A house in Pelion, an area of incredible beauty, designed by DImItrIs Filippitzis connects with the surