen, dining room and sitting space.

Large sliding glazed panels connect this shared interior directly with the central outdoor area. When opened, they establish continuity between the living room, shaded terrace, swimming pool and distant sea horizon.

The private wing develops to the left of the entrance. It contains one principal bedroom and two en-suite bedrooms, organized around an enclosed planted courtyard. This internal garden becomes a common point of reference for the sleeping areas and introduces daylight and vegetation without compromising privacy.

The contrast between the two wings is deliberate. The shared spaces open broadly towards the sea, while the bedrooms are organized around a more introspective landscape.

 

Guest accommodation and an artist’s studio

At the western end of the complex, a stone guest house contains two double-height rooms with direct access to the main terrace.

Each room includes a kitchen, bathroom and small sitting area at ground level. The sleeping area is placed on a mezzanine, creating a more private zone within the vertically organized interior.

A small painting studio completes the composition at the eastern end. It is reached through the outdoor path that begins at the entrance courtyard and follows the length of the house.

In the northwestern part of the site, a partially subterranean volume contains two further bedrooms with bathrooms and a shared kitchen. A planted roof and stepped courtyards integrate it into the terrain and limit its visual presence within the wider complex.

Outdoor life between stone and water

A large sheltered outdoor space occupies the area between the principal residence and the guest house. Facing the linear swimming pool and the sea, it forms the main setting for outdoor life.

A pergola and solid stone back wall protect the terrace, which contains an external bar and sitting area. An imposing fixed marble dining table stands close to the indoor kitchen, supporting a direct relationship between food preparation and outdoor dining.

The swimming pool reinforces the longitudinal organization of the residence. Its water surface extends visually towards the horizon and brings together the main house, guest accommodation and central terrace.

The outdoor spaces are not concentrated in a single area. Smaller courtyards, gardens and routes create different degrees of enclosure, shade and contact with the landscape.

 

 

A contrast of white plaster and local stone

The material palette draws on the character of island architecture without directly reproducing traditional forms. White plaster defines the principal residence, while local untreated stone gives the smaller volumes a heavier and more textured presence.

Large, pale marble slabs form a continuous floor across interior and exterior areas. This repeated surface connects the enclosed rooms with the terraces and weakens the boundary between them.

Rough timber beams and reed linings emphasize selected ceilings. Grey pergolas and window frames introduce a restrained contemporary layer, while natural timber and light fabrics with subtle textures define the furnishings.

The contrast among plaster, stone, marble, timber and reed gives each part of the residence a distinct identity. At the same time, the limited palette maintains the coherence of the whole.

Gardens across the site

The landscape design by Outside Landscape Architecture is distributed across small gardens and courtyards rather than concentrated around the main façade.

Mediterranean aromatic plants, grasses, shrubs, fruit trees and wildflowers establish a close relationship with the existing island landscape. Most ground surfaces remain permeable, combining exposed soil, gravel and paths formed from irregular stone slabs.

The result is a seaside residence with several different spatial scales and multiple possibilities for outdoor occupation. Controlled transparency reveals the sea and vegetation gradually through a sequence of measured architectural forms.

 

The project was first published in print in ParosVillas Vol.4, a special edition by ek Architectural Publications.

Located in Agkairia, on the southwestern side of Paros, the building is organized as four distinct volumes along an elongated axis across the plot. Designed by Chris Tessas, the residence breaks its programme into smaller spatial units, using internal courtyards to introduce natural light and privacy.

The two central volumes contain the living room and kitchen. The outer sections accommodate the family bedrooms and guest rooms. Rather than forming a single compact house, the separate parts establish a linear sequence of enclosed spaces, atriums and sheltered outdoor areas.

 

 

Four volumes and three atriums

Each volume has a distinct function. However, the residence remains connected through a clear longitudinal organization.

Three of the four volumes are separated by internal atriums. These open spaces bring daylight into the centre of the plan and allow the rooms to maintain a direct relationship with the exterior. At the same time, their position within the composition protects domestic life from being immediately visible from the surrounding landscape.

Because the atriums remain largely concealed from the perimeter, they also divide the apparent scale of the house. From a distance, the residence is perceived as a sequence of smaller structures rather than a single extended building.

This arrangement establishes a dialogue with the additive character of traditional Cycladic settlements, where compact rooms and small building units develop gradually in response to use and terrain.

Shared life at the centre

The living room and kitchen occupy the two central sections of the residence. Their position turns the middle of the composition into its shared social core.

Large openings connect these spaces with the terrace, pool and shaded dining area. In contrast with the more controlled openings on the outer façades, this side of the house develops a broader relationship with the landscape and outdoor life.

The pool runs parallel to the main terrace, reinforcing the linear direction of the plan. A lightweight pergola protects the outdoor dining area and creates an intermediate zone between the enclosed rooms and the open Cycladic setting.

Inside, the restrained palette allows natural light to define the atmosphere. Rooflights illuminate the kitchen from above, while narrow openings frame selected views and preserve the sense of enclosure established by the external volumes.

 

 

Proportions derived from local architecture

The proportions of the individual volumes and the discreet external openings draw on the historic stone structures found across Paros and the wider Aegean.

This reference is expressed through scale and spatial organization rather than through the literal reproduction of traditional details. The building remains contemporary, but its fragmentation allows it to relate to the surrounding landscape and the established architectural character of the island.

The repeated wall surfaces and controlled openings give the outer elevations a compact presence. By contrast, the concealed courtyards introduce light and openness within the composition.

