Vacation Houses Complex

Back in 2009, our team was called upon to design on a pristine piece of land, at the foot of Mount Tymfristos, near Karpenissi. Our clients requested a complex of four houses one of them to become their own and the rest to offer for sale. They also dreamt of a shared swimming pool.

We dedicated some time to actively listen to the land. We walked on-site, our team alone and with the owners too. Firstly, to discover the essence of the place and thereafter the details that would inform our design. Our proposed layout respected the existing topology. We aligned the houses along the contour lines and designed their roofs in dialogue with the slope. We used materials that blend in with the surroundings, stone from a local quarry and timber.

Regarding the request for a pool, we were very sceptical. After discussing it with our clients and researching on the subject we agreed on creating a natural pool that looks like a pond. The key difference between this pool and a conventional one is the absence of chemicals. A natural pool relies on its own biologically sustainable ecosystem to keep the water clean and pollutant-free. Aesthetically too, this bean-shaped pool merges with the landscape.

Unfortunately, due to the economic crisis whose onset coincided with the handing over of the design development phase, the project was not implemented. Nevertheless, we decided to share our concept on the integration of a residential design into a preserved rural landscape.