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.

 

Urban recovery

The architectural proposal for the adaptive reuse of the iconic Mínion department store in the center of Athens posed a significant challenge, as the restoration of its extensive, abandoned shell became an opportunity for a design approach with a clear narrative and morphological intent.

 

Design Philosophy

The central design idea interprets the historical layering of the urban block, shaped over time by the gradual consolidation of different properties during its operation as a department store. The selection of a three-color palette for the façade’s functions symbolically, subtly alluding to the composition of the individual buildings. In this way, the project establishes a dialogue with the surrounding urban fabric, expressed through a distinctly rationalist and understated rhythm.

Particular emphasis was placed on redesigning the base of the building. Through a pronounced shift in architectural language and typology, the arcades along the street frontage were shaped with arches, evoking a more commercial and urban Athens of the past. The varying geometry of the openings responds to the existing structural framework, preserving the building’s constructional identity.

 

 

Functional Organization

The new “double” envelope consists of two layers: the inner one is organized through the rhythm of the openings to maximize natural daylight, while the outer one is formed by a grid of colored metal shading panels. The composition draws references from Athenian rationalism, modernism, and the city’s neoclassical heritage, adding depth and a three-dimensional expression. The engraved “Mínion” logo, carved into the marble cladding, marks the building’s renewed identity with respect for its past.

 

 

Bioclimatic Design

Bioclimatic principles inform the entire project. More than 97% of the load-bearing structure was preserved, reducing demolition and the embodied carbon footprint. Automation and management systems for lighting and climate control were implemented, achieving significant energy savings, while the use of low-emission materials enhances the building’s sustainable character. The green roof, planted with Mediterranean vegetation, improves the local microclimate. Now accommodating both commercial and office uses, and achieving an excellent environmental performance certified with LEED Gold, Mínion is reintroduced to the city not as a memory, but as an active, sustainable chapter of its urban future.

 

 

 

 

 

Interiors

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Timeless monument

Located in the Valle d’Itria in Italy’s Puglia region, the Trulli architecture is renowned for its iconic white stone walls and conical limestone roofs. These unique architectural forms, dating back to the 16th century, carry historical and cultural significance.

 

Design Philosophy

When the Franco family commissioned a vacation home, the site’s three weathered Trulli buildings immediately became the focal point. Their aged marks, together with the surrounding olive groves, defined the essence of the design. The challenge was to restore and renovate these ancient domed stone houses while adding extensions and a pool, creating a retreat where history and modernity meet. The balance lay in merging the vibrant personalities of the owners with the equally rich soul of the site, setting the house apart from ordinary vacation homes.

The property remains grounded in its natural setting. The estate’s red earth was left exposed, while a swimming pool reflects the olive groves, extending the atmosphere of the landscape. Interiors were kept minimal, adorned with local artworks and subtle furnishings so that attention remains on the relationship between architecture and nature. This retreat is more than a summer home: it is a monument to time, where ancient forms are rejuvenated and allowed to coexist with modern life.

 

 

Spatial Organization

The property presents a narrative of time through its arrangement of structures. From the original conical Trulli to the stone house extended a century ago, and finally to the new additions, the layout embodies a “time gradient.” Smaller stones of the Trulli contrast with the larger blocks of the century-old extension, while new volumes complete the sequence. Arranged from left to right -old to new- this gradient reflects not only architectural evolution but also the continuity of family bonds and cultural heritage. The main entrance is placed in the century-old section, linking history on one side and modernity on the other. This zone serves as both entrance and living space, with large openings cut into the thick stone walls and custom furnishings bridging tradition and innovation.

The left side accommodates the oldest Trulli, converted into two bedrooms that preserve their historical textures, with lighting highlighting architectural details. To the right, newly constructed spaces house the kitchen, master bedroom, and communal areas. The kitchen functions as the heart of family life, equipped with a concrete island and a stainless steel workstation that serve both cooking and dining. Floor-to-ceiling glass doors open toward the olive groves, blending daily activities with natural surroundings.

