The site features a mountainous natural landscape covered with wild scrubs and olive trees overlooking one of the most beautiful panoramas of the Island of Lefkada in Greece. The House was designed by LASSA Architects as a retreat for a local family. The project is partially hidden into the terrain and forms a combination of overlapping volumes reducing the elevation seen from the sea. The house is deployed linearly on two levels following the curvature of the mountain profile. When entering the house we walk into a world that projects the gaze toward the ravine and the glittering lights of the sea. The curved and sinuous lines accompany the discovery little by little. A key objective of the design is to seamlessly extend the interior spaces into a multitude of outdoor living areas such as the terraces, the loggia, the pool area and the courtyard.
An elliptical concrete beam delineates the common areas of the house while the bedroom areas are inserted within the topography on the upper floor. The living room and kitchen is spacious, conceived as a pavilion it is open to all sides. The detachment of the living room from the sloping terrain allows for the creation of a courtyard as a secluded garden that provides shading while emphasizing views of the mountain and sky. The elliptical roof is punctured by two oculi that frame olive trees. A column free pergola extends the shade and framing of the sea. On the upper floor, a hallway connects a family room and two bedrooms that overlook the upper garden and the elliptical roof terrace.
The lower level integrates a studio within one of the stone retention walls that structure the landscape. The planted roof provides protection from direct sunlight and excessive heat throughout the day. The living room, designed to be open on both sides, allows the refreshing northern wind to naturally ventilate the house during the evening hours.
A combination of different tones of neutral colours to various shades of blue, grey, and green delineates subtly the project and facilitates its insertion in its surrounding landscape. The project construction was facilitated by offsite custom formwork elements designed by LASSA. The garden comprises a blend of native coastal vegetation, featuring wild olive trees, shrubs, and small aromatic gardens, creating a captivating sensory experience.
Show more project infoType | Commission
Programme | Summer House
Total Area | 380 m2
Status | Completed
Date | 2023
Design Team | LASSA - Dora Sweijd and Theo Sarantoglou Lalis , with Jonathan Cheng (Project Associate), Raz Keltsh, Jocelyn Arnold.
Executive Architect | A. Litinas
Engineer | G Bougas
Formwork Design | LASSA
Photography | @NAARO - Marcela Spadaro.
