The proposal follows a dynamic, multifaceted layout that adapts to the topography and enhances spatial experience. The ribbon does not impose itself on the land but flows with plasticity and freedom, creating folds, courtyards, and terraces that align with the site’s natural rhythm.

Architecture here is conceived as transition — a form in continuous evolution, responsive to terrain, light, and orientation. The three residences, though autonomous, are placed on the same elevation and connected through the ribbon, which transforms into roof, wall, courtyard, or veranda as needed. This unity creates coherence while allowing variation.

Planted roofs reinforce integration with the landscape. Using local vegetation such as thyme, aloe, and hardy shrubs, the design establishes a transitional zone between natural and built. Beyond ecological benefits, these layers contribute to thermal insulation, rainwater management, and the blending of architecture with its environment.

Interiors are arranged around protected spaces and courtyards that act as thresholds between inside and outside. These areas provide natural light, shade, and ventilation while ensuring privacy. The geometry of interiors follows the ribbon’s dynamic lines, avoiding static layouts and encouraging movement, flow, and interaction.

Circulation is conceived as an extension of the ribbon: pathways and staircases guide residents through gradual revelations of the landscape. Each step becomes part of an experiential narrative, enriching the user’s relationship with the site.

Ultimately, the project proposes a dialogue between architecture and nature. It does not replicate traditional forms but interprets the spirit of the place. The white ribbon becomes connective tissue between residences, landscape, and people — a geometry inseparable from its setting, embracing, flowing, and evolving with it.

Concept & Integration with Nature:

Nestled within the land’s contours, the house blends seamlessly with the surrounding olive grove. Its jagged outline echoes the rugged terrain, forming an organic structure that feels like a natural extension of the earth.  The architecture appears to emerge from the landscape, as though shaped by time and nature itself.

Spatial Continuity:

A fundamental aspect of the design is the fluid connection between the built and natural elements. The landscape extends onto the rooftops and into the adjacent lot, where the guest house is located. This continuity fosters a dialogue between the mountain path and the living spaces, reinforcing a sense of harmony between nature and architecture.

Roofscapes as Circulation:

The design of the house goes beyond the typical patterns of circulation found within the building, extending these patterns onto the roof. These “roof walks” are a unique feature, responding to the environmental conditions and offering new vantage points. More than a surface, the roof becomes an experiential space—inviting movement, interaction, and a deeper engagement with the landscape.

Integration of Fauna & Flora:

The local fauna is thoughtfully considered in the design, allowing the structure to exist in quiet coexistence with its surroundings. Planting areas and seating elements are seamlessly incorporated, further dissolving the boundary between architecture and nature.

Earthwork Architecture:

Embedded in the Cycladic hills, the house is conceived as an earthwork—an architectural form that feels inherently rooted in the terrain, as if sculpted from the land itself.

LOFOS emerges as a quiet symphony of earth and architecture, where built form and nature intertwine in effortless harmony. Its contours echo the land, its pathways extend the rhythms of the terrain, and its presence feels less constructed than discovered. Here, habitation is not imposed but revealed—a seamless dialogue between shelter and landscape, time and timelessness.

The plot allowed for the development of this residence with open floor plans, following a curvilinear line that embraces the volumes of the house, creating sheltered courtyards, outdoor spaces, visual boundaries, and sheltered outdoor seating areas.

By incorporating elements of Cycladic architecture found in similar buildings, we designed a house that harmoniously integrates with the landscape, adhering to the principles of bioclimatic architecture aimed at minimizing the building’s environmental footprint and creating protected spaces from the strong winds and heat of the summer months.

Although oriented toward the view, the residence possesses an interiority that exudes tranquility, inspired by the Cycladic monasteries. The large volume of a single building is fragmented into smaller masses, ensuring a harmonious adaptation of the structure to the landscape and significantly reducing the building’s bulk. The courtyard space that connects the separate volumes creates a cohesive residential ensemble.

The entrance on the eastern side is marked by a descent and endemic planting that defines the central axis around which the residence develops. Living spaces are located on the southern side with an open floor plan, while the sleeping and guest quarters are arranged on the northern side in smaller, independent volumes.

Particular attention has been given to every morphological element added to the building to meet the needs of modern residents. The design of the openings is integrated with the architectural character of the structure. The element of repetition and standardization of openings dominates the design. Additionally, the pergola in the BBQ area rests against the stone wall.

The dry stone walls, a unique construction characteristic of the Cyclades, extend in a ribbon along the entire length of the residence, defining its aesthetics in relation to the existing landscape. The largest white volume of the living area is centrally positioned within the residence, adjacent to the swimming pool courtyard.

All elements that compose the surrounding outdoor space—small scales, pergolas, planting, materials, and floor coverings—are directly related to the unique geometry of the project. The composition leverages the irregular layout of the stone walls, which nonetheless conform to the topography and shape of the plot, creating a living space with functions that are interconnected and developed in sequence.

The stone “ribbon” symbolically defines the space and organizes the development of the residence, primarily establishing human intervention by utilizing earth materials, namely stone masonry, with the aim of ensuring the building’s harmonious integration into the environment.

Endemic planting complements and connects the building with its surroundings, delineating the space.

In conclusion, the distinctive geometric arrangement, the simple volumes, the use of unplastered stone walls, and the economy of hard surfaces emphasize the archetypal form of this residence. The landscape architecture is integrated into the project, covering much of the land with vegetation while leaving the majority of the plot intact, preserving its original flora.