 

 

Material Palette

Respect for craftsmanship guided the restoration of the Trulli. Damaged sections were repaired using original mortar-free masonry, a technique that insulates while preserving centuries-old building wisdom. Collaboration with local stonemasons required adaptation: rather than relying solely on experience, design intentions were marked directly onto walls and floors with spray paint, ensuring clarity. This practical strategy created harmony between traditional skill and contemporary design. Inside and out, natural stone, concrete, glass, and understated finishes were selected to emphasize durability and authenticity.

 

Adaptive reuse

The subterranean residence, situated on the western side of Kea, occupies the site of a compound of old stone warehouses once used for loading goods onto boats in the sheltered bay. Following its last conversion into a restaurant, the complex has been entirely redesigned to meet the needs of tranquil summer living, protected within the earth.

 

Context Integration

Access to the property is from the higher part of the plot, through a light ramp that leads into the ground, establishing the main circulation axis. A glass pivoting door opens into an interior garden with atmospheric lighting from the ceiling, replacing the old dark kitchens. At this point, movement branches off, leading on one side to an integrated living area with a kitchen, dining room, and living room that directly connects to the courtyard through large sliding openings. On the other side, it leads to two ensuite bedrooms behind a curved stone wall with narrow, linear windows and cupolas that illuminate the service spaces. The layout is completed with a guest house adjacent to the bedrooms, featuring a separate entrance and an impressive low horizontal opening that reveals the horizon view from the bed’s height.

 

 

Landscape Design & Materials

The extensive outdoor space, bordering the sea, features a large terrace with an irregular shape following the natural rock lines, discreetly divided into separate sections. The outdoor living area, adjacent to the interior living spaces, is shaded by two tensile canopies, while a tiered path leads directly to the small beach. The area in front of the bedrooms and the guest house is landscaped with low vegetation and side accesses from the interior, hidden behind the stone wall.

Throughout the building, the dominant material is the local natural stone from the original warehouse, giving the structure the appearance of dry-stone walls interspersed with interior and exterior spaces. The floors are finished with cement in a sand color, while the extensive earthen surfaces on the terrace and roof integrate the building into the arid island landscape. Dark shades are chosen for the interior, with partition walls and ceilings painted in modern gray, black metal details and frames, and fixed furniture made of black stone and walnut.

 

 

Furniture & Sustainability

The furnishings are minimal and lightweight, in the same dark tones as the building, except for the central sofa in the living room and the guest house, which are in vibrant orange. The building harmonizes with the landscape through its organic lines, planted roof, and natural materiality. Additionally, it is equipped with an energy management system to minimize its environmental footprint and a household desalination unit to utilize its seaside location without burdening the water reserves of the fragile island ecosystem.

 

Isometric curves

This project presents a contemporary approach to landscape integration, grounded in the principles of adaptive reuse and a deep respect for the natural and cultural environment of southern Crete.

 

Context Integration

The site’s location played a pivotal role in shaping the design. With the Libyan Sea stretching out before it and the White Mountains rising behind, the landscape exerts a powerful influence on the visitor. From the mountains, a branching network of gorges and dry riverbeds descends toward the secluded beaches of the south, while human intervention has subtly enriched the native arid vegetation with cultivated olive trees. The project site embodies all three defining elements of the region: unobstructed sea views, dramatic rocky outcrops, and a section of the expansive olive grove.

 

 

Design Philosophy

Inspired by the distinctive topography and the warm yet rugged climate of southern Crete, the design seeks harmony with its surroundings. Four suites, each 45m² with a private outdoor area, are seamlessly embedded into the landscape, offering both privacy and open visual connections to the natural surroundings.

The layout follows the land’s natural isometric contours, forming four gentle “valleys” that gradually descend into the earth, each leading to a private courtyard. The “ridges” of the terrain shape and shelter the dwellings, engaging in a dialogue with the site’s vertical rock formations. The existing olive tree grid -a reflection of the area’s agricultural heritage- remains untouched, preserving the continuity of the landscape.

