PENINSULA 2019 - 2025

The four north-facing plots of land occupy the main part of a barren peninsula just east of the town of Naousa, Paros, with its furthest tip known as the ‘rocks for thought’. Morphologically the peninsula constitutes a rocky ‘tongue’ gently rising to approximately 11m above sea level, offering spectacular panoramic views towards Naousa, the northern coastline of Paros and fragments of the Cycladic archipelago beyond.

The six austere building enclosures with their archaic quality are set at oblique angels to each other circumscribing a protected, newly landscaped void space in its centre. Each enclosure orientates itself towards a different vanishing point and is set on a different level allowing the two most southern units to overlook their neighbours without obstruction, inhabiting the Aegean horizon reaching out towards the islands of Delos, Mykonos and Tinos.

Each villa is organised around enclosed courtyards, loggias and niches. These protected patches of nature are inhabited by various trees and plants, such as citrus trees, etc. enhancing the stark contrast with the surrounding arid landscape and creating comfortable spaces of outdoor inhabitation. The material pallet can be found on the site and island: 50cm thick local stone for the solid and perforated perimeter walls, acting as much as a windbreaker as well as a spatial delineator to provide privacy. This outer hard shell in its colour and rawness belongs to the surrounding landscape and is set in strong contrast to the white pallet of the enclosure’s delicate interior. There, the combination of white terrazzo with the white washed inner perimeter stone wall is off set with the smooth rendered wall surfaces, the large frameless glazing and the perforated pergola, casting dynamic and ephemeral patterns of shadow and light. These refined surface textures enhance the continuity between the inside and outside, merging the spatial elements to a single Mediterranean living experience.

The villas are conceived as family retreats and their design is built upon the dynamic contrast between seclusive private zones for retrieve and contemplation versus common generous indoor and outdoor living zones for social interaction and entertainment. The bedrooms and a meditation room are open onto private courtyards, loggias and terraces providing varied experiences of privacy, views, light and nature. Circumscribed by a perimeter protective stone wall the flowy, generous outdoor living areas are defined as shaded in-between zones with niches open for multiple appropriations. These zones are designed for outdoor cooking, dining, sitting, lounging and sunbathing, watching a movie, areas where parties and simultaneous gatherings can take place. Beyond each perimeter enclosure, nested within the landscape, a generous hard-surfaced sun deck provides ample space for sunbathing with a built shower and pool.