Stone holiday house … through the olive trees …

Location: Kato Gatzea, Pelion, Greece

Project year: 2008-2013

The two-storey house is oriented southwest in order to gain maximum utilization of the view towards The Pagasitikos Bay. The acclimatization to the differing grades of the ground and the distribution of the main volume, using natural materials like wood, stone and ecological hydraulic mortars, ensure full harmonization with the surrounding landscape.

The residence embodies the basic necessary areas in its main two-storey volume whilst the bedrooms are in the loft and in the annex.

The underground parking – storeroom area is a monocoque concrete structure while the upper building is stone, with reinforced concrete in the middle. The bearing masonry comprises the dominant volume with the loft and balconies being secondary to light structure of wood and metal. The roof, which incorporates three layers of insulation and an aeration zone, is tiled with natural stone plates.

The expansive spaces with selected breathable material applications and elaborate roof insulation create a comfort shell with low energy consumption.

All external configurations, retaining walls and cover stones are made of permeable materials, allowing the flowers and vegetation to soften the stone rigor.