Yarn Residence / REACT ARCHITECTS | ArchDaily

The site is marked by clusters of rocks and preeminent geological formations; its byname, “Kakapetra,” etymologically translates to “rugged stone” or a place marked by the prominence of stone concentrations.

In such a context, the residence takes shape and evolves, utilizing the excavation’s stone. Traverse walls that face towards the view create passages, entry stairs, longitudinal vistas, and living spaces. These walls mold the building adjacent to the landscape, the place, the stone. While traditional retaining walls, the “pezoules,” evolve in parallel with the topography and elevation relief, the residence’s walls penetrate the ground, emerge from it, and subsequently shape living spaces.

The entrance is located on the eastern side of the plot, at its highest point. As the walls traverse and intersect the dwelling, enclosed courtyards are formed on the western side to protect the bedrooms and establish areas of privacy.

The roof slab rests upon the stone walls, and shelters the living space. The rock, the landscape, permeates the interior and then turns toward the view and the sea. The expansive pergola, as an extension of the reinforced concrete covering, merges the interior and the exterior, unifying the rock, the living room, the courtyard, the view, and the sea into a single sequence. Roofs are complemented with soil for planting, allowing the local flora to continue its journey downhill through and over the building.

A spatial interplay, a succession of events, shapes a contemporary living experience. The building, as a material entity, takes on a secondary significance in relation to the movement, circulation, passages, and room created for human dwelling. The residence serves as a continuation of the natural terrain, declaring its presence through the simplest form of stone walls that demarcate human intervention. These walls, expanding across the plot, invite residents to enter the structure from various points, disregarding conventional pathways in a typical rural dwelling.

The architecture, adopting a modest and reverent approach, doesn’t clearly define the space but extends its boundaries, without overshadowing the arid, rocky environment. The relationship between humans and the stone, as well as nature, constitutes the rationale behind this architectural endeavor. The imprint remains minimal, celebrating the singular Cycladic location.

The sanctity of this place, which encompasses millennia of civilization, guides the architectural intervention , imposing a humble yet simultaneously sincere approach to the Landscape, through a personal interpretation.

The core of the residence is a primary white volume housing the main living spaces. This structure opens to the south, where lighter architectural elements are “leaned” against it, forming semi-open spaces that seamlessly extend into the courtyard. Materials and colours shape the qualities of the outdoor spaces and enhance the building volume.

The main entrance is positioned on the eastern elevation. On the ground floor, the layout is open-plan, oriented southward, with the addition of a guest bedroom. A small basement level accommodates utility rooms, while the main bedrooms are located on the first floor, accessible via a corridor. This corridor punctuates the western façade, creating an opening that provides views from the first floor, and on the same time adding double-height space to the ground-floor dining area.

The use of various window typologies ensures a strong visual and spatial connection between the indoor living areas and the surrounding environment. These openings are distributed across the structure, puncturing and fragmenting the volume into smaller units, achieving a sculptural plasticity that integrates the building into a cohesive architectural unity.

The design prioritizes modern and bioclimatic materials, aiming to create a sustainable residence that harmoniously interacts with its environment, optimizing the use of natural light and ventilation to enhance both energy efficiency and comfort.

The new passenger ships and the increased tourist demand create a busy area especially in the summer months.

The Architectural proposal in this coastal part of the island that transports visitors and residents dictated an approach that would not follow traditional standards but would approach the needs and uses of a modern port with increased traffic in form.

The ship terminal will be the first image that the visitor sees when coming to Paros and the last upon departure. The form and aesthetics of the building are an important element of the entire project. The form chosen for the study uses an Architectural language with references to the shapes of ships and the materials associated with them. A dynamic form that adapts to the port and creates a dynamic relief.

The Construction gives the feeling of a light building with transparency.

This transparency from and to the views of the settlement is also an important design element of the Study because the building has been placed there without obstructing the view from the City to the Sea and the Gulf of Parikia.

The buildings with the kinetic forms on their roofs give a sense of lightness to their volume and as we mentioned above are reminiscent of the shapes of ships.

The study aims to highlight the main landmark of the Port of Parikia, the Windmill. Thus, the large volume of a single building was divided into three smaller volumes, leaving the perspective of the disembarking passenger unobstructed.

The view is unobstructed and the space formed between the buildings functions as a large waiting square and at the same time serves the exit of passengers from the Ships. This gives the passenger the advantage of having a view of the settlement.

The building complex is planned to be constructed with a load-bearing structure of reinforced concrete and vertical glass curtains in combination with walls covered with HPL sheets.

The roof covering is provided with composite panels with an internal aluminum honeycomb core.

Every effort has been made to ensure that the aesthetic result is harmonious. The selection of materials was made based on durability and ease of maintenance. Finally, local materials were preferred as much as possible.

The Passenger Station with its buildings can become a landmark of the port of Parikia and an ideal reference point for visitors.

The building’s design unfolds along parallel and perpendicular axes, forming the characteristic cubic volumes of Cycladic residential complexes. To accentuate this geometric arrangement, three additional parallel walls were incorporated. Two white walls extend towards the entrance, enclosing the staircase leading to the rooftop living room, while a third stone wall on the north facade houses the staircase to the first-floor room.

A notable feature is the palm tree in the enclosed courtyard, adding to the nostalgic ambiance of the Cycladic landscape. The building’s ambiance is further enhanced by the combination of small openings, stone walls accommodating pergolas and decks, fragrances from plants, and meticulous garden landscaping, reminiscent of Monet’s paintings.

Attention to construction details is evident, with specially designed metal pergolas filled with local reed and a minimalist railing that securely attaches to the staircase’s steps. The building’s base is adorned with visible stonework to minimize its volume, while the stone walls extend into the relief, creating leisure spaces, external courtyards, and paths that seamlessly blend interior and exterior environments.

