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Corte Interna
Corte Interna
Chania, Greece
Project Featured on Aug 06, 2025
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Other Projects by Design Emotions Atelier - Evi Kotsou
Corte Interna
Chania, Greece
Project Featured on Aug 06, 2025
Type
STATUS
Built
YEAR
2024
SIZE
1000 sqft - 3000 sqft
BUDGET
$500K - 1M
A complex of three stone-built buildings is located west of the city of Chania in the village of Kalivani, near Balos.
Built on a plot of 420 sq.m., the buildings, measuring 220 sq.m., are arranged around an inner courtyard with water as the connecting element between the building volumes.
Pointed arches, doorways with semicircular or low-arched lintels reveal the Venetian imprint on Cretan architecture.
The two-story building is the first one you encounter as you enter from the main road of the village. The ground floor accommodates the living areas and a bedroom with its own bathroom. On the first floor, there are two bedrooms with en suite bathrooms and a WC.
One of the main interventions in this building was the opening of an internal door to connect the bedroom with the ground floor, as in the past there was only external access. The addition is distinguished by the metal frame of the door.
In the open space of the ground floor, a metal spiral staircase was placed to connect the two floors. Its shape and the choice of perforated metal sheet give a sense of plasticity to the space. The external stone staircase with the small domed space under it is preserved without major modifications.
Cement injections were applied for the static reinforcement of the shell. Externally, the old plaster was replaced with a new natural mortar, which in some places on the facades leaves some stones visible. On the other hand, the stonework was preserved on the inside. The use of polished concrete flooring in a neutral color tone, combined with the detail of the stone wall, creates a very strong visual contrast.
In the second building, which is located on the pool level, the opposite choice of materials was made for the walls and floor. The walls have been preserved with a stone facade on the outside, while on the inside the shell has been statically reinforced with gunite. The calmness of the plaster is combined with the elegance of the natural travertine on the floor. The travertine acts as a unifying element, as it extends throughout the interior of the building, expands into the courtyard embracing the pool, and even enters the kitchen area of the two-story building.
The third building is located on a higher level than the other two, and the connection between them is made externally by a metal staircase.
Inside, the old fireplace now serves as a skylight for the bedroom. On the floor, we find natural cotto tiles that continue into the courtyard of the building, giving a sense of continuity. A metal pergola filled with reeds, placed on the front of the building, provides shade and serves as a gathering space.
The wider ensemble is enhanced by the choice of flowing forms in furniture and lighting that interact with the sturdy outline of the existing shell of the buildings. Metal, wood, fabric, glass and gypsum work harmoniously with the surfaces they come into contact with. Light materials, earthy colors and textures that highlight the contemporary addition to a restoration project that respects its history and natural wear and tear.
The architectural study aimed to create spaces that offer new emotional experiences, different from everyday life.
The inner courtyard, the Corte Interna, takes on a scenographic approach, with linear planters, light metal structures and modern furniture that are placed harmoniously, creating new narratives of relaxation and rest.
A disconnection from modern everyday life.
Built on a plot of 420 sq.m., the buildings, measuring 220 sq.m., are arranged around an inner courtyard with water as the connecting element between the building volumes.
Pointed arches, doorways with semicircular or low-arched lintels reveal the Venetian imprint on Cretan architecture.
The two-story building is the first one you encounter as you enter from the main road of the village. The ground floor accommodates the living areas and a bedroom with its own bathroom. On the first floor, there are two bedrooms with en suite bathrooms and a WC.
One of the main interventions in this building was the opening of an internal door to connect the bedroom with the ground floor, as in the past there was only external access. The addition is distinguished by the metal frame of the door.
In the open space of the ground floor, a metal spiral staircase was placed to connect the two floors. Its shape and the choice of perforated metal sheet give a sense of plasticity to the space. The external stone staircase with the small domed space under it is preserved without major modifications.
Cement injections were applied for the static reinforcement of the shell. Externally, the old plaster was replaced with a new natural mortar, which in some places on the facades leaves some stones visible. On the other hand, the stonework was preserved on the inside. The use of polished concrete flooring in a neutral color tone, combined with the detail of the stone wall, creates a very strong visual contrast.
In the second building, which is located on the pool level, the opposite choice of materials was made for the walls and floor. The walls have been preserved with a stone facade on the outside, while on the inside the shell has been statically reinforced with gunite. The calmness of the plaster is combined with the elegance of the natural travertine on the floor. The travertine acts as a unifying element, as it extends throughout the interior of the building, expands into the courtyard embracing the pool, and even enters the kitchen area of the two-story building.
The third building is located on a higher level than the other two, and the connection between them is made externally by a metal staircase.
Inside, the old fireplace now serves as a skylight for the bedroom. On the floor, we find natural cotto tiles that continue into the courtyard of the building, giving a sense of continuity. A metal pergola filled with reeds, placed on the front of the building, provides shade and serves as a gathering space.
The wider ensemble is enhanced by the choice of flowing forms in furniture and lighting that interact with the sturdy outline of the existing shell of the buildings. Metal, wood, fabric, glass and gypsum work harmoniously with the surfaces they come into contact with. Light materials, earthy colors and textures that highlight the contemporary addition to a restoration project that respects its history and natural wear and tear.
The architectural study aimed to create spaces that offer new emotional experiences, different from everyday life.
The inner courtyard, the Corte Interna, takes on a scenographic approach, with linear planters, light metal structures and modern furniture that are placed harmoniously, creating new narratives of relaxation and rest.
A disconnection from modern everyday life.
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