An external stair towards the roof

The northern volume contains the family bedrooms and is separated from the adjoining parts of the residence by an external staircase. Its broad, solid form recalls the external stairs of traditional island houses.

The stair leads to the roof and becomes part of the architectural promenade. Beyond its practical role, it invites occupants to rise above the low volumes and observe the wider Cycladic landscape.

Through its combination of linear organization, fragmented volumes and hidden atriums, Cycladic Layout proposes a contemporary residence that belongs to Paros without relying on the direct imitation of vernacular forms.

 

The project was first published in print in ParosVillas Vol.4, a special edition by ek Architectural Publications.

Rhoēs is an unbuilt private residence by Sinas Architects on the island of Serifos. The 390m² project occupies a 4,500m² site within an exposed Cycladic landscape, where strong winds, intense sunlight, steep terrain and distant views become active elements of the design.

Rather than reproducing the recognizable forms of traditional island architecture, the project investigates the environmental forces that originally shaped them. Its aim is to develop a contemporary house rooted in the conditions of Serifos without relying on the direct imitation of vernacular forms.

 

 

Architecture shaped by climate

The residence is conceived as a sequence of spaces that gradually negotiate exposure and protection. Walls define sheltered zones, while courtyards and semi-open areas create places where outdoor life can continue despite the island’s demanding climatic conditions.

The landscape is therefore not treated as a background for an autonomous architectural object. Instead, wind, solar exposure, terrain and views influence the position and character of each space.

Protected outdoor rooms form intermediate thresholds between the enclosed interior and the open site. These transitional areas allow the architecture to remain connected with its surroundings while providing shade and shelter from the wind.

A gradual spatial sequence

Movement through the project is organized as a transition between different degrees of enclosure. More protected spaces are followed by courtyards, framed openings and wider views towards the landscape.

This sequence avoids the immediate exposure of the entire residence. Instead, the house is gradually revealed through changes in scale, light and orientation. The courtyards become points of reference within this progression, extending domestic life beyond the enclosed rooms.

The resulting organization reflects the contrast found across the Cycladic landscape itself. Open and exposed areas coexist with recesses, walls and protected pockets shaped by the terrain.

 

 

Beyond the image of Cycladic architecture

Contemporary residential programmes often require larger interior spaces and amenities that differ significantly from those of older island houses. Rhoēs addresses these requirements without treating the site as a neutral setting onto which a predetermined lifestyle can simply be transferred.

The project seeks continuity with local architecture through its underlying logic rather than its external image. Climate determines the relationship between solid and open surfaces. The topography informs the sequence of movement, while sheltered courtyards mediate between contemporary domestic needs and the conditions of the island.

In this way, the reference to Cycladic architecture remains structural rather than stylistic. The house does not attempt to reproduce an idealized past. Instead, it applies a similar process of adaptation to the realities of present-day living.

Material continuity with the site

The proposed palette combines natural stone, exposed concrete, oak, glass and aluminium. Stone gives the composition a direct material relationship with the terrain, while concrete forms more continuous structural surfaces.

Oak introduces warmth within the interior and sheltered outdoor areas. Glass maintains visual connections with the landscape, while aluminium provides a restrained framework for the openings.

The combination is intended to reinforce the distinction between protection and exposure. Heavier materials define the boundaries of the residence, while transparent surfaces open selected spaces towards the surrounding landscape.

Rhoēs is currently under development, with completion estimated for 2028. The project proposes a contemporary interpretation of island dwelling in which architectural form emerges from climate, terrain and everyday use rather than from the reproduction of a predetermined regional style.

Astir Marina was the first marina in Greece developed exclusively for tourist vessels. Built in Vouliagmeni during the early 1960s, it occupies a coastal site distinguished by its natural landscape and archaeological significance.

Its redevelopment began in 2013 with two principal objectives. The existing port infrastructure had to accommodate the increased operational requirements of a home port for mega and superyachts. At the same time, the land zone was reimagined as a destination combining tourism, leisure, retail, dining and marina administration.

KSE Studio prepared the preliminary master plan for the land zone. AETER Architects subsequently developed the final land-zone master plan and designed the new buildings. Neiheiser Argyros were responsible for the landscape architecture and public realm.

The port works were delivered in 2023, while construction on the land zone was completed in May 2024.

 

 

A new programme along the waterfront

The redevelopment addresses two interconnected areas: the reconstruction and improvement of the existing port facilities and the complete reorganization of the land zone.

The latter contains 4,800m² of enclosed spaces accommodating tourism, retail, dining and marina-management functions. The outdoor areas, pedestrian routes and shared spaces were treated as an equally important part of the architectural programme.

To prevent parking from occupying a substantial part of the available open ground, a 156-space underground facility was placed beneath the central plaza. Its position within a steeply inclined section of the site reduces the visual presence of vehicles and preserves the relationship between the buildings, landscape and waterfront.

The new programme is distributed among a sequence of buildings and open plazas. Together, they establish a continuous public route along the central quay and connect the commercial areas with the marina’s operational facilities.

Buildings informed by the language of yachts

For AETER Architects, the form and materiality of the vessels using the marina provided a point of departure for the architectural language.

The façades are characterized by curved, folded and inclined surfaces formed in smooth white exposed concrete. Their changing geometry evokes movement and gives the buildings a different appearance as visitors move along the quays and public routes.

