This is a four-story residence that makes spending time outdoors customary, by incorporating agreeable open-air living spaces that take advantage of the warm summers and mild winters of the Mediterranean climate. Located in an area defined by the juxtaposition of residences in a discontinuous and haphazard fashion, turning inwards to protect the building and its users from adjacent nuisances was one of the architects’ main design concerns. In order to do so, a rectangular shell made of exposed concrete was built around the perimeter of the site, surrounding the L-shaped building and part of the remaining outdoor space and forming an internal courtyard. The shell is cut out where vegetation in neighboring plots is sufficiently grown to form legible screening. This leads to a clearly defined, wind and sun-protected open-air space, which can be used for daily activities and gatherings, offering privacy and a controlled visual relationship with the surrounding neighborhood.

Images © Nikos Daniilidis