The orientation is southwest on the long side, overlooking the sea and the bay of Parikia. The project has its roots in the arid topography of the Cyclades and its white walls emerge from it, unfolding like a ribbon in the landscape forming the volumes of the house and the external and internal living spaces. The surfaces with small deviations give the possibility to exploit the view and create privacy between the two houses.

In this way, a jagged building is created adapted to the particular morphology of the plot.The multi-level exterior courtyards oriented towards the view are created. The courtyard space is exploited to create a single residential complex that nevertheless preserves the privacy of the individual units.

Both the guest house and the main building have openings that unify the interiors with the exteriors and make it possible in the summer months for the residence to grow by making use of the courtyards protected from the northern wind. Another dominant feature of the building is the long narrow openings that find a rhythmic repetition on the checkered facade and intensify the architectural expression. The stone masonry acts as a background to the white ribbon and creates large retaining walls and bridges the large slope of the plot with accesses, or the walls of the underground part that is unified with the large external courtyard in view.

The logic of the ribbon can also be seen in the flexible flows that arise both between the living spaces and the roof. The visitor entering from the central staircase, the highest point of the plot and the road, is led between the white and the stone retaining wall reminiscent of dry stone. From there he can either enter the building or continue his course towards the planted roof and sitting areas and enjoy the view of the bay. The building, although inspired by the materials and layout of local architecture, aims to redefine it through a modern prism. The dipole between white surfaces and stone that enclose the residence highlights a form with plasticity.

The site is triangular, which is sometimes a deterrent factor for the layout of the house due to the sharp and claustrophobic angles. On the contrary, this residence with free floor plans manages to overcome this obstacle and make it the central element of the design. Using also elements of the traditional Cycladic architecture, we designed a residence that is fully in harmony with the landscape with the principles of bioclimatic architecture, the goal of which is the smallest footprint of the building in the environment.

Although it is facing the view, the house has a tranquil interior because it was modeled after Cycladic monasteries. The single building’s vast volume is broken up into smaller volumes. In this way, the building and landscape are harmoniously adapted, and the volume of the house is noticeably reduced. Utilizing the courtyard area that connects the several volumes, a single residential complex is built.

The entrance on the north-west side is marked with interrupted steps which, together with the olive tree, define the central axis around which the residence is being developed. The common spaces are developed on the right side of the axis in a free plan and the private areas are developed on the left, in smaller independent volumes.

Importance has been given to every morphological element that comes to be added to the building, serving the needs of the modern resident. The design of the openings is combined with the architectural character of the building. The element of repetition and standardization of openings dominates the design. Also, the pergola in the bbq area in turn emphasizes the triangular shape of the building.

In conclusion, the triangular arrangement, the modest volumes, the use of stone and wood, the economy of hard surfaces come to underline the archetypal form of this residence. The landscape architecture is integrated into the project by covering the largest part of the building with vegetation and leaving intact the largest part of the plot that maintains its original vegetation.

Influenced by the vernacular architecture and its reduction to a more modern and free form, we proposed the creation of white folded walls  that are rooted (riza) to the ground and begin to unfold on the landscape, and can easily adapt to it due to its plasticity.

In this way, a multifaceted building emerges from the ground and adapts to the particular morphology. In this way, multi-level exterior yards facing the view are created. The yard is used as connecting element in order to create a single residential complex that is reminiscent of the local dwellings, “katoikies”.

The guest house is separated from the central volume with the aim of privacy for the tenants. Both the guest house and the main building have openings that unify the interior with the exterior and allow the house to expand during the summer months, utilizing the courtyards protected from the north wind.

Another strong feature of the building is the openings in different sizes and heights that give a more playful mood with the intense and varied shadows that create in the once monotonous white volume.

The logic of Riza is also perceived in the flexible flows that occur both between the living spaces and the roof. The visitor entering from the main staircase is led between the white and the stone retaining wall that resembles the local dry-stone walls in the entrance courtyard. From there he can either enter the building or proceed to the guestroom with the element of water to guide him, or go up to the roof and enjoy the view of Aegean Sea.

The building, although inspired by vernacular architecture, aims to redefine it through a modern prism.

Due to the topography, the residence was designed allowing views through the residence to the sea and the peninsula. Borrowing elements from the architecture of late modernism, translated and designed on a piece of land next to the sea, the residence forms a large roofed surface that rests on bearing walls, walls that acting as panels, defining views and places of inhabitation.

The water elements, the courtyards as well as the planting are spread out next to the  living areas, unifying the sea, the beach, the landscape with the living spaces.

The courtyards are formed next to the living spaces continuing the route from the residence to the sea. The pergolas extend the large slabs, forming a visual continuity with the exterior.

The succession of superimposed walls intensifies the fixation of the gaze on distant or nearby landscapes and helps to focus them on specific elements of the neighboring nature.

The reflections of the water and the infiltration of elements of the space towards the landscape form spaces inside the house. The walls work with the ceiling levels to stimulate movement and shape the architectural walking space. This movement through the elements starts a process of discovery.

The interior spaces are formed in relation to the local architecture, the spirit, the history and the nature of the place but also by the personality and needs of the customers.

The power of the place, its nature and its light, led to the use of entirely natural materials and colors. Their palette has been enriched throughout the project, to achieve this layering that gives the spaces a sense of living.