The materials associated with contemporary yachts also informed the treatment of the architectural surfaces. White concrete, extensive glazing, reflective finishes and darker metallic elements create contrasts between solidity, transparency and sheen.

Two central buildings containing retail and dining uses define the principal public space along the waterfront. Their broad overhangs and terraces extend the interior programme outdoors, while preserving uninterrupted views towards the marina.

To the northwest, the two-storey administration building and marina control tower form a more sculptural composition. A broad, almost ceremonial ascent leads to the accessible upper roof, which becomes an elevated viewpoint over the harbour and the Saronic Gulf.

Smaller buildings accommodating supporting functions complete the complex through a more restrained interpretation of the same architectural vocabulary.

 

 

From historical maps to a new public realm

The landscape design by Neiheiser Argyros begins with the proposition that “the map is the territory.” Historical topographic records and old nautical charts were used to retrieve earlier contour lines associated with the site.

These traces informed the main routes, paving patterns and planted zones. Landscape is therefore not applied as a decorative layer around the buildings. Instead, it becomes a continuous system that organizes movement, orientation and the transition between the hillside and the water.

Clusters of planted “islands” form buffers between vehicle circulation, parking areas and the waterfront. They also extend the vegetation of the adjoining slope towards the lower quays.

The paving incorporates irregular marble fragments sourced from nearby quarries. Their variations in scale, geometry and tone emphasize an ad hoc and handcrafted quality associated with the material character of the coastal pine forest.

The placement of the buildings defines a sequence of open plazas coordinated with the planting and the sea. Within the retail and dining zone, the two principal buildings frame the most significant shared space along the waterfront.

Bioclimatic strategies and planted roofs

The buildings employ a series of environmental strategies intended to reduce energy demand. Glazed surfaces support passive solar gain during winter, while deep overhangs, canopies and louvers protect the interiors from direct summer sunlight.

Extensive planted roofs continue the landscape across the upper surfaces of the buildings. They connect the architecture visually with the vegetation of the peninsula and soften the distinction between built and planted areas.

The artificial-lighting strategy responds to the coexistence of several different programmes. It reinforces the identity and hierarchy of the individual buildings while establishing continuity among plazas, covered passages and waterfront routes after dark.

 

 

A landscape of modernization

The redevelopment of Astir Marina continues a longer Greek history in which architecture mediates between tourism infrastructure and landscapes of particular natural, historical and cultural value.

Here, the role of design extends beyond the production of individual buildings. The preliminary planning by KSE Studio, the final master plan and architecture by AETER Architects, and the public realm by Neiheiser Argyros operate as distinct but interconnected layers.

The project remains suspended between two conditions: the local landscape that was already present and the international programme introduced by the marina. Its broader architectural significance lies in the way these forces are negotiated.

The balance between landscape protection and tourism development is not self-evident. Nevertheless, it continues to define a critical field for the evolution of contemporary Greek architecture.

 

The project was first published in print in ek magazine 290 | September 2024, the monthly issue by ek Architectural Publications.

Fallen Tower by Kipseli Architects is a vacation home in Messinian Mani. Its design reinterprets the region’s fortified stone towers, which traditionally developed vertically as structures of defence and isolation.

Instead of reproducing this familiar form, the project turns it on its side. The tower becomes an elongated horizontal volume that organizes everyday life and strengthens the residence’s relationship with the landscape.

 

 

A tower laid across the site

The principal volume contains the living room, kitchen and dining area in a continuous linear sequence. The entrance is positioned at one end of this shared space. From there, movement through the house culminates in a semi-outdoor area that frames the sea.

This extended route gives the building a clear internal direction. At the same time, it transforms the traditional tower from an enclosed vertical structure into an open framework for collective life.

The horizontal form retains a sense of monumentality. However, its meaning changes. Rather than asserting separation from the landscape, the volume stretches across the site and establishes a direct connection between the interior, the courtyard and the distant horizon.

 

 

Private spaces as separate fragments

Bedrooms, bathrooms and storage areas project from the principal spine as smaller spatial fragments. Their divergent arrangement loosens the strict geometry of the main volume and creates a more varied relationship with the terrain.

The gaps between these private wings shape a protected outdoor core. This west-facing internal courtyard acts as a shared open-air room, enclosed by the residence but visually connected with the wider landscape.

The ground- and first-floor plans published with the original presentation clarify this organization. The long communal spine defines one side of the composition, while the smaller volumes unfold around the courtyard and respond independently to the site.

 

 

Continuity between inside and outside

The photographic sequence reveals a composition of stone surfaces, lighter rendered volumes and dark metal pergolas. The main stone element gives the residence a substantial presence, while the projecting wings and sheltered outdoor spaces divide its overall mass.

Large openings connect the living areas with the terraces, pool and sea view. Inside, the linear kitchen reinforces the direction of the main volume. Meanwhile, the living room opens simultaneously towards the water and the semi-outdoor space at its far end.

The bedrooms maintain a more contained character. Nevertheless, carefully placed openings preserve their relationship with the landscape and allow natural light to enter the private areas.

Through this shift from verticality to horizontality, the regional tower is redefined as a structure of connection. It no longer separates its occupants from their surroundings. Instead, it brings together shared and private spaces around an open sequence of movement, landscape and outdoor life.

 

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

Located on a rocky hillside in Corfu, the summer residence was designed by Tony Wynbourne, Georgios Apostolopoulos and Makis Gisdakis. Organized along an east–west axis, the house opens towards uninterrupted 180-degree views of the sea and the surrounding landscape.

