A Greek odyssey abode
Homeowner’s love of yachts inspires architect to design home with water in mind
What do you do if you love the water, but need to put down roots on solid ground? You design a home that makes you feel like there’s some wind in your sails and surround that design with lots of water.
That’s what architect Pavlos Chatziangelidis had been called on to create for the homeowner, who loves yachts. The resulting slanted structure, H3 house, resembles a yacht with billowing sails, while the pools around the home create a cooling sensation and the feeling a rippling ocean is not far away.
The home, nominated for both EU and international design awards, sits on a 75,347-square-foot plot of land in Pikermi, Greece, a suburb east of Athens. The total area of the house is 10,763 square feet. Its three levels provide maximum livability in terms of recreation, entertainment and just plain enjoyment.
The ground floor consists of a kitchen, dining room and living spaces that flow into the external areas when large glazed doors are open.
The first floor contains a master bedroom and the children’s bedrooms. Each features a walk-in closet and private bathroom.
The basement level houses two guest suites and areas for recreation that include a squash court, an indoor gym, a sauna and Jacuzzi, as well as a parking space.
Geometric shapes surround the large staircase that connects the levels, and a long corridor with slanted walls leads to the bedrooms.
Outside, the rooftop features a garden and a passive solar water heating system that warms the pools’ water, which comes from a well. The three pools, in various sizes, form a large portion of the outdoor design of the house. There’s also a drainage system that collects rainwater in a tank to irrigate the surrounding land.
The home’s heating and cooling systems use geothermal energy, and the sustainable design allows the sun to warm the house during the winter and protect it from the sun’s heat in the summer.
The interior of the house has been built with eco-friendly materials and a minimalist design with clean lines. The main building materials consist of epoxy floors, walls coated with crystal lacquer and ceilings that have been covered with an elastic membrane called barrisol.
Sculptures by the sculptor John Aspras decorate the walls.
The home, completed in 2013, took two months to build at a cost of € 3 million ($4.3 million Canadian).
Chatziangelidis, of 314 Architecture Studio in Athens, answered questions about the house:
The owner’s love of yachts inspired your design. Is it tilted to resemble wind-filled sails?
Since the first meeting, the client emphasized his passion for the element of water. Therefore, it became a vital aspect of the design. The tilted wall is a design feature that can be interpreted in many different ways. Its purpose is to add a more dynamic element to the whole design of the house. Explain the dimensions of the pools, and the layout.
The house has three pools. Two of them are children’s swimming pools — the one on the right side measures 645 square feet, the one on the left is 1,291 square feet.
The third swimming pool is the biggest and has an area of 1,937.5 square feet.
How did you build the staircase? What’s it made from?
The staircase is constructed out of concrete and covered with white marble. A lacquered wood bookcase has been added on the left side, which also provides desired shading.
What challenges did you face in designing and building the house?
The most crucial part of the project has been the very unique structural design required.
Constructing the load-bearing structure has been the most challenging part of the whole project. The extension of the cantilever had been quite long.
As well, the inclination of the slanted wall had been very sharp. Such a demanding “frame” had to be studied, designed and constructed in cooperation with very specialized and experienced personnel.
What do the owners think of their home? What is their favourite part?
The living room seems to be the space the residents like the most. It’s the most reconfigurable space of the house. The surrounding glazed doors slide apart and merge the living room with the external space and the swimming pools.
Therefore, it’s transformed into a large living space mainly used for relaxing and socializing.