The architectural proposal is about a vacation residence located on a steep south-eastern slope with dense low vegetation, standing above a cove, in the south of the island. The building develops linearly, parallel to the elevation, and is anchored to the ground by longitudinal retaining walls of uncoated local stone, as well as a large planted roof slab that protrudes from the ground. Along the composition, individual prismatic volumes are based on the stone walls and project, transversely to them, over the cliff and the inner part of the cove, without touching the ground, nor the roof slab. In this way, this building manages to maintain a small width and low height, concealing much of its volume. At the same time, it stands at a high elevation and integrates into the landscape while enjoying the sea view.
The main building is developed on a single level. The entrance is at a lower level, in the parking area, from where an outdoor staircase leads to the entrance balcony. There starts the outdoor corridor, which forms the backbone of the composition and leads to the living room. Towards the sea side the sleeping areas are placed, expressed as three protruding prisms. Two of them function individually and are accessed from the open corridor, while the third is part of the main residence and is connected to the common areas. Towards the side of the mountain the kitchen and the auxiliary spaces are placed.
The sleeping areas are oriented southeast and receive the morning light. At the back of them a functional core containing the sanitary areas and the wardrobe supports the roof slab. The side walls of the rooms are freed from load-bearing requirements and can stand as free elements. At the edge of the room terraces there is a lower-level planted space with a hidden railing that does not interrupt the view from the room. The rooms are separated from each other, leaving small outdoor balconies in between, which function as successive visual escapes from the outdoor corridor towards the sea. The living room has a corner opening towards the south and the sea. The sliding glazing units of each side slide into the walls allowing the integration of the interior with the exterior. The roof slab projects in both directions allowing for adequate shading of the glazing and the formation of a sheltered space to accommodate the outdoor seating area. The swimming pool has a stepped bottom that allows access to the deep part with steps from yard level, as well as a shallow part cantilevered over the stone wall, with concrete supports, for longitudinal swimming. The building is constructed with a reinforced concrete frame, while a single construction grid runs through the entire composition.
Thus, we achieve a composition of elements that highlights its structural system and transforms it to a morphological expression. The structure described above is projected on the facade of the building. Two thick slabs, the pool and the sliding roof, define the building. The pool slab underlines the common areas and along with the room prisms express the spatial ratio between public and private spaces. The kitchen chimney stands in between leaving a reminder of this distinction and balancing the horizontality of the composition. The building is a linear cantilever that hangs over the slope. It is anchored to the ground and at the same time it subtly protrudes from it, allowing the optimal exploitation of the view and orientation.