On the floor a Mediterranean stone, lightly hammered, laid in an intricate and characteristic pattern, covers all the interior and exterior floors, softening the dazzling white of the walls. The blond wood of all the furniture brings nature into the home. Terracotta tiles in bright Mediterranean colors characterize the bathrooms. Fabrics and specially designed rugs also play an important role, with their different fabrics and colors. The lighting is extremely subtle to avoid interfering with the magic of the moon and stars at night.

The architecture presence in this ideal landscape creates a residence, a place of rest and enjoyment. The reference to the Greek summer is evident in the way the spaces are not unambiguously defined and furthermore the fact that they flow towards the Landscape and the Sea. The residence is an interpretation – a borrowing of elements from the principles of modernism (so related to Cycladic architecture) with the aim of unifying and erasing the boundaries between natural and inhabited space.

The plot is located in the southern part of Paros Island. It has a southwest orientation on the long side, overlooking the sea, the bay of Aliki and Antiparos. The building rests on the hillside and adapts to the topography and the terrain’s morphology.

Large transverse walls penetrate the slope. These walls form the back yards and give continuity to the interior of the house towards the landscape.

Spaces created between the walls, define the entrance, organize the garden, give space for a water element and a sheltered courtyard.

These spaces flow from the interior and are shaped by the walls. The walls are visible only from the east side of the plot; therefore, the living scenario is revealed upon entering the residence. A path crosses them, which connects the thematic sections. The path unfolds parallel to the path inside the house, forming views towards the sea and the living areas.

The volumes of the house develop towards the view and project against a low stone wall forming a view to the west. On the one hand they are firmly hooked to the ground and on the other they seem to float towards the view and the natural relief. The same pattern is followed by the intermediate and front yards – balconies that aim at the sea.

The entrance is on the north side of the plot and the highest point acts as a gateway to the residence. Everything is hidden behind the white wall with minimal openings, which welcomes the visitor by concealing the interior layout, as well as the front yards. The composition works with design and functional dipoles.

Hidden spaces and those exposed from the visitor’s eye

Sheltered courtyards with sitting areas and courtyards open to the view.

Inner closed path and the path between thresholds.

Dwelling in Nature and hovering over the slope

The large volume of a single building is broken down into smaller volumes, directly adapted to the terrain. The “Fifth view”, from above, becomes dominant leaning against the hillside.

The architecture swings over The landscape forming spatial units in the attempt to define the scenario of the holiday habitability. The intense Cycladic light elaborately stages all possible scenarios and transforms, during the day, the architectural composition. Architecture embraces human activity, creating an intimacy with space and place.

The house was built in the 80’s. The small consecutive spaces without a holistic vision, create a patchwork of walls, openings, different levels and small additions. The main goal of the renovation was to modernize the house by applying only small interventions.

The basic idea of the concept is the separation of living spaces from common areas. The living-room, the lounge area around the fireplace, the open kitchen and the guestroom are located on the ground floor.
On the 2^nd floor can be found the family’s 4 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms. This floor has an introversion and demands to be peaceful. At the same time, it is cut off from the environment without losing sight of the nature. This feeling is enhanced by the use of etalbond external investment which covers the shell of the building. The old oval staircase is preserved and its volume emerges through the investment. The last floor can also be considered as a common area, since it includes an office and a big veranda with unobstructed view to the mountain of Parnitha.

Kifissia box is partially energetically “autonomous” after the installation of photovoltaics panels on the roof of the building and the revolutionary use of photovoltaic panels on its pergolas. With sustainable design in mind, it has desirable solar gains in winter as deciduous plants shed their foliage and natural shading in the summer solstice.

Due to the diverse flora of the area, the landscape design of the project is also significant. The hardscape is being reduced to the necessary. Key to that is the preservation of a very old olive tree. Although the environment around it is constantly changing, this tree stands there haughtily defining the entrance of the house.

The architects responded to the orientation of the site and it’ s polygonal form with Cycladic “gentleness”: the Π shaped plan, protective of the northern winds, the emphasis to the horizontal with the exception of the two-story volume that projects on the second floor towards the southwest, all these elements converse with a disarming simplicity with the environment. Buildings, courtyards, roofs, and the swimming pool interconnect by two “promenades” that give the feeling of a small settlement that extends on two levels.

The central courtyard acts as a nucleus, with immediate reference to the closed spaces and the environment: it is an organic part of the whole that retains both privacy and transparency. The living room and the kitchen are on the ground floor with a view towards the sea. The central bedroom is on the first floor. Four guest rooms are accommodated at the eastern side of the site, within a distance from the main house. The courtyards are situated among the living spaces and they are all adjusted to the natural slope. The fragmentation of the house into smaller volumes answers in modules that we meet at monasteries and traditional housing complexes.

The walls are made of plastered and painted brickwork, the doors and windows of painted wood. Industrial flooring is implemented indoors and outdoors. The canopies that are integrated into the buildings are painted white, and the metal pergolas with the reed canopies are painted dark gray. The landscape design is limited to the courtyards – the rest of the site is left natural.

The basic idea for the landscape design of the surrounding area of the residence was the geometry and the simple architectural design lines of the building. The synthesis of plants is discreetly combined with the structural elements and characteristics of the topography. The plantings create a Mediterranean and xeriscape landscape, with a variety of textures, colors and aromas that provide the space with harmony and seasonality, enhancing the biodiversity of the region.

The interior follows the simplicity of the exterior and the furniture as well as the elements of the decoration complement the architectural members. The volumes are left intact inside and the low partition walls enhance the continuity between the outside and the inside.

Transparencies, Paths, enclosed courtyards, decoration on the borders of absence, stairs that change levels between white panels, compose a entity where holiday relaxation is combined ,forming  an architectural adventure of light and forms .