The architectural composition follows the terrain and incorporates existing natural elements into the experience of the house. A preserved olive tree occupies a central position, while exposed rock remains visible within the lower level. Local stone and large glazed openings establish a balance between solidity and openness.

 

 

Following the natural terrain

The residence is distributed across a ground floor, lower ground floor and mezzanine. This arrangement allows the building to respond to the changing levels of the hillside while maintaining a close relationship with the exterior.

On the ground floor, the plan is divided into two main zones. The principal bedroom occupies the western side, while the kitchen, living room and dining area are placed to the east. Large openings connect these spaces with the terraces and frame the view towards the sea.

The lower ground floor contains four additional bedrooms with private bathrooms and a small kitchenette. At the rear, the natural rock is incorporated into a quiet, cave-like retreat. Rather than concealing the terrain, the design brings its rough material character directly into the interior.

The repeated orientation towards the view creates a common spatial direction throughout the house. At the same time, the distribution across three levels allows the different sleeping and living areas to retain a degree of independence.

Two pools at different levels

Two swimming pools are integrated into separate parts of the hillside. On the upper level, a heated pool extends directly from the principal bedroom. Set beside the natural rock, it forms a more private water surface within the landscape.

The main pool occupies a lower terrace. Its long, calm surface aligns visually with the distant horizon, strengthening the connection between the residence and the sea.

The different position and scale of the two pools give each one a distinct role. The upper pool belongs to the more private part of the house, while the lower pool forms part of the shared outdoor spaces.

 

 

Local stone and restrained interiors

The exterior is clad in locally sourced stone, shaped by hand by local craftspeople. Its irregular surface connects the architecture with the rocky hillside and recalls the material character of Corfu’s traditional buildings.

Large windows and carefully resolved details introduce a contemporary contrast to the weight and texture of the stone. The relationship between solid walls and glazed openings also allows the landscape to remain visible throughout the interior.

Inside, the design is deliberately understated. Neutral materials, minimal lines and discreet joinery create a quiet setting for the views. The interiors do not compete with the surrounding landscape. Instead, they direct attention towards the sea, the natural rock and the changing daylight.

 

The project was first published in print in ek magazine 298 | June 2025, the monthly issue by ek Architectural Publications.

A series of three-hinged timber frames spans the basketball court, combining structural expression, passive environmental strategies and the reuse of material from the existing gymnasium.

 

 

Kyathos is a proposed 4,000m² indoor basketball arena in Galatsi. Designed by KAAF | Kitriniaris Associates Architecture Firm, the project was directly commissioned by the Cultural and Athletic Organisation of the Municipality of Galatsi as a specialist public building requiring expertise in engineered-timber construction.

The programme includes the principal basketball court and spectator stands, together with an internal perimeter mezzanine. Changing rooms for athletes and referees, sanitary facilities, administrative offices, club offices and supporting spaces complete the complex.

The new arena will replace the existing timber gymnasium on the same site. The older structure has been designated for demolition, mainly because its materials cannot be certified according to current structural standards. However, a substantial part of its timber is intended for reuse as non-load-bearing components in the new building.

 

A concrete podium and timber superstructure

The arena rests on a reinforced-concrete podium containing the functions below the final level of the playing court. This solid base opens towards the adjoining pedestrian route and accommodates the programme that requires direct contact with the ground.

Above the court level, the building is formed primarily from engineered-timber components. The structural system combines glulam, plywood and cross-laminated timber, while steel is introduced selectively at connections and where additional stiffness is required.

The distinction between the concrete base and the timber superstructure gives the building a clear constructional order. It also allows the large-span enclosure to remain relatively lightweight above the more solid lower level.

Ten frames spanning 30 metres

The timber load-bearing structure is arranged around a rectangular grid measuring 45m by 30m, with a regular bay of 5m.

Ten identical statically determinate frames bridge the 30m span of the main arena. Each frame consists of columns and beams working together as a three-hinged arch.

The repeated structural units determine the principal rhythm of the building. Rather than being concealed behind an independent exterior image, the load-bearing system becomes the basis of the architectural composition.

Lightweight waterproof polymer components cover the roof. According to the project description, the material is recyclable, weather-resistant and suitable for printed surface treatments.

 

From the ancient kyathos to the building envelope

The project takes its name from the kyathos, an ancient Greek cup or ladle. Its curved profile provides a conceptual reference for the geometry of the structural shell.

A second reference comes from the cup-shaped inflorescence of Euphorbia, known in Greek as galatsida. The plant’s name establishes a further association with Galatsi, while its botanical form informs the repeated elements of the envelope.

These references are integrated into the structure rather than applied as decorative motifs. Form, construction and environmental performance are conceived as parts of the same architectural system.

 

A shaded and naturally ventilated perimeter

A principal objective of the envelope is to keep the building and its perimeter circulation areas largely under shade. The depth and repetition of the timber elements limit direct solar exposure while allowing daylight to enter the interior.

Open sections of the shell support natural ventilation and passive cooling. At the same time, the structural rhythm creates a gradual transition between Veikou Grove, the sheltered edge of the arena and the main internal volume.

Rainwater from the roof and the surrounding hard surfaces is intended for reuse in landscape irrigation. The landscape design also proposes the reinforcement of the existing Mediterranean vegetation of the grove.

These strategies are presented as design objectives and will need to be evaluated through the project’s detailed technical development.

