Peloponnese Rural Ibugbe Ile

Press Kit

Unique Properties

The morphology of the place - the slope with a 6m height difference from the top to the bottom, led to the decision of creating a house with humble, stone stable-like appearance from the street side discreetly fitting into the rural surrounding, while developing in a two-level prominent construction seen from the garden. Built with restricted means without compromising the initial architectural proposal and according to contemporary sustainable standards, the custom-made dwelling has been playing major role in the 2020 pandemic situation, providing its inhabitants safety and comfort.

Dimensions & Packaging

The plot size of only 300m2 demanded careful positioning of the house, so as to attain garden space for outdoor activities as vast as possible. It was achieved by positioning the 141m2 dwelling at the upper part of the property, next to the access road, and occupying surface until the borders. Stone wall height from the street side is only 3m plus roof construction 2m at the highest point, while the garden view is 6,3m high plus roof construction 1,5m from the end of the stone wall to the top.

Tags

bespoke, reclaimed stone, contemporary rural, industrial feel, low budget house, house with a view

Production Technology

Environmental and local economy benefits were accomplished by specifying craftsmen and natural materials within a 100-mile radius of the construction site. Reclaimed stone, applied on the elevations and at the entrance level interior space, was sourced from the nearby storage and supplemented with a new one from local quarry. Washed wood shutters were handmade in recycled wood and black metal frame. Cement mortar in two shades was created on site to cover floor surfaces along with custom-made plywood furniture, while white oil treated OSB is used for the rest of the built-in equipment.

Design Challenge

Besides bureaucratic challenges regarding forest authorities before the realization process, an additional challenge was how to build in a remote village of Kalamia, 140m2 of habitable, high quality, custom-made space from the scratch, with the restricted means. However, it was achieved thanks to the close collaboration between the Client, Architect and Contractor, not compromising the initial architectural and interior design proposal.

Research

Thorough contextual and materiality research was done on how to incorporate dwelling in a contemporary manner into the surrounding of an ordinary, remote, Peloponnese village of Kalamia. A starting point of creative departure was the industrial feel of a traditional stone stable, characteristic for the Peloponnese rural areas, with its low, long, and tiled shed roof appearance. It fit discreetly into neighborhood from the street side with its humble, almost disappearing elevation, while developing into a prominent, two-stories building from the garden.

Inspiration

Industrial feel of the traditional stone stables characteristic for the Peloponnese rural areas was inspiration for natural materials applied on the elevation and in interior. Reclaimed local stone that was supplemented with new, grey roof tiles, black aluminum facade windows frames, washed-wood handmade shutters, black metal railing, white-oil treated OSB and cement mortar in two shades are all implemented in contemporary manner, simultaneously echoing the past while contributing to the materiality richness.

Project Duration

The project started in September 2016 in Kalamia and finished in July 2019 in Kalamia, Greece

Operation Flow

Entrance level represents communal area that relates through the large openings to the outdoor, observation platform, for stargazing and experiencing view of the sea. Communication with the garden is established by transparent staircase. At the garden level, slab's perforations allow for the interior corridor's intertwining of natural and artificial light, creating a cave-like atmosphere. Garden access from bedrooms and guest suite is through two courtyards that also serve as contemplation places. Additionally, detached stone and metal construction allows for alfresco cooking and dining.

Image Credits

Image#1: Photographer Athina Souli, Garden view towards Olive Tree Atrium, 2020.
Image#2: Photographer Athina Souli, Olive Tree Atrium atmosphere, 2020.
Image#3: Photographer Athina Souli, Garden view towards Guest area Atrium, 2020.
Image#4: Photographer Athina Souli, Humble entrance level elevation, 2020.
Image#5: Photographer Athina Souli, View towards entrance level communal space from the observation platform, 2020.
Video and montage: Athina Souli and Vangelis Michelidakis, 2021.