Τhe site is located at Ag. Giannis at the municipality of Kostos on the island of Paros. It’s orientation on the long side is southeastern, with a view towards the sea and the gulf of Naxos. The house extends on this side. The building protrudes from the slope of the hill, fully adapted to the contours of the terrain. On the western side it is almost underground. The zig-zagged walls refer to the dry-stone walls of the Cycladic rural landscape. They combine to create a “shell” that maintains a favorable microclimate regardless of the weather conditions.

From the west side and the highest point of the site the visitor descends towards the heart of the house. The rooms of the main house are connected by a long corridor, offering framed views of the Kefalos Cape in Paros and of neighboring Naxos. Upon approaching the house from the road it is barely visible. The descent towards the interior and then outside, to the big outdoor plateau in front is a gradual transition from within the house and the framed views of the Aegean landmarks towards a panoramic view: Naousa, Naxos’ chora, the Antikefalos Cape, the west side of Naxos, Kastraki, Herakleia, and Ios.

The courtyards are paved with mosaic and are positioned next to the living areas. They are adapted to the natural slope. The courtyard on the west side refers to the living room. The living room, the kitchen, and the two bedrooms have a view towards the sea. On a lower level, a semi-subterranean guest house concludes the design.

The doors and windows are made of wood planks, colored grey. The retaining walls are made from stone. The landscape architecture is limited to the courtyards. The rest of the site retains the natural Cycladic landscape.The walls have a low height and they surround the central courtyard following the proportions of traditional architecture. An emphasis has been given to the “fifth” elevation, the elevation of the rooftops. Repetition and standardisation of the openings are of elementary importance to the design.

The architecture has a dual nature: it is both integrated into the landscape geometries “elevated” from them by a distinct white wall that generates living spaces. This wall morphes into a façade that delineates the different levels and organizes living and viewing spaces. The design avoids the typical white volume clustering, defining a series of patios, walkways, enclosed courtyards, descents, and connecting stairs behind the white wall. The architectural language is a result of the use of natural elements. It fills in voids and redefines necessities, images, and living spaces. It complements the surface of the landscape, it takes root, and it becomes an integral part of it’s surroundings.

Using elements of the Cycladic architecture, the house was designed to adapt to the arid landscape in order to minimize the impact on the environment as we are located near the protected area of ​​Langeri.
Architectural emphasis has been given on the ‘fifth façade’ (roof plan), aiming to exploit the distinct  geomorphology of the area so that the volumes can be harmonized and assimilated into the natural environment.
Landscape architecture is incorporated into the project, covering most of the surrounding area of ​​the building with endemic vegetation, leaving intact a significant part of the plot that retains in its original form.
The house is trying to “root” in the topography by adapting all its architectural and functional elements accordingly. Intense architectural elements are incorporated into the interior of the building. The views are heightened towards the sea and the building acts as an observation-viewing machine, albeit sheltered, from the surrounding.
The transformation of the morphological elements of Cycladic architecture with the aim of creating a modern architectural language constitutes, along with integration into the natural landscape, the guiding principles of design.

This project was visualized as a realisation of this simple yet vital act, and was named accordingly. It is situated in the northern part of the island of Paros, in the Cyclades. We chose to construct two smaller buildings instead of one that would be larger, so that they may discreetly hug the gentle slopes of the cycladic landscape. A central coartyard lies protected from the aegean northern winds.The buildings face eastwards, towards the Aegean and the Bay of Naoussa, and are adjacent to the Environmental Park of Aghios Ioannis Detis. The area is supervised by a special protection order.

The entrance to the complex is situated to the west of the site, at the highest point. It is tucked between the stone buttressing walls. The main purpose of the design was for the buildings to blend into the landscape, and to be of a minimum disturbance to the protected area. A second, rear courtyard, also protected from the northern winds, acts as an outdoor living space with a direct reference to the interior, and organises the various functions. This typology is encountered in monasteries: the living compartments (the “cells”) develop at the perimeter and the main church stands at the center. Similar typologies are found in the traditional “katoikiés”, rural outbuildings encountered in all the Aegean islands.

The stone perimetric walls hug both exterior and interior, creating either open courtyards or enclosed spaces. The plastered white walls are visible only from the inner courtyard, and only fragments of their elevations can be seen by the passer-by. They surround the central courtyard in a way that a certain plasticity of form is achieved, allowing for a unitary approach of architecture. The openings in the walls are adjusted to the architectural character of the building. Repetition and standardisation are predominant, and they are as few as possible. The “fifth” elevation, the roof, is designed with the utmost care, in order for it to be a place of embracement of the sweeping views.

In conclusion, the guiding principle of the design is the transformation of the typological features of the cycladic architecture into a contemporary architectural language that is in dialogue with the arid landscape. The boundaries between the outdoor and the indoor are dissolved, creating thus a space of habitation which embraces human activity and it’s connectivity with the landscape and the “topos”.

Inclined two-storey walls intensify the sculpturality of the forms.

This alternation of the materials of the building volumes intensifies the complexity of the paths between them, creating viewpoints.
The design of the openings follows the architectural character of the building.
The transformation of the morphological elements of the Cycladic architecture with the aim of creating a modern architectural language is the guiding design principle.
The design of the building is a dialectic of local and modern architecture, combining the proportions of volumes, the aesthetics of the facades, open spaces and colors in a residential ensemble.

These walls are element of design and composition, frame the view spectacularly and at the same time create a shield of protection from the north prevailing winds. The house is transformed in a big open space where the inside and the outside are unified with the landscape in order to create exterior spaces in direct contact with the environment.

The house develops in two levels. The white cubic volumes in different heights are placed between the walls, determining uses. In the ground floor  the livingroom, the Kitchen and the dining room in the same single space while, the bedrooms with their bathroom are placed on the sides of house. An internal stairs leads to the floor where the bedroom of householders is placed with an open bathroom.

The house has references in the archetypal models of dwelling with a modern certain output.  In the interior the lack of bisector walls and the complete absence of elements such as curtains that would hide the light create a disposal of absolute freedom. Built by simple materials, plaster in white colour, floorings and bathrooms by poured material, the house is distinguished by austerity and a simplicity in lines.   The water and his light blue sense are present with the swimming-pool, around  which exterior spaces unfolds and views to the west and the sea, that are strengthened by the enclosed form of walls.  A space that submits its own pace,  dictated by the light and air depending on the day and the season.

Paroikia extends from the Kastro (Castle) area, which touches the limits of the coastline, to the Ekatontapyliani church. The layout of Paroikia is determined by circuitous alleys that spread out from the Kastro neighborhood. The settlement’s landscape is characteristic of the development of small-scale property. Small churches and neoclassical houses , contribute to a variety of architectural forms, decorative elements, and colours.

The plot was empty, which is quite rare in Paroikia. The elements of the house are layed out in such a way as to create a unified entirety. They define and protect the courtyard in the south end of the plot, towards which the living room, the kitchen, and the two bedrooms face. The northern courtyard is defined on the one side by the wall that extends on the perimeter of the plot, and on the other, by the kitchen and the storage rooms. On the southern side, attached to the neighboring plot, there are two workshops and one storage room. On the eastern side, again beside the neighboring plot, two small yards accommodate the bedrooms and the workshops.

The floor plans are developed in harmony with the traditional settlement. The central courtyard, the nucleus of the housing complex, refers to the layout of the ancient houses. The decision to fragment the volumes of the house is essential to retain the views from within the neighboring houses; a characteristic element of the traditional house-type. The wall at the perimeter of the plot is preserved and is perceived in independent frames from the alley wanderer.

The house is in full view from the surrounding balconies and roofs. It is basically a series of cubistic forms behind a tall courtyard wall. It is an interplay between open and closed space, void and full, light and shadow. In Paroikia, to dwell was to coexist: this is a concept that we wished to embrace and reflect in this project. It was a co-existence of the old with the new, the hidden with the apparent, of architecture and of non-architecture.

It is not a “modern” interpretation of local architecture, but an intention of connecting the human scale with the mysticism of a historic settlement. The formations and the relations of the individual spaces attempt to define the concept of dwelling in a modern way, liberated from the usual reproductions of traditional forms

Ancient spaces are the connecting element of the dwellings. Spacious corridors with large terraces lead to spectacular “plateaus”, penetrating outdoor and indoor spaces. Planting is strengthened in the inner yards and the perimeter of the plot with an artificial hill.
On the south side of the dwellings there are openings only in the internal sheltered courtyards and in the east side is dominated by plantation with local vegetation . In the northwest there are large openings and viewing outdoor seating areas.
The basic principles of the entire intervention are:
The use of the archetypal form of the wall, an element known in the Cycladic landscape, sometimes as a boundary and sometimes as an element of habitation.
Adaptation to the environment, unification of the interior of the building with courtyards, accesses and scales.
The splitting of larger volumes with small movements in order to create protected yards from the intense northern winds.

In the courtyards mulberry trees offer shade. There is a network of paths that tranceds the back of the houses and enables views to the sea.
The creation of a residential complex that gives a strong habitation identity and leaves a unique design footprint on the otherwise mild landscape.
The use of intense Cycladic light. In the views created by moving, between walls and spaces ,shades of blue and intense shadows dominate,  transforming the building into a viewing machine.
The swapping of materials, with the continuous movement of the plastered wall ,surrounding the dwelling and the stone walls that function as a filling panel, creat spaces both indoor and outdoor.
The complex of the two residences either opens to the scenery, and at times it is hermetically closed, creating intense shades and long views in the Gulf of Kolymbithres, surrounded by  Mediterranean plantation offering generous outdoor living.

The project concerns two private residences with basement and a common yard. Houses are placed in regression to the street and they are downgraded hypsometrically so that their privacy is ensured.

Construction process consists of a metal frame resting on concrete walls. The roof is cladded with zinc and glazed windows form the facades.

Basic synthetic principals of the design are:

Dissolution of limits between lived space and natural, the unification of the internal of the buildings with the surrounding external space.

Organisation between private and common spaces through the use of the concrete wall connecting the two sides of the building.

Creation of a unique geometry through the use of metal construction.

Forming of views in the interior and exterior of the building through openings that are adapted in the metal roof.

The architecture of two residences walks in the limits of uncanny. Industrial aesthetics and homeliness-Transparency and privacy – uncanny materials and everyday routine. The space restructures and becomes homely only with the presence of person that runs through the two buildings as in an “architectural walk”. The houses function as dwelling containers with forms that they refer in spaces protected as well as ephemeral. Industrial aesthetics embraces the human activity that occupies the space.

The house itself has a loft feeling; the way it is designed enables the user to enjoy every moment in it. The idea of a house in split levels creates a filmic experience as you walk through it framing views from inside to outside and vice versa. The materials that have been applied create an industrial – bohemian atmosphere that gives a cosy feeling to the inhabitants. Its unconventional form and appearance are juxtaposed with the comfort of a double height industrial space that gives a unique experience.

