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Antiparos, Greece – Camilo Rebelo + Susana Martins
Project Year : 2014
Developed Area : 950 Sq M
Photographs : Claudio Reis
Ktima House stands on a private and quiet part of the island of Antiparos, Greece. When viewed from a distance, the structure is a jagged vision in white with its sharp, dynamic, and angular lines. The design complies with strict island regulations as it aims to blend traditional and contemporary architecture with respect to Greek classics.
The house is built on sloping land which explains why a part of it is slightly buried underground, under a green roof. Wide corridors, large windows, and an open patio provides excellent ventilation throughout the property, eliminating the need for active cooling.
Inside, there is generosity of space and light. The prevailing theme is minimalism, with walls and floors mostly finished in white. Art pieces, area rugs, and other home accessories provide a splash of color here and there to break the monotony.
The property affords majestic views of the rolling hills, the crystal blue waters of the sea, and the breathtaking colors of the setting sun.
From the Architects:
The main idea of the project was based in two elements: the existing walls, at different levels, and the platforms created by those walls. The elevations of the two house levels are broken lines that were created as continuation of the existing site walls. The topography helps to dissimulate the house.
Ktima, in Greek, means farm or parcel with fertile land. The project site is a plot with steep slopes, mostly green, with a few trees that are an exception in the context of Antiparos Island.
Order and chaos can be found in Greek civilization throughout the ages, including in our days – we were interested on these aspects and both were part of the concept for this house.
In the territory we can perceive this construction in two different ways. From above, in the main access area, we see a thick white and abstract line, adapting to topography and to the interior requirements. On the other hand, looking from the sea, we discover the facade with a figurative, continuous yet apparently fragmented composition that refers us to an ancient citadel.
The architecture process is very complex most of the times and Palazuelo’s paintings were also one of the most relevant references for this house.
In the Greek regulations, volumes can’t exceed ten meters long and this rule dictates the composition rhythm, always related to the interior spaces. All of them have distinct landscape framing and particularly varied in the amount and intensity of light. Based on a large program we decided to divide the house in two levels: the entrance level being the main house and the lower level the guesthouse, service and staff areas. The house was built following the local construction tradition and the island regulations – those aspects were crucial to the house expression.
This house has a particularly favorable condition from the sustainable point of view: the green roof guarantees with efficiency a constant temperature in the interior, without the need of powerful cooling systems. On the back of the house we incorporated a few patios that are extremely important for both levels ventilation. So we tried to use simple architecture elements to achieve low energy consuming.
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Exterior View :
Interior View :
Drawing View :
Greece has a lot of interesting homes with innovative designs. Here’s another home that is buried underground – Aloni. Incidentally, just like the Ktima House, it is also found in the island of Antiparos.
