Bronze Architecture, Building and Structure Design · 2023
Summer Story Single Family House
- A' Design Award 2023 Bronze Winner in Architecture, Building and Structure Design
- Awarded April 15, 2023
- CLIENT: Kokosalaki | Architecture
- Estimated Number of Design Views: 13,127
- Verification code B22D7C9389 · Verify this award
About Summer Story Single Family House
Summer Story is a single family house in Roustika, Crete, at the foot of the Lefka Ori mountains. The house was built for a French couple to host a large extended family in summer. A large stone arched entrance leads to an enclosed courtyard and recalls the Venetian buildings of the island. Local stone and ocher were used, and the windows, doors and shutters are made of wood. The built in furniture was made by local craftsmen. Traditional Cretan forms are joined with a contemporary approach, so the house appears to have always been there.
Press Kit
- Unique Properties
- At the foot of the Lefka Ori mountains in Crete, a French couple decided to house their large extended family and spend their summers in a pure Cretan environment. The large arched entrance leading to an enclosed courtyard revives memories of the Venetians who left their mark on the island. We wanted to create a typical Cretan home - simple, distinguished, and very proud, and combined it with a contemporary design approach, to create a home as if it had always been there.
- Dimensions & Packaging
- 250 square meter building on a 4700 square meter plot of land
- Tags
- Summer house, Crete, Greece, Traditional, Minimal, Slow living
- Production Technology
- Environmental and site analysis dictated the orientation of the house in relationship to the prime views and the position of the sun. Local stone and ocher were used in the construction, and all built in furniture was built by local craftsmen. In keeping with the traditional Cretan architecture the windows, doors, and shutters are all made of wood.
- Design Challenge
- The client wanted to incorporate both the traditional architectural language of the area, but use modern construction techniques in order to create a home that fits into the landscape, to make it feel as if it has always been there.
- Project Duration
- Construction of the house in Roustika, Crete, was completed in 2018.
- Operation Flow
- The large stone arched entrance connects the outside with the inner courtyard and acts as a central focus point for the house, promoting the idea of indoor and outdoor living.
- Research
- Type: Environmental analysis. Objectives: To orient and integrate the design into the site. Methodology: Solar and wind analysis using computational tools, view selection and framing from site visit. Data Tools Used: Energy Plus weather data for analysis and solar paths; historical wind data; site visits and research on local architecture. Participants: Full office team. Result: Environmental analysis optimized the design, historical research allowed for selection of construction materials and methods. Effect: The design respects the local architectural language, integrating it fully in its environment, and promoting local artists and craftsmen.
- Inspiration
- The brief was composed as if it was a first page of a novel, narrating a summer day in this imaginary Cretan house and its rural environment. It describes the various spaces of the house and the surrounding large garden. Immediately, the direct relation between inside and outside became the focus of our concept. Cretan life is well connected with the earth, the outdoors, the olive trees, and we were keen to sustain this throughout our design.
- Image Credits
- Photographer: George Messaritakis