 

Reusing material from the existing gymnasium

Timber recovered from the existing building will be reused in shutters, wall linings and purpose-made non-structural elements. This approach retains part of the material history of the site without relying on components that can no longer be certified for structural use.

The new load-bearing system is intended to use engineered timber from certified, sustainably managed forests. Approximately 2,000m³ of timber will be required for the proposed construction.

Concrete is concentrated below the court level, while timber spans the principal arena above. Through this combination, Kyathos proposes a public sports building in which structure, environmental response and architectural identity are developed together.

Mold Architects was founded in 2011 by Iliana Kerestetzi, an architect who studied in Athens and New York. Based in Athens and Serifos, the award-winning practice works across the full spectrum of design, extending beyond the architecture of buildings. Regardless of scale or programme, its projects maintain the same investigative approach, seeking clear and precisely targeted responses.

 

S.M.: You belong to a generation of architectural practices that emerged during the financial crisis, maintaining a base in Serifos alongside a second office in Athens. How did you navigate this condition, and how did you use it to your advantage almost a decade later?

I.K.: In 2013, I had the good fortune to build my first project, a vacation home in Serifos. During the years that followed, the proposals we received mainly concerned designs intended for off-plan property sales.

That model ultimately failed to bear fruit, and most of those projects were never built. Nevertheless, during a very difficult period, we were able to practise architecture, evolve and delve more deeply into the subject of our work. We developed a clear direction and a conscious approach to selecting projects at a time when, in reality, there was no luxury of choice.

With patience and optimism, we overcame that obstacle. Much later, we are preparing to see many more of our projects realized.

 

 

S.M.: Designing vacation housing requires architects to reconcile demands for “authenticity” and belonging to a particular “place” with residents’ desire for amenities associated with a different way of life. How do you maintain this balance in your projects?

I.K.: I understand the quotation marks around the word “authenticity,” and I assume you are referring to an architecture that tends to reproduce “traditional” structures, materials and construction techniques. It does so to approach the idea of the old, the pure and the traditional, which is, of course, an established tourism product.

The task, however, is clearly more difficult than uncritical reproduction. We belong to the present, with everything that entails—with increasingly complex needs, but also with constantly evolving tools and means—and we are not nostalgic for the past.

Yet we also belong to the place. Whether considered through its geomorphology or its history, the place is the starting point of our thinking, the subject of our analysis and the reservoir from which we draw our ideas. These are simple and clear ideas, with reason and substance, capable of weaving the thread that connects us with the place, its past, its present and its future.

 

 

S.M.: Having worked on many small-scale projects, how did you approach the transition to large hotel developments? What can be retained, and what is lost from your architectural approach when the scale changes?

I.K.: Our approach to architecture is certainly not affected by the size of a project, although the requirements may differ.

One issue that we clearly do not encounter in a residence is the accommodation of extensive back-of-house infrastructure without disturbing the immediacy of the relationship between the user and the landscape that we seek to establish. It is a machine in constant motion that must operate silently while providing every necessary service.

Another challenge is finding ways to introduce the idea of the small into a larger scale. This may be achieved by minimizing the building footprint. Alternatively, the design can prevent the building’s total volume from being perceived from any of its individual parts.

Once uninterrupted visual contact is removed, the scale immediately diminishes. The architecture consequently becomes more approachable and humane.

 

Read the full interview in ek issue 247 | May 2020.

The first phase of the OAKA basketball arena renovation combines essential structural and technical upgrades with new hospitality, media and spectator facilities, while preserving the identity of the existing sports landmark.

 

 

The renovation of PAO BC Arena transformed the indoor basketball stadium at OAKA into the home venue of Panathinaikos BC. The intervention covered more than 50,000m² and combined the maintenance of the existing building with extensive functional, aesthetic and energy upgrades.

The core conversion was delivered within 75 days, while the wider design-and-construction process of the first phase was completed within four months. The accelerated programme required close coordination among the designers, project-management team, consultants and contractors.

Rather than replacing the identity of the existing arena, the project sought to clarify its structural character and adapt its infrastructure to contemporary requirements.

Infrastructure before image

The first stage addressed fundamental technical issues that had remained unresolved for an extended period. Works included waterproofing, the assessment and reinforcement of the roof space frame, hydraulic systems and the electricity supply network.

These interventions were necessary for the building’s safe and reliable operation. They also established the technical foundation for the new public, hospitality and athletic programmes introduced inside the arena.

The renovation consequently approached modernization as more than a visual transformation. Hidden infrastructure and structural performance were treated as equally important as the redesigned spectator areas.

 

New spaces for spectators and operations

The second level of intervention concerned the public and operational interiors. Circulation areas, sanitary facilities and food-and-beverage spaces were reorganized, while retail functions and areas for children’s activities were added.

New offices and press facilities support the daily operation of the venue. The Press Entrance, Gate 10 entrance and associated sanitary areas were designed by Decathlon in collaboration with Eva Lantzouni.

The hospitality programme includes a new VIP Entrance and VIP Lounge by Markos Vouzounerakis / RICHE. Dark surfaces, timber, marble and controlled lighting establish a more concentrated atmosphere within these spaces.

Sixteen suites designed by K-Division introduce smaller, private viewing environments within the large arena. Their interiors combine framed views of the court with integrated seating, storage and hospitality functions.

A digitally adaptable playing surface

The central court was upgraded through the installation of an interactive glass sports floor. Its digital surface allows graphics, markings and visual content to change according to the requirements of a game or event.