 

 

Material Palette

A soft white tone defines the façades and interventions, highlighting the “slopes” of these sculpted valleys in a modern interpretation of traditional local hues. Retaining walls and flooring are built from stone sourced directly from the site, shaping the terrain in the same spirit as the region’s historic dry-stone terraces and footpaths. Cast terrazzo concrete floors further reinforce the sense of continuity with the land. This architectural intervention merges seamlessly with the southern Cretan landscape, offering a tranquil retreat nestled within a wild and elemental setting.

 

Fluid routes

The studio is founded by a professional ballet dancer, Mariia Dreihaupt, who became a prominent inspirational figure during the project’s conceptual stage.

 

Design Philosophy

The interior layout was reconfigured to create a fluid, elegant space, by rounding up the sharp corners and using curtains as dividers. A central corridor leads to the changing rooms and showers, which are cladded with small mosaic tiles, drawing inspiration form public bathrooms with modernist aesthetics. At the heart of the studio, an open room is used to hosts yoga classes, accommodating up to 15 people. A flexible and discrete lighting system as well as large mirrors along the walls, create an “aethereal” and harmonious atmosphere.

 

Construction Initiatives

During construction, the primary aim was to source local materials as well as reuse existing ones found throughout the city, placing emphasis on the project’s environmental impact and sustainability. A series of custom furniture were carefully crafted, based on meticulously drawn blueprints and diagrams, such as a bespoke, curved sofa at the center of the reception as well as minimal wooden lockers, complimented by elaborate graphic key tags and numbers.

 

Materials & Textures

A 1970s Gobelin fabric, sourced second-hand from an old fabric manufacturer, became the material protagonist of the design. In parallel, heavyweight materials such as stone, sourced from a local warehouse, and concrete were used to construct a series of small tables as well as the reception furniture piece. Finally, the walls are painted in off-white tones and the floor is cladded with gray microcement, thus creating a minimal and soft aesthetic.

Creative reuse

The project involves the restoration of a deteriorated traditional residence in the settlement of Kastelorizo, which has suffered significant damage, primarily from WWII bombings. The masonry foundations were the only elements that were preserved.

 

Building Restoration

Based on the footprint of the original floor plan as well as old photographs taken before the settlement’s destruction, the building was restored to its original architectural volume. The refurbishment also included the resurgence of previous typological features of the façade, such as the design of the openings, the roof structure, and the exterior facade. Due to the lack of sufficient original elements, the internal configuration was adapted to serve the needs of its new use as a modern holiday home. The house is developed in three levels, with a total area of 100 m2 on a plot of 105m2.

 

Layout Configuration

The ground floor features a kitchen that leads directly into a courtyard, which includes an outdoor sitting area, storage space, and a wc. Both the mezzanine and first floor contain a bedroom with a private bathroom, offering panoramic views of the settlement. The holistic design approach, encompassing both fixed and mobile equipment, is set against a neutral white canvas. This design incorporates elements made from recycled materials, clearly referencing traditional furnishing patterns.

 

Reuse Initiative

Visitors experience a “primitive” lifestyle, highlighting the issues of overproduction and the need for reuse in an age of rapid development. This project represents the first conceptual and experimental interior design work by artist-designer Savvas Laz.

Using the “Trashformers” method -a creative, multi-level process characterized by uniqueness and manual practice- the project includes stages of collection, composition, sculpture, and finishing. The process begins with selecting pieces of expanded polystyrene packaging collected from garbage bins found in the streets of Athens. These pieces are then assembled into a collage and coated with fiberglass and resin. Alongside these compositions, architectural elements are constructed from brick, concrete, or metal, maintaining the “Trashformers” aesthetic. This approach harmoniously balances tradition with the reuse and recycling of new materials and old motifs.

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.