Press Release
Natalia Kokosalaki Receives the Silver A' Design Award for Askianos Single Family House in Architecture, Building and Structure Design
The international grand jury of the 2022 - 2023 A' Design Award & Competition recognizes Natalia Kokosalaki for architecture, building and structure design
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
COMO, Italy, April 20, 2023 /DesignNewswire/ Askianos Single Family House by Natalia Kokosalaki, designed for Kokosalaki | Architecture, has been granted the Silver A' Design Award in the Architecture, Building and Structure Design category, A' Design Award & Competition has announced. The award was conferred within the 2022 - 2023 A' Design Award & Competition and was decided through blind peer review by an international grand jury panel of established academics, design professionals and press members, who evaluated anonymized entries against predetermined criteria.
What the Silver A' Design Award Means
The Silver A' Design Award celebrates top-tier designs that embody excellence and innovation. This award acknowledges creations that are not only aesthetically pleasing but also highly functional, reflecting the designer's deep understanding and skill. Silver A' Design Award recipients are recognized for their contribution to raising industry standards and advancing the practice of design. Their work often incorporates original innovations and elicits a strong emotional response, making a notable impact on the improvement of everyday life.
Regarding Askianos Single Family House
Askianos is a single family summer house located in Listaros, Crete, Greece. The home is divided into two volumes by a staircase that leads the view towards the sea and the summer sunset. The volumes are embedded into the hillside, while the pool and the outdoor shower are built into the rock. Local stone and ocher are used in the construction. The windows, doors and shutters are made of wood, and the built in furniture was made by local craftsmen. Traditional Cretan elements meet minimal design, joining indoor and outdoor living.
About Natalia Kokosalaki
Kokosalaki|Architecture is an awarded office that has formed a platform for new ideas and unique design, undertaking various projects regardless of size and programmatic use. Kokosalaki|Architecture has completed projects ranging from historical renovations, summer houses, and boutique hotels in the Greek islands, to residences and commercial spaces in Athens.
Award Record
Natalia Kokosalaki is a winner of 2 A' Design Awards, including this recognition. The awards span the editions from 2018 - 2019 to 2022 - 2023 of the A' Design Award & Competition.
About the A' Architecture, Building and Structure Design Award
The A' Architecture Design Award is an international architectural design competition recognizing good architectural designs by best architects worldwide. The competition is organized within the A' Design Award & Competition and is open to architectural design studios, building contractors, structural engineering firms and architecture and design consultants from all countries. Entries typically include skyscrapers, museums, residential buildings, commercial complexes, educational institutions and religious structures. Awarded architectural projects are published at https://designers.org/design-category/architecture
About A' Design Award & Competition
A' Design Award & Competition is an international, juried design accolade organized annually since 2008. The competition is open to entries from all countries. The A' Design Award has a philanthropic mission to advance society through good design by recognizing and promoting superior products, projects and services that benefit society, and by creating a global awareness and appreciation for good design practices and principles. Entries are peer reviewed and anonymously evaluated by an international grand jury panel of established academics, design professionals and press members against predetermined criteria such as functionality, ergonomics, engineering, presentation, innovation, usability, sustainability and technology, with score normalization applied to remove biases. Awards are conferred at Platinum, Gold, Silver, Bronze and Iron levels. The A' Design Prize granted to eligible laureates includes the award trophy, the certificate of design excellence, the hardcover yearbook, a lifetime license to use the A' Design Award winner logo, exhibition of awarded works, an invitation to the gala night and award ceremony in Italy, inclusion in the World Design Rankings and Designer Rankings, and public relations and publicity services. Registration, the upload of a work and the preliminary score are free of charge, and Professional and Digital Edition laureates are not contractually obliged to pay further fees to claim the A' Design Prize. Further information is available at https://competition.adesignaward.com
Press Resources
- Winner Page: https://designers.org/142619
- A' Design Award Page: https://competition.adesignaward.com/142619
- Media Showcase: https://www.designnewsroom.com/!142619
- Laureate Profile: https://designers.org/d/217759
- Further Information from the Laureate: http://nataliakokosalaki.gr/portfolio/askianos/
Media Contact
Giulia Ferrari, Press Office
Designers.Org
Via Leone Leoni 32, 22100 Como, Italy
press@designers.org
+39 031 4491953
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Fact Sheet
The Work
- Project
- Askianos Single Family House
- Function
- Single Family House
- Category
- Architecture, Building and Structure Design
- Discipline
- Spatial Design
- Industry
- Architecture
- Colors
- Slate Gray, Gray, Rosy Brown, Dim Gray and Light Slate Gray
- Images
- 5
- Client
- Kokosalaki | Architecture
The Recognition
- Laureate
- Natalia Kokosalaki
- Country
- Greece
- Recognition
- Silver A' Design Award
- Edition
- 2022 - 2023
- Design ID
- #142619
Credits
- Image Credits
- Photographer: George Messaritakis
Design Details
- Unique Properties
- Askianos was designed for a family to use as a summer house in southern Crete. The home is split into two volumes by a staircase leading the view towards the summer sunset over the sea, whilst the masses are embedded into the landscape. Traditional elements and materials of Cretan architecture come together with clean minimal design, blending the building with the landscape, inviting both indoor and outdoor living.
- Inspiration
- Traditional Cretan architecture and a respect for the natural environment inspired us to design a home fully integrated into the Cretan hills. Local materials such as stone and ocher are used extensively throughout the design, and local craftsmen and artists have left their mark in the home. From the built in furniture to the fabrics and textiles, to the masonry stone and hand made ceramic tiles, Askianos is what pure Cretan living is all about.
- 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.
- Challenge
- Integrating the design into a small plot of land and respecting the natural topology, especially a large rock face on the side of the hill, which, by law, was considered a local landmark that had to remain untouched. From a social perspective, we had to ensure the design of the home would respect the local and historical design language.
- Realization and 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.
- Operation and Interaction
- Circulation has been guided to frame prime views from the plot, and the home has been fully integrated in its natural environment on the hillside. The outdoor shower has been carved into the rocks, and the pool is built into the rock, too, inviting a tactile connection to the natural environment.
- Project Duration and Location
- The home was completed in 2021 in Listaros, Crete.
- Specifications
- 306 square meter home built on a 716 square meter plot of land.
- Keywords
- Summer house, Crete, Greece, Traditional, Minimal, Slow living
