OOAK Architects, AB

Patio House In Karpathos

Patio House In Karpathos
© Åke Eson Lindman

PATIO HOUSE

Ooak Architects

ARCHITECTS
Ooak Architects

LOCATION
Karpathos, Greece

CATEGORY
Houses

PROJECT YEAR
2018

AREA
200 m²

STRUCTURAL ENGINEER
Palimpsest, Christos Kaklamanis

MANUFACTURERS
FAKRO, Daikin, Delta Light, Duravit, Grohe, Stuv, TEM, Zucchetti, Dolce Vita

LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTS
Helli Pangalou & Associates

ARCHITECTS IN CHARGE
Johan Annerhed, Maria Papafigou

Patio House In Karpathos
© Åke Eson Lindman
Patio House In Karpathos
© Yiorgos Kordakis

Text description provided by architect.

After having travelled to Greece for many years to windsurf, a Paris-based French-Swedish couple finally found their dream spot on the windy island of Karpathos.

Patio House In Karpathos
© Yiorgos Kordakis
Patio House In Karpathos
© Yiorgos Kordakis

The search for the perfect site was long, but the minute they saw this amazing property they knew that they had found their place: a dramatic plot of land with open views of the Aegean Sea and direct views of the windsurfers on the beach of Afiarti.

The sparse, untamed and dramatic landscape was the starting point for the design. Every manmade alteration would be visible in this unique lot with its jagged, textured cliffs that descend into the grand Aegean Sea.

Patio House In Karpathos
© Yiorgos Kordakis
Patio House In Karpathos
© Yiorgos Kordakis
Patio House In Karpathos
© Yiorgos Kordakis

The question became how to introduce a foreign object – a house – into this spectacular landscape, enhancing its qualities without altering its character.

Rather than trying to mimic the landscape, the house is gently placed on the site as an object, leaving the surrounding landscape as untouched as possible.

Patio House In Karpathos
© Yiorgos Kordakis
Patio House In Karpathos
© Yiorgos Kordakis

Landscape and building are perceived as two distinct elements that together create a new entity – much in the way a perfect shell merges with a rock over time and gradually becomes part of the rock formation.

Two contrasting objects, living in symbiosis, enhancing and complementing each other.

Patio House In Karpathos
© Yiorgos Kordakis
Patio House In Karpathos
© Yiorgos Kordakis

The site has two natural plateaus, one higher and one lower. In order to take full advantage of the views and reach closer to the sea, the building extends beyond the higher plateau, hovering over the landscape.

This cantilever effect has a strong presence that augments the full experience of the site both from the inside and out.

Patio House In Karpathos
© Yiorgos Kordakis
Patio House In Karpathos
© Yiorgos Kordakis
Patio House In Karpathos
© Yiorgos Kordakis

From the inside, it creates the illusion that the house is hovering over the sea, whilst from the exterior it further accentuates the contrast between the manmade and the natural.

The owners dreamt of a sanctuary in this beautiful yet rough landscape; a place where they could fully experience the magnificent surroundings and a shelter from the strong Karpathian winds.

Patio House In Karpathos
© Yiorgos Kordakis
Patio House In Karpathos
© Yiorgos Kordakis

 The main programme is arranged in a single story around an inner patio.

A series of different voids blur the limits between inside and out, and an open void through the building connects the house with a large outdoor terrace on the lower plateau of the site.

Patio House In Karpathos
© Yiorgos Kordakis
Patio House In Karpathos
© Yiorgos Kordakis

Part of the single-storey-volume is raised to accommodate height differences on the site, creating an independent wing for guests.

The building's structure is cast in-situ reinforced concrete. The cantilevered portion of the building communists of Vierendeel trusses.

Patio House In Karpathos
© Yiorgos Kordakis
Patio House In Karpathos
© Åke Eson Lindman

The exposed concrete exterior is contrasted with a soft and light interior.

The interior makes clear references to traditional Karpathian architecture combined with Scandinavian furniture and a wide palette of materials.

Patio House In Karpathos
© Yiorgos Kordakis
Patio House In Karpathos
© Yiorgos Kordakis

The windows, which are of different sizes and character, are carefully placed to frame unique views of the sea and the surrounding landscape.

Patio House In Karpathos
© Yiorgos Kordakis
Patio House In Karpathos
© Yiorgos Kordakis


Patio House In Karpathos
© Åke Eson Lindman
Patio House In Karpathos
© Yiorgos Kordakis
Patio House In Karpathos
© Yiorgos Kordakis
Patio House In Karpathos
© Yiorgos Kordakis
Patio House In Karpathos
© Yiorgos Kordakis


Patio House In Karpathos
Section


Patio House In Karpathos
Ground Floor Plan
Patio House In Karpathos
First Floor Plan
Patio House In Karpathos
Site Plan
Patio House In Karpathos
Concept Illustration

OOAK Architects, AB
T +46 8 12133258 M +46 70 7354009
OOAK Architects, AB
Döbelnsgatan 69, 113 52 Stockholm, Sweden