The architectural scheme consists of a two-storey vacation home on the island of Zakynthos. The house is situated within a terraced olive grove, boasting olive trees that are centuries old. The architectural challenge was to maintain the natural beauty of the site whilst introducing a smart tech home with sustainable practices. Through considered impact studies, the architect and client chose a composition palette that focused on creating a minimalist sympathetic footprint, ensuring the building fitted to the land’s natural topography.
The villa is comprised of unique characteristics. It has a panoramic 180 degree view of the rich architectural fields below, spanning across in the distance to take in the island of Marathonisi, locally known as turtle island. With this south facing aspect the property is bathed in sunlight, accentuating the built forms play with shadow, culminating in dancing light and dark architectural elements on display. The additional challenge of the south facing aspect required deliberate design consideration to ensure summer climatic conditions were optimised without compromising the connections to the immediate surrounding.
The open plan design linking the large kitchen and lounge to the pool and outdoor entertainment area allows the villa's patrons to seamlessly transition between indoor and outdoor living.
The choice in natural materials sourced locally is the crowning jewel in this considered design. To not detract from the panoramic views, careful curation of materials really emphasises the minimalist detailing. The linear profiles of hand-crafted stone intersected by the natural blond accoya wood both add texture and enhance soundproofing. The use of natural kourasanit to render the interior and exteriors of the villa give an appearance of continuity and entices the visitor’s curiosity with a want to touch the product.
Finally, the architectural detail of oversizing all door frames evokes a sense of grandeur and scale. This detail reinforces a true minimalist concept by celebrating the structure, shape, light, and space to create maximum visual impact with as few items as possible.
Συντελεστές & Προμηθευτές Ξενοδοχειακού Εξοπλισμού:
Project name: Alpha Villa
Architectural study: Dionysios Markoutsas Arcitecture Studio
Interior design: Dionysios Markoutsas Arcitecture Studio