New audiovisual systems extend this transformation beyond the playing surface. Screens, sound and lighting reinforce the atmosphere of the arena and allow the venue to support a broader range of sporting and entertainment programmes.

The intervention also reorganized the visual identity of the seating bowl. Green seating, large digital displays and suspended banners connect the new technical infrastructure with the history and identity of Panathinaikos BC.

 

Lighting and external identity

The energy upgrade included the replacement of the existing lighting system. New functional lighting was introduced throughout the interior, alongside accent and atmospheric lighting in selected public and hospitality areas.

The separation of the building’s different levels was clarified, while additional sanitary facilities supported the updated circulation and spectator programme.

The external façades received a revised colour palette. The intention was to respect the form of the original arena while signalling its new identity and use.

The public space northeast of the building was also redesigned. Improvements to functional, accent and atmospheric lighting extend the intervention beyond the enclosed arena and reinforce its presence within the wider OAKA complex.

Preserving a public sports landmark

The project addresses the renovation of a major sports building as a process of adaptation rather than replacement. New systems and programmes are inserted within the existing structural framework, whose scale and architectural character remain legible.

At the time of the original publication, a second phase had been designed to include upgraded training courts, changing rooms and physiotherapy facilities. Additional offices, an outdoor café, a VIP restaurant, five further suites and a Panathinaikos museum were also planned.

These proposals should be understood within the December 2024 publication context. Their subsequent construction status requires separate confirmation.

The completed first phase demonstrates how the existing public sports-building stock can be renewed through coordinated architectural, technical and operational interventions. Its approach avoids an autonomous new image and instead builds on the principles and material presence of the inherited shell.

 

The project was first published in print in ek magazine 293 | December 2024, a monthly issue by ek Architectural Publications.

The architecture of worship spaces has followed a long and particularly interesting trajectory in the Greek region since the establishment of the modern Greek state.¹ The strong tradition of Byzantine church architecture provides the frame of reference for Greek and foreign architects who sought to reinterpret the shell of Orthodox worship through the ideologies and artistic currents of their time. During the 19th century, Neoclassicism and Romanticism left a particularly compelling architectural and iconographic imprint on both large and small cities and rural settlements across Greece, following the models set by Christian Hansen, Lysandros Kaftantzoglou and, later on, Ernst Ziller in the capital. In the first two or three decades of the 20th century, national ideologies prompted a reevaluation of vernacular tradition and, consequently, a deeper investigation of Byzantine typologies, which were then reinterpreted through contemporary architectural currents such as German Jugendstil. Aristotelis Zachos emerged as the dominant figure of this shift.

The turn of the most talented young Greek architects toward European modernism in the 1930s – reflected in the design and construction of important public buildings for education, health, etc. – was not accompanied by comparable achievements in ecclesiastical architecture. The framework defined by the state and the official church appears to have been restrictive, leaving little room for interpretations or translations of Byzantine typology through modern morphology and the possibilities offered by reinforced concrete construction. Among the few exceptions are Nikolaos Mitsakis’s unbuilt proposal for the Evangelistria complex on the island of Tinos (submitted to the 1930–31 architectural competition) and the design of two small chapels in Athens (1932–34).²

 

A major architect of the interwar period, Patroklos Karantinos, would later attempt a radical rethinking of worship-space design within the broader and diverse context of his postwar work.³ Inspired by contemporary international architectural achievements that explored the structural potential of reinforced concrete in self-supporting shells, he designed a series of small churches where, “liberated from any typological or morphological constraint,”⁴ he experimented with articulating a contemporary conception of sacred space (e.g., the church for the educational facilities of the Apostoliki Diakonia Foundation, Agia Varvara, Dafni, 1950; and the church in Archanes, Crete, 1952). In these studies – none of which were ever built – Karantinos, an architect with a deep appreciation for Russian Constructivism, seems more interested in the sculptural expression inherent in modern construction technology than in the mystical spatial experience of the Orthodox Christian church.

Karantinos’s work from this period remained isolated and did not influence the younger generation of architects who, from the end of the 1950s onward, would redefine Greek architecture during the postwar reconstruction era, aligning themselves with the developmental and modernization imperatives expressed by Western modernist paradigms. Indeed, the design of worship spaces appears to have occupied only a marginal position among the most influential architects of that generation. An exception is the design by Sthenis Molfesis and Thymios Papagiannis for the Church of the Dormition of the Virgin in Ano Glyfada (1961), an attempt to combine elements of Byzantine typology with modern construction techniques and morphology,an approach somewhat similar to that of Karantinos at Dafni.

Drawing from the syntax and forms of Aegean vernacular architecture, which were highly popular among young architects of the 1960s and validated by Le Corbusier, the small family chapel of the Niarchos family on Spetsopoula, designed by Vasilis Grigoriadis in 1963, is perhaps the most successful embodiment of the spirit of the times within a work of religious architecture, particularly through its attention to spatial transitions and the choreography of light in the interior.⁵ Years earlier, Perikles Sakellarios had offered a sensitively handled modernist interpretation of Aegean ecclesiastical architecture with the chapel of St. George of the LOK in Kavouri (1949–50).

The church of Notre Dame du Haut in Ronchamp (1955), and particularly its treatment of interior light, was, without doubt, one of Le Corbusier’s most influential works for these generations of Greek architects. Michalis Romanos attempted a Greek translation of this approach with his design for the Church of St. John in Heraklion, Crete (1966), a bold proposal that was never realized. Meanwhile, the Church of the Holy Cross in Papagou was erected with a daring form for its time, drawing inspiration from Oscar Niemeyer’s celebrated Church of St. Francis of Assisi in Pampulha (1940–43).

