2014

The plot is located in the prefecture of Rethymno, near the foothills of Mount Ida. The main challenge consisted in creating the right conditions for isolation and protection from occasional nuisance, strong winter winds and summer heat waves. The building is made of a single tube-like volume constructed with the use of two longitudinal masonry load-bearing walls. Two enclosed courtyards with a pergola are found at both ends, while the accommodation itself is situated between them. Large glass panes separate the interior from the courtyards. Three parallel concrete walls, perpendicular to the axis of the building, delineate the auxiliary spaces (kitchen, bathroom) and separate the living and sleeping quarters. The two enclosed courtyards, where plants grow through the pergolas, have an ambivalent role: they define the interior but also extend it towards the outside. Viewing and accessing the landscape is done indirectly, through the outdoor space of the courtyards. Conversely, the landscape does not enter the premises directly; it does so through the courtyard. The mountain shelters made of stone and the typical “mitata” with their enclosures, belonging to the cattle breeders of Ida, were a major inspiration for this building.