The plot is located within the boundaries of the settlement of Volada and is surrounded by olive groves. It is accessible by car through a narrow dirt road. The design of the residence was carried out with great respect for the settlement and the values of the island of Karpathos.
Our study was based on the evolution of the Karpathian house. The main core of the house, parallel to the road, is the large open-plan space that accommodates the living room, dining room, and kitchen. The front of this space faces the courtyard and the central entrance, adorned with the characteristic frames of Karpathian houses surrounding the wooden openings. In an effort to highlight these decorative elements, the traditional plaster of the frame was replaced with a more precious material, polished marble.
In this main ground-floor core, elevated 1.5 meters above the road, all the other functions of the house were added, which would serve the needs of a family of four mainly during the summer months.
To the southwest of the core, a corridor connects to two children’s bedrooms, a bathroom, a laundry room, and a guest WC. To the northeast, the central staircase leads to the first floor, the basement, and, through a wide staircase, to the guest room.
The guest room, following the logic of differentiation of volumes and functions, is elevated by one level and consists of the bedroom area, a bathroom, and a walk-in closet.
The first floor, hosts a large room for the couple, which includes a large bedroom and a study area, a bathroom with a bathtub, and a walk-in closet. The bedroom is surrounded by two terraces with pergolas. One is located southwest, with a small sitting area, and the other is northwest, with a jacuzzi and a view of the settlement.
The outdoor spaces of the house are equally important for living, as the indoor ones. Alongside the road, the courtyard is paved with slabs of slate and plastered with lime grout. The courtyard, functioning as a space for relaxation, essential for vacation homes, hosts a “zardiniera” (flower bed) along its length, providing privacy to its users, a sitting area, and a dining area. The courtyard is “supported” by a dry-stone wall made of local stone, defining the entrance staircase. Outside the children’s bedrooms, a small garden and a space covered with gravel serve as an entertainment area for the children. To the south, at a height difference of about one meter from the rest of the exterior spaces, there is another garden with olive trees that preexisted on the plot, as well as aromatic plants such as oregano, rosemary, thyme, etc. Next to the kitchen, a small terrace accommodates the barbecue area. Finally, the guest room has its private small terrace protected from the northwest wind.
The selection of materials and colors was made with the aim of integrating the building optimally into the environment. Local stone was used for the perimeter walls of the plot, courtyards, and terraces with lime grout. Off-white rough plaster covers the external walls, wooden frames are in the color of olives, and polished white marble is used for the frames.