 

 

More compelling, perhaps, are the designs and built works of architects for whom Byzantine mysticism and the symbolism of the Orthodox interior constituted an essential part of their personal metaphysical or “theological” inquiry, such as Kostis Gkartsos (born 1938) and Vasilis Giannakis (born 1931). Particularly bold, almost “anti-plastic”, is the massing of the small chapel for the Hellenic Air Force, which Giannakis built in 1960 at the summit of Mount Kithairon during his military service: the architect submits the composition to extreme syntactic and volumetric abstraction and to a raw handling of primary construction materials such as unfinished concrete and roughcast plaster. Crucial in this case is the manipulation of light, which enters the interior through two elongated slits between the dome and the northern and southern walls, creating the impression that the dome is floating: here, “the architectural elements dematerialize and are endowed with symbolic meaning.”

 

 

In his design for the Church of St. Nektarios intended for the Holy Trinity Monastery in Aegina, Giannakis envisions a “social and cultural landmark.” The structure is set within a tall polygonal enclosure that, like a medieval wall, follows the site’s contour lines and becomes embedded in the natural and built surroundings as a “prominence”, both physical and symbolic, recalling the historic urban core of the Katapoliani church in Paros before its restoration. In the work of the Architectural and Urban Studies Group (OAOM, 1966–1975) of Gkartsos, Elias Gounaropoulos (1936–2018) and Makis Kostikas (b. 1939), a more or less bold attempt at typological renewal can be observed: their built proposals, such as the church in Poulithra, Kynouria (c. 1967), offer a modern reinterpretation of Neo-Byzantine domed architecture through the use of concrete, with notable interest in structural articulation and the handling of natural light in the interior.

Elsewhere, as in the Church of St. Nektarios in Lavrio (1973) and the Church of Prophet Elias in Metamorfosi (1973), structural exploration becomes more daring, with the increased dome spans pushing the material to its limits and with differentiated articulation of structural elements. Even more striking are three variations of the preliminary study for the Church of Nea Makri by Gkartsos, likely designed before the group’s founding (1966), which demonstrate a deeper structural and sculptural investigation of concrete shells verging on Expressionist treatment, although they were not ultimately realized. Several notable church designs in Cyprus during the 1970s, shortly before the Turkish invasion, may also be placed within this more loosely defined typological framework.

 

 

In the Church of St. Loukas in Dasoupolis, Nicosia (1974), Neoptolemos Michaelides (1920–1993), an architect of the optimistic, internationalist postwar generation, explores the technological possibilities of self-supporting shells, designing a parabolic roof and avoiding Byzantine typology altogether. Once again, the sense of the transcendent is achieved through the manipulation of luminous slits within the concrete shell. The church in Famagusta by Theoharis David (1972–73), part of a larger complex, relies on a robust sculptural handling of the concrete envelope and the imposing presence of the structure within its context, recalling the well-known Brutalist church Sainte-Bernadette du Banlay by the French architect Claude Parent in Nevers (1963). Along similar lines and in the same period, Georgios Lavvas designed the Church of St. Paul at the Orthodox Centre of the Ecumenical Patriarchate in Chambésy, Geneva, following Byzantine typology in plan yet introducing an audacious sculptural gesture in the treatment of its ellipsoidal dome-like roof.⁶

During the final quarter of the 20th century, a large number of parish churches were built in Greece, all sharing a common feature: the effort to renew the morphology of the shell while remaining strictly faithful to traditional typologies.⁷ Although some examples are of interest (e.g., Church of Zoodochos Pigi in Trachones, Alimos, 1975–80, architect unknown), most are large, overly expressive, sometimes even “narcissistic”, exercises devoid of substantial spiritual content.

Truly thoughtful explorations of the relationship between the sacred and contemporary architectural expression are found in small projects, often chapels or holy springs, either designed or built. In the Chapel of the Democritus University of Thrace in Xanthi, designed by Tasos Biris and Sofia Tsiraki (1st prize in architectural competition, 1998), the central idea is the investigation of the notion of the chthonic as a constituent of the transcendent. The study belongs to a broader cycle of the Biris office that explored the architecture of “the excavation” – the firm’s entry for the New Acropolis Museum competition being the most notable among them. The metal Proskynitario in the cemetery of the settlement of Kamariotis in Crete, designed by Nikos Skoutelis and Flavio Zanon (2011–12), translates, according to the architects, “the form of the spindle of light from Byzantine iconography,” while the glass canopy of the Catacomb of St. John the Baptist in Hagia Sophia, Thessaloniki (1980s), constitutes an entirely contemporary geometric gesture in dialogue with the Byzantine church. Perhaps the most coherent proposal for a contemporary architectural expression of the sacred can be found in the overall work of Theoklis Kanarellis (b. 1960) and in his corpus of unbuilt studies for churches, chapels, monasteries, or crematoria, often produced for participation to architectural competitions.

