The project concerns the architectural, interior and light design of a hospitality complex consisting of 8 housing units. The plot is situated on a slope within the characteristically raw landscape of the island of Kythnos. The inclination of the natural terrain allows all houses to have unobstructed views to the sea. Each house is semi-submerged in the rocky landscape. The rooftop of each house is accessible and planted, while as a whole they function as “green landings” of the pubic route of stairs which transverse the whole property. The houses are strategically placed, parallel to the altitude curves, allowing the natural terrain to “flood over” their roofs. The visual result comprises of a harmonious coexistence between natural and man-made landscape.

The project aims to redefine the Cycladic house design by infusing elevated materiality, boho-inspired details, elegant-crafted furniture and contemporary ambient light solutions into traditional island architectural forms. These newly inserted elements add tints of the new onto the old and emphasize the spatial qualities of the design, resulting into a strong visual identity.

The sustainable character of the design is influenced by traditional architectural “patents”, thus ensuring proper lighting and ventilation. Each house is naturally ventilated through an excavated private back yard which also allows daylight to permeate through all living spaces. Each private back yard is equipped either with a pool-jacuzzi or an exotic-plants garden.

The dominant material used throughout the wholeness of this project is natural stone, provisioned to come from the plot itself. The stone gives birth to the perimeter walls of the complex. It also acts as the main supporting element of the structure, cladding the bearing walls of the sub-merged parts of the houses. The choice of local materials acts as a balancing factor, reducing the harshness of the visual impact of the man-made intervention, as most outer surfaces of the complex are integrated to the natural landscape.

Rough and white plaster is used to cover most of the interior walls of the houses. It also extends as far as the outdoor excavated backyards, providing a sense of visual continuity. All excavated cores are designed through the scope of micro-scale spatial qualities, found in all typical Cycladic island villages. Plaster is partially left uneven by choice, so as to create a subtle yet profound and memorable texture on the outside walls, abiding to traditional architecture techniques.

Each housing unit’s interior is characterized by contrasts of materiality. The material chosen for each of the two walls of the two elongated sides of each house plays a different role. One side is covered in plaster, functioning as a neutral background while the other side is cladded either with stone or with marble. Excavated punctures, incorporated on the rough surfaces, offer indirect light-oriented details. The walls turn into a spectacle, emphasizing the longevity of the spaces by making them “feel” larger and deeper. The stone-cladding is not just a decorative element yet a decisive architectural choice.

The roofs covering the bedrooms resemble the aesthetic and structural appearance of outdoor pergolas. The use of canes which are woven diagonally, create zones of rhombuses which span across the length of each space. Supporting wooden beams are placed geometrically, along the rhombuses’ diagonals. The result is a game of perspective, geometry and textural diversity which adds character, playfulness, along with an uncanny sentiment of familiarity, of home.

Travertine-covered floors with intersecting running bonds re-introduce the concept of mix-and-match of elevated materiality along with traditional building techniques and finishings.