Kapsimalis Architects has published details of their proposed Vineyard House on the Greek island of Santorini. The design concept was for a main housing space under a roof of artificial earth, with a perimeter-free view of the landscape. To achieve this, a piece of land is elevated by 2.6 meters to form a living space below and progressively sculpted in the spirit of the natural erosion of volcanic rocks and caves.
The ground floor, situated under the elevated roof, consists of an open-plan sitting, dining, and kitchen space, a master bedroom, bathroom, and WC. In the mass of the roof, 3.2 meters above ground floor level, an attic with an office is formed. The main entrance is situated on the west side, along with access to the attic and basement level. To the east, an elongated swimming pool blends into an exterior lounge yard.
The elevated roof features rammed earth faces with layers, colors, and textures that resemble the geological composition of the existing underground volcanic soil, while the ground floor radically contrasts with a sliding glass-mirror frame, creating the illusion of a hovering roof. The surrounding landscape is reflected in the ground floor façade, forming a natural continuum of the surrounding context, while the lifted roof is established as a sculpted piece of raw land.
In the interior space, the color of the plastered walls and ceilings, as well as the color of the industrial cement floors, follow the earthly palette of the outer shell. The fixed partition walls are lined with natural oak, while mobile furniture appears as special pieces to continue the same philosophy of the building’s materiality.
News via: Kapsimalis Architects
