Surfer’s House

Peyia is a municipality at the outskirts of Akamas - a NATURA world heritage place. The location upholds the characteristic qualities of nature of the peninsula. Situated in a small plot, the surfer’s house encloses outdoor spaces into a functional circuit of semi covered and covered areas, exposing Akamas’ s plants and rocky grounds. A small "basic" house unit for a young surfer calls for the need to live outside - create surf-boards and have a simple nature - based life. Materials must be natural in a constructed clarity that reflects the project's simplicity and true values.

The economic and legislative restraints, addressed the ecological but also the aesthetic visions of the project. The restrictions by client were based on what is "affordable and simple" to be constructed. Additionally the small covered-area percentage of the plot led design to minimum coverage thus preserving the plot’s ground with non paved spaces or concrete surfaces. The idea of creating a "piloti" on ground level duplicates functional spaces and allows an extended living area. The closed spaces deploy above ground level with verandas made by deck so as not to count in coverage. The built imprint is minimised to preserve the local flora, an essential value that has been imminent from the beginning. No unified concrete foundations are constructed. Ecological awareness and narrativity with local domestic tradition is adopted. All restrictions need to regenerate local values with an approach into the meaning of life through nature in an era of crises, economical and ethical downfall.

Bare concrete beams and columns structurally sustain an L shaped closed space with its exterior deck, in a cubical volume that is suspended above ground. Underneath, secondary spaces are minimised while a small centred atrium combines the exterior ground floor with the main spaces on top. The verandas are made of metal structure that embrace the concrete grid. The foundations are beams that join the columns of the grid underneath the soil. They are carefully water insulated with a drainage system between them. Minimum concrete mass suggests a lower cost on construction. Volumes that are on upper level are left in bare concrete with thermal insulation of polystyrene- processed screed between floor finishes and slabs. Local reeds of "lygaria" are put on movable custom made metal frames. They act as a filter for the Mediterranean light and as a means of selective views and privacy. These reeds are a low cost cladding material that can age slowly and beautifully with time.