This summer house, designed for a French couple, is located on the top of a hill in the northern part of Kythera island in Greece, with immediate and unobstructed sea views.
The additive succession of volumes is in line with the local vernacular, where time and continuous changes of the inhabitants’ needs are reflected in the volumetric arrangement of the houses. The building consists of two main units, expressed in respective volumes. The main volume, with a surface of 140 m², faces north and contains the main residence; the supplementary one, with a surface of 50 m², faces south and serves as a guest house for the occasionally visiting friends and relatives.
The two volumes are connected through the main sheltered courtyard, that serves as a focal point to the outdoor spaces. Around the enclosed areas, supplementary attached courtyards open towards the horizon and provide protected outdoor living spaces. The ruins in the northern border of the plot form a viewing plateau that also serves as a starting point to a circular walk passing through the different levels of the 17-acre property, formed by dry stone walls. The respect to the local building traditions is immanent in the treatment of the surfaces, as well as in the interior design selections.
The exterior side of the walls is rendered in a white textured plaster, an artisanal technique locally known as “sardelaki”. Concurrently, the building volumes are connected through the warm toned surfaces found in rough treated wood pergolas. The desired serenity and seclusion for the interiors is reflected in the selection of soft tactile surfaces and matching, light color tonalities. The vistas of the faraway coast of the Peloponnese are framed through carefully located openings, enhancing the building’s connection to the unique Mediterranean landscape.
