The Linear House

The Linear House
© Creative Photo Room

The Linear House

Christos Pavlou Architecture

LEAD ARCHITECTS
Christos Pavlou

STRUCTURAL ENGINEER
Andreas Charalambous

MANUFACTURERS
Autodesk, Natuzzi, Rabel Aluminium Systems, Euroblind, Piperaris, Rabel Systems Envelope 3D, Ximula Flexible System

LANDSCAPE
Land Art Design Group

AREA
520 m²

YEAR
2018

LOCATION
Limassol, Cyprus

CATEGORY
Houses

Text description provided by architect.

The project was inspired by the idea of Mediterranean scenery admiration towards the olive grove, vineyards, clear blue sky, breezy south to north orientation and seasonally changes throughout the year.

The Linear House
© Creative Photo Room
The Linear House
© Creative Photo Room

The land and its environment together with the uneven topography of the site are taken as the structural principals in developing the concept of the house.

Our proposal enhances the aesthetic character of the countryside and uses our intervention to nature as a backdrop to view the Mediterranean scenery.

The Linear House
© Creative Photo Room
The Linear House
© Creative Photo Room

We designed a simple, strong silhouette to provide the setting to frame and enjoy the surroundings. What particularly drew our attention was the linearity of the plantation surrounding the plot.

It seemed as though nature was calling on us to follow the linearity model of the landscape and be part of its ecosystem.

The Linear House
© Creative Photo Room
The Linear House
© Creative Photo Room

As a result, the architecture follows the lines of the surrounding vineyard landscape. The planning of the house is structured along a longitudinal axis running parallel to plantation but also coinciding with the best sun orientation, winds and views.

A linear typology was chosen for the design, a concept that produces architecture of a series of spaces organized along a pathway.

The Linear House
© Creative Photo Room
The Linear House
© Creative Photo Room

All spaces have a specific relationship with the outside through big openings that highlight the connection that the house establishes with nature. The concept develops in four levels.

Living spaces on the ground, sleeping on the first floor, services and secondary facilities in the basement and a secluded roof terrace deck on the top level extends the living space offering stunning lookout to the long landscape views and sea.

House and individual rooms act as in-between places and work as transitional spaces between inside and outside.

The Linear House
© Creative Photo Room
The Linear House
© Creative Photo Room

Openly connected spaces, a 6 m double-height living room, rooms that flow to each other, glazed floors and bridges all maximize interior space and offering unobstructed views to gardens, pool, olive grove, and different floor levels.

The landscape is appearing in the house in multiple guises with framed views creating a rich interior and improving the comfort and pleasure of the occupants.

The Linear House
© Creative Photo Room
The Linear House
© Creative Photo Room

Large, small or micro openings searching outside capture and filter the Mediterranean light and landscape establishing a powerful relationship between people and nature and nature and building.

A sliding sun-blocking screen system made of expanded aluminum mesh panels covers the whole 27m length of the floor’s façade.

The Linear House
© Creative Photo Room
The Linear House
© Creative Photo Room

It protects the interior from direct south sunlight reducing the amount of heat gains but in the winter panels may be slide back so that winter sun warms up the whole first floor and living room.

Sustainability and energy conservation is further considered by applying the stack and cross ventilation effects.

The Linear House
© Creative Photo Room
The Linear House
© Creative Photo Room

The open stairwell connecting all floors from the cool basement to the warm clerestory of the roof garden creates a solar chimney effect.

Furthermore, the pool-water as evaporates provides natural cooling effect throughout the living space during hot summer days. In addition, 38 photovoltaic panels were installed on the roof for heating /cooling and 8 solar panels to provide hot water.

The Linear House
© Creative Photo Room


The Linear House
© Creative Photo Room
The Linear House
© Creative Photo Room
The Linear House
© Creative Photo Room
The Linear House
© Creative Photo Room
The Linear House
© Creative Photo Room
The Linear House
© Creative Photo Room


The Linear House
© Creative Photo Room
The Linear House
© Creative Photo Room
The Linear House
© Creative Photo Room


The Linear House
Ground Floor Plan
The Linear House
First Floor Plan


The Linear House
Design Process Diagram
The Linear House
Environmental Concept Diagram


The Linear House
Ventilation Diagrams

The Linear House
Exploded Axonometric Diagram