 

 

Kanarellis, who studied architecture at the University of Minnesota in the United States, reflects on the spatial metaphors of the sacred, using architectural elements such as cuts, excavations, arcades, and passages that speak to light and its absence – shadow and darkness – , to “the city that pre-existed,” to the journey of life and death. His architectural “syntax”, a fundamental analysis of the components of construction (wall, cut, courtyard, corridor), assembles spatial episodes laden with philosophical or, more accurately, theological references, while rejecting any connection to Byzantine typology. “Sacred spaces,” writes the architect, “create their own homelands, symbols, laws – small exiles from the public gaze. They expand and alter the conventional and commonly accepted notions of time, place, and ethics. They are indifferent to the socially accepted normality of the present. The sacred is the transgression of the everyday.”⁸

 

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Notes

1. There is a fairly rich bibliography regarding church architecture in Greece during the 20th century. Recent student research projects, which demonstrate growing interest in the subject, are also of particular interest. Indicatively: Eirinaios Athanasopoulos, Contemporary Orthodox Ecclesiastical Architecture, supervisor: Manolis Korres, NTUA, School of Architecture, 2011; and Stefanos-Rutger Oor, Critique of Contemporary Orthodox Church Architecture, supervisor: Stavros Gyftopoulos, NTUA, School of Architecture, 2013.
2. See: Christos Panousakis (ed.), Nikolaos Mitsakis 1899–1941, Athens: Benaki Museum, Documentation Centre of Modern Greek Architecture, 2009.
3. On the postwar work of Karantinos, see: Andreas Giakoumakatos, Elements for Modern Greek Architecture. Patroklos Karantinos, Athens: Cultural Foundation of the National Bank of Greece, 2003, p. 393 ff.
4. Ibid., p. 459.
5. François Loyer describes the chapel on Spetsopoula as the most complete work of modern religious architecture and as “the first example of the rebirth of religious art” in Greece, see: François Loyer, L’architecture de la Grèce contemporaine, unpublished doctoral dissertation, Paris, 1966, pp. 1172–1174.
6. See: Manos Mikelakis, “‘Expression’ by G.P. Lavvas. Continuity and Renewal in Orthodox Church Architecture,” Archaeology and Arts, 115/2010, pp. 79–82, available at: https://www.archaiologia.gr/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/115-13.pdf
7. See: Eirinaios Athanasopoulos, Contemporary Orthodox Ecclesiastical Architecture, op. cit., pp. 67–79.
8. https://www.arch.uth.gr/el/studies/course/680/8

 

Image sources

Cover, 03: Archive of Modern Greek Architecture, Benaki Museum, Archive of Kostis Gkartsos.

01, 02,: Author’s archive. 05: A. Giakoumakatos (2003), p. 458.

04: https://www.archaiologia.gr/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/115-13.pdf 25–28: https://triantafylloug.blogspot.com/2021/04/3.html

05: https://triantafylloug.blogspot.com/2021/04/3.html

Terraced Architectural Development

Karpathos, known for its beautiful traditional settlements, is the backdrop for a new architectural project by OOAK Architects. This article explores the gradual development and design of a residence that embraces the island’s traditional architecture while offering a unique perspective on the surrounding landscape.

Embracing Traditional Architecture in Karpathos:

Karpathos is renowned for its stepped roofs and courtyards, which are characteristic of the island’s traditional architecture. The project in the picturesque village of Diafani pays homage to this distinctive style, incorporating elements that capture the essence of the local architectural heritage.

Location and Character of the Project:

Situated in the charming village of Diafani, the project occupies a site that partially extends over the terrace of an existing building. This location offers breathtaking panoramic views of the harbor, the Aegean Sea, and the surrounding settlement, immersing the residence in the authentic atmosphere of the island.

Preserving the Terrace as a Private Observatory:

Despite the need to construct a new house, the design prioritizes the preservation of the terrace’s unique character. The terrace becomes a private observatory, offering an unobstructed view of the surrounding landscape while maintaining a sense of openness and connection to the outdoors.

Designing a Suspended Volume for Private Areas:

A suspended volume, inspired by traditional island architecture, hovers above the terrace. This architectural element houses the private areas of the residence, ensuring privacy and creating a distinct visual identity for the project.

Open Ensemble of Shared Spaces on the Terrace:

The shared spaces of the residence are organized as an open ensemble on the terrace. This layout encourages interaction and socialization while capitalizing on the stunning views. The large opening of the ensemble blurs the boundaries between the interior and exterior, creating a seamless transition between the two.

Blurring Boundaries between Interior and Exterior:

The design of the residence aims to create a harmonious relationship between the interior and exterior spaces. By blurring the boundaries, the architecture merges with the natural surroundings, offering a multisensory experience for the occupants.

Enriching the Interior Experience with Sea Views:

The interior of the residence is carefully designed to enhance the experience of the breathtaking sea views. Each space is thoughtfully oriented towards the views, allowing occupants to immerse themselves in the beauty of the surrounding landscape.

Collage of Colors and Materials in the Interior:

The interior design features a collage of colors and materials that reflect the coastal environment. Natural wood, cement-coated walls, and shades of blue inspired by the sea create a tranquil and serene atmosphere, evoking a sense of connection to the natural surroundings.

Capturing the Essence of the Traditional Settlement:

Drawing inspiration from the materiality and architectural elements of the traditional settlement, the design of the residence harmoniously blends with the overall architectural context of Karpathos. The variations in heights and shapes of the interior spaces add depth and character, creating a unique and engaging living environment.
In conclusion, this project in Karpathos showcases the gradual development and integration of traditional architecture into a contemporary residence. The design embraces the island’s rich cultural heritage while providing a refined and elegant living experience that celebrates the natural beauty of the surroundings.