location: Chania, Crete
status: design study completed
study: β26 architects
This architectural study concerns the construction of a two level residence near Vlacheronitissa, a small village in Chania, Crete. The plot to be studied is a slightly sloping olive grove, 4 acres big. The ground floor area of the house is 190.00 sq.m. big while the basement area is 95.00 sq.m.
The main idea was the design of two stone, and perpendicular to each other, walls that oraganise the house and, at the same time, act as a filter between the public and the private space. The first wall is the one that separates the parking lot and the adjacent property from the residence’s space. The second wall separates the yard and the living areas (living room, dining room and kitchen) from the bedrooms of the house. In this way, a smooth and gradual transition from the external environment to the microworld of the house is achieved. Two volumes that "penetrate" one of the two walls organise the spaces of the residence.
As far as the internal organization of the house concerns, the designed spaces are influenced by the traditional architecture that is perfectly combined with the contemporary design trends. The materials used are fully harmonized with the natural environment and the stone walls. Cement floors, off-white plaster on the walls and wood on the movable and fixed furniture decorate the house’s interior.
Outside, there is a 55.00 sq.m. big swimming pool, while the least possible changes are made. The boundaries between built and natural environment are completely distinct, creating a direct contact between the user and the nature. The floors of the outdoor area stand next to the soil and the natural flora of the plot. Finally, the olive trees that are preserved contribute to the configuration of the house’s microclimate.
1 / 2
2 / 2
❮
❯
As far as the internal organization of the house concerns, the designed spaces are influenced by the traditional architecture that is perfectly combined with the contemporary design trends. The materials used are fully harmonized with the natural environment and the stone walls. Cement floors, off-white plaster on the walls and wood on the movable and fixed furniture decorate the house interior.
Outside, there is a 55,00 m^2 big swimming pool, while the least possible changes are made. The boundaries between built and natural environment are completely distinct, creating a direct contact between the user and the nature. The floors of the outdoor area stand next to the soil and the natural flora of the plot. Finally, the olive trees that are preserved contribute to the configuration of the house’s microclimate.