© Panagiotis Voumvakis
- Architects: gfra architecture
- Location: Naxos, Greece
- Lead Architects: gfra architects
- Project Team: Tasos Gousis, Joost Frijda, Eddie Roberts, Fotini Anagnostou
- Structural Design: Geocad – Nikolaos Mylonas
- Mechanical Design: Manolis Kontopoulos
- Construction: Aliberti projects
- Area: 520.0 m2
- Project Year: 2017
- Photographs: Panagiotis Voumvakis
© Panagiotis Voumvakis
Text description provided by the architects. Naxos is one of the most popular destinations of the greek islands. Increasing tourism has created a need for small and middle sized residencies of mixed use: hospitality uses plus a base for long term holidays. A concept like that led to this project. One of the most active real estate development groups on the island approached us with the idea of creating a group of residencies that would be special, yet approachable. The project took place on an out of city plan plot with an east orientation, high inclination and unlimited view to the main town of Naxos.
© Panagiotis Voumvakis
Plan
© Panagiotis Voumvakis
Its east orientation was our main challenge, since the powerful northeastern winds that dominate the area coupled with the early absence of sunlight from living spaces in the afternoon were concerns that had to be dealt with efficiently. Our solution was that of subterranean buildings, ordered on the slope one above the other in such a way that all have unlimited view, and every residency is as invisible as possible to the rest of the houses. Moreover, the houses, built under the ground with their facade many meters behind the excavation limit, create an outdoors living area that is protected from the strong winds.
© Panagiotis Voumvakis
General plan
© Panagiotis Voumvakis
The residencies are designed in a linear way. Side by side behind their single facades are a living area, kitchen and two bedrooms. Auxiliary spaces have been placed in the back of the buildings, in contact with secondary skylights. The living room and kitchen are a single entity overlooking the view, and a large opening on their outdoors continuation towards the excavated side offers those spaces necessary front to back ventilation and sunlight throughout the day.
© Panagiotis Voumvakis
We chose interior materials with the goal of maintaining a calm ambience with light-colored elements and minimal decoration. Facades were coated in stone and all hard outdoors surfaces were made with cement in natural colors. The remaining landscape was planted in such a way as to respect and regenerate the previous landscape as much as possible.
© Panagiotis Voumvakis