The architecture of two residences walks in the limits of uncanny. Industrial aesthetics and homeliness- Transparency and privacy – uncanny materials and everyday routine. The space restructures and becomes homely only with the presence of person that runs through the two buildings as in a “architectural walk”. The houses function as dwelling containers with forms that they refer in spaces protected as well as ephemeral. Industrial aesthetics embraces the human activity that occupies the space.

In the north and south sides of houses openings only appear in courtyards. The east side is dominated by planting with local vegetation and the sight of the transverse walls.

The basic principles of the whole design procedure are:

The use of the archetypal form of the wall element familiar in Cycladic landscape, sometimes used as a limit and sometimes as an element of habitation.
Adaptation to the environment and dissolution of boundaries between lived and natural spaces. Integration of the interior of the building with the courtyards, the accesses and the stairs.

The split of bigger volumes with small movements to create courtyards sheltered from the strong northerly winds. In the courtyards mulberries are planted to provide shade. Back yards exist through the whole project and through the large openings viewing to the sea is possible.

To avoid the design of a single plane facade. Elongated openings piercing the transverse walls to set the sights and to create spaces with visual continuity.
The creation of a residential complex which leaves intact the natural landscape and adapts to the slope of the plot, so that the east side is almost buried.
The use of intense Cycladic light. Shades of blue and intense shadows dominate the views created while moving trough walls, spaces and landscape. The building is transformed into a viewing machine.

The house has references in the archetypal models of dwelling, with a modern certain output.  In the interior the lack of bisector walls and the complete absence of elements such as curtains that would hide the light create a disposal of absolute freedom. Built by simple materials, plaster in white colour, floorings and bathrooms by poured material, the house is distinguished by austerity and simplicity in lines.   The water and his light blue sense are present with the swimming-pool, around which exterior spaces unfolds and views to the west and the sea.  A space that submits its own pace, dictated by the light and air depending on the day and the season.

The site provides a unique opportunity for an urgently needed enrichment and diversification of the metropolitan conglomeration’s urban character, an opportunity that should not be missed.  Keeping this in mind as an initial statement, the metropolitan Park and adjoining urban developments proposed by this entry were conceived and designed with the following additional guiding principles:

I.1 The Park should respond concurrently in both the local as well as the regional scales.  This will be achieved by means of incorporating existing and proposed landscapes, landmarks and constructions of varying sizes and references.

I.2 The planted areas of the Park should include large elements of dense and tall green which will provide for small or large urban forest cores, as well as voids and openings of low brush to house multiple leisure and entertainment functions.

I.3The Park and the urban developments should be involved in a rhythmic, alternating and inter-penetrating relation which will unearth and reconfirm an existence of mutual co-dependence between natural and built environments.

II   Design Concept

II.1  The Central Void

The existing eastern runway of the former Athens airport is retained as an open space and provides the primary spine of the scheme through its metamorphosis into a large pedestrian boulevard linking the northern neighborhoods with the golf course and the southern edges of the park.

The void acts as a sign of regional significance.  It is a symbolic gesture which links disparate elements of the Athens basin both virtually, by providing a conceptual line of reference, as well as chronologically, by means of retaining the memory of the airport.

II.2 The Pine Forest

The primary landscape intervention of the proposal is the creation of a dense forest comprised of maritime pines.  This forest becomes concurrently the main body of the metropolitan park and the living lung of southern Athens.  The pine clusters unfold throughout the eastern area of the park, as well as along its western edge towards the seafront and the sailing center.

II.3 City and Park

The city and the park are involved in an interdependent relation:  The congested urban landscape rediscovers in the park its necessary breathing and leisure space, while the substantial green areas of the proposal are brought to life and animated by the buildings and the people of the city that surround and use them.  This relation is readily reflected in the design and geometry of the proposed developments and the limits of the park:

The urban developments take their defining street grids largely from their adjoining and respective existing fabric, and thus extend the urban landscape into the park.  Forming distinct neighborhoods with varying urban character and densities, the urban developments interlock with areas of the park and thus leave wedges of greenery which penetrate back into the city itself.

Courtyards are formed adjacent to the living room, in dependence on the natural slope. The roofed pergola courtyard is protected from the northern winds in direct relation to the living room and the pool.

A wide staircase connects the outdoor sitting with the water element. On the rooftop, a lounge area is formed with panoramic views of the mountains and the sea extending the outdoor space on the roof of the house. The staircase leading to it, constitutes an integral design element.

The large volume of a single building, breaks down into smaller ones, directly adapted to the terrain. In this way the adjustment of the building in the landscape is smooth and the volume of the housing is as small as possible.

The house is positioned along an existing plateau. Great emphasis is given to the “fifth” aspect, ie roofs, as the housing is adapted to the natural environment.

The design of the openings is associated with the architectural style of the building. The element of repetition and standardization of openings dominates the design leaving the white volumes almost intact.

On the interior, jointly with their owners, a pair of professionals in the cinema field, construction materials dominate the design, such as exposed concrete ceilings and industrial flooring as well as wood construction in white color, as a continuation of the walls.

The furnishings and décor were selected so to leave the shell intact, highlighting the selected furniture pieces. Vintage objects but also designer pieces from Greece and abroad were chosen, in order to create an aesthetically bridging between architecture and design.

The transformation of the morphological elements of the Cycladic architecture using a modern architectural language were, together with the integration into the natural landscape, the guiding design principles of this project

Arc shaped metal trusses are the skeletons of these fluid forms. The generous spaces allow for multiple programmatic and functional adaptations.

Enhancing this motion is a shell composed of glass and corrugated metal panels. The passing of time is caught by the reflective and transparent qualities of the building.

And, as day becomes night, the building continues to be a beacon: a place in movement along one’s destination

Architecture for the road and the driver

The Amphitheater occupies a total space of 3500m2.

The main auditorium represents 1400m2 of the total, the Reception Hall 1000m2, the Lecture Halls 800m2 . The Library occupies a space of 2500m2. This is broken down into the reading space of 800m2, the stacks of 1000m2, the administration and reception spaces of 500m2 .

The structural system of the buildings is comprised of concrete walls and columns which support steel trusses that in some cases extend beyond the concrete elements. The facades are insulated metal panels and double glazed windows supported on steel frame structure. The roof consists of corrugated insulated metal panels.

Conceptually our intentions were: A/ To create a shell that interweaves with the natural environment in a unique way were order is only insinuated and not defined.

B/ To create a building morphology that through its cantilevered trapezoid roofs and inclined concrete walls refers to the dynamic morphology of aircrafts.

C/ To create interior spaces that flow into each other and enhance motion and interrelation with the exterior through the transparencies of the facades.

The colors and forms are combined appropriately simplifying the volumes of the house, similar operations were performed outside in order to unify the exterior spaces using stone elements and materials that strengthen this logic.

The goal was the removal of elements and to simplify the forms as possible in order to create a house that will offer a pleasant and relaxing holiday. The color palette used in grayscale aligned with a minimal interior.

Simplicity leaves essentiality be revealed and highlights the beauty and drama of the landscape combined with the impressive view to the sea and the Aegean.

Τhe ground floor  accommodates the living- dining room, an open air kitchen and one bedroom. The first floor has two bedrooms with an unobstructed view towards the sea.

The house sits over the bay of Kolymbithres , on a hill overlooking the Naoussa area. The complex was built in 1990 so the house needed a total renovation. The intervention consisted of altering the facades of the building as well as the interior and exterior spaces.

The goal of the intervention was to make the house resonate a more modern atmosphere and to incorporate new types of materials. All the installations were redone, electrical and plumbing, and an external thermal insulation was applied to the building. The external areas were blended to create more ample outdoor space. At the exterior a poured flooring was applied (drain type) , covering all the areas including the stairs.

A modern Cycladic approach characterizes the design and the new openings were carefully positioned in order to provide views to the sea and at the same time open light wells towards the interior. The interior was decorated taking in mind the aesthetic of the building. The furniture was chosen specifically to enhance a summer style living, and a mosaic floor was applied in the interiors. A light pergola shades the main terrace and provides an outdoor living space,  complete with built in benches.

React Architects have a long and experience working with Cycladic architecture. They have transformed this small duplex into a modern niche that overlooks the sea,  and offers it’s space for a relaxed summer vacation.

A thick concrete slab lies on a steep slop creating a terraced building. The slab bends becoming either a roof element or a floor feature. The building creates a terrace round the swimming pool and then over it next to the master bedroom level. The concrete ribbon rests on the land on the lower level creating the guest bedrooms. The panels that create the enclosed spaces are either curtain walls or wooden movable partitions. The supporting structure is hidden behind the panels so that the architectural movement of the concrete slab is exposed clearly. The entrance is generated on the back of the lot under the cantilevered bedroom space and gives clear view of the sunset.

The house is sheltered from the north winds that prevail in the area through the use of the same concrete element. The bedrooms have room height glazing, creating a strong relationship between the interior and the exterior.

The Philosophy of the Cultural Park lies in the creation of a composition of outdoor spaces with different textures, referring to the Greek flora and the local vegetation.
A key element of the intervention is the creation of the appropriate conditions, in order to enable the effective participation of the citizen.

The shop consists of a ground floor area of 400 m2 and a mezzanine of 150 m2.

The design concept introduces the user in a way of life that is influenced and coexists with the bicycle.

The ground floor contains the main exhibition space with four big thematic categories. City bicycles, Mountain bicycles, race bicycles and finally kids bicycles.

In the vertical surfaces bicycle parts are displayed.  In the same level we have placed the bicycle repair shop as well as the space of the bicycle community (forum). The mezzanine serves the clothing and footwear department.

The particular shop is not faced only as bicycle shop but it incorporates in the planning elements, conditions and spaces that a biker experiences.

The objective was the unification of space that was found in different levels. A “ribbon” that unfolds starting from the shop’s entry in a depth of 40 m. varying in thicknesses and heights, constitutes the main design tool. It creates space of entry, display area in the shop’s façade and in the interior, surfaces of suspension of products. In the flooring it signals the course in the whole extent of the shop and finally leads to the mezzanine.

Basic materials of covering and creating of surfaces for display are:

Osb “oriented strand board», artificial turf, pebbles.

The above materials create space of display, passage, suspension of pictures, display of products etc. They are placed in the floor in the walls and finally in the roof.

The combination of surfaces from different materials that are layered one on top of the other, in the whole extent of the shop creates an intense depth of field that invites the visitor.

“Nature” as it is expressed via the materials makes apparent her presence in the space. The creation of space through blurring the limits between artificial and natural constituted the basic idea of design.

In the meeting room presented, the company holds meeting with couples interested in stem cells collection plan.

We used forms that were inspired by the logo of the company as well as colors.

The space should predispose for the particular cause give a sense of calmness and laxity.

Materials used were translucent colored glass, printed words on the walls, and lacquered furniture designed by our firm as well as furniture by Vitra design company.

We used transparencies in colorful panes, printed words that refer in the identity of company. The furnishing followed the lines of design.