The house constitutes a playful entanglement of ancient mythical narratives, modern structural ideals, contemporary infrastructures and everyday local building methods.

The design regime is one of looking at history and using what works, or what through time has proven to outperform other comparative solutions. The dominant structural frame sets up a type of Wunderkammer collection of tectonic delight. This method of organization allows the structural reading of the frame to remain intact.

Client:

The client, part Dutch part Greek, jewelry designer, and place maker. She grew up in the Netherlands but spent her childhood summers in Greece. She imagined a home where her diasporic family and friends could converge.

Shape:

The shape of the house is long and narrow, a mutation of the traditional Greek Stoa building type with a landscaped, dry stacked stone stylobate. It lies parallel to the coastline, optimizing the view while simultaneously sheltering the living space from strong northern winds. The breezeway in the center connects Evia’s Mount Ochi to the north with the Aegean Sea to the south. It lies on axis with the island of Kea which forms its distant view.

Structure:

The concrete structural frame is a grid consisting of 4.8×4.8x3m bays with 30x30cm columns, and 30x50cm beams. A legacy of modernism, the concrete frame is the most common construction method in the region due to its economy and durability. The columns and beams are slightly oversized to protect the steel reinforcement from the corrosive effect of salt. The structure provides a framework onto which distinct raw architectural elements are inserted, stone walls, brass storage walls, glass walls, bathrooms, terracotta roof, solar shading, appliances, furniture…

Roof:

Drawing on 5th century B.C know-how and folklore, the Hip roof shape is a pine wood structure that rests on the modernist concrete frame. It is layered with terracotta tiles that end with an Antefix – an historical roof element still commonly used today. The thickened end piece caps and protects the ends of the tiles from damage. Shaped in the head of Hermes, its ability to protect is extended into a communion with the gods.

Walls:

The North and South walls are made from local Karystos stone, a mix of greens, reds, and greys. East and West facing walls are clad in brass, akin to a protective Linothorax. In a nod to Helios, they glow a golden yellow with early morning and afternoon light, changing color with the passing of time.
Life: Life exists mostly outdoors. The breezeway separates living spaces. To the east are four enclosed bays, each bay a program: cooking, eating, sleeping, and living. To the west are two independent living bays, each with its own entrance. To the south, the open, covered colonnade acts as both outdoor corridor and collective living space.

Team: 

Design: Architect: NMinusOne: Christos Marcopoulos and Carol Moukheiber
Construction and Management: Architect: Konstantinos Polychroniou and Maria Tsipoura
Team: Structural (Civil) Engineer: Nikolaos Detsis; Mechanical Engineer: Georgios Mylonogiannis; Excavator: Konstantinos Gouletas; Floors: A&E Babaniotis; Electrical: G&E Magkaniaris; Stone/Masonry: Dimitris Sfiridis; Copper/Zinc cladding: Antonios Pagkratis; Concrete: G&E Stabelos; Glazing: Anastasios Gouletas; Millwork: Nikolaos Togias; Roof: Serwood
Photo Credits: Christos Marcopoulos
Location: Aetos, Evia
Size: 150m2 indoor, 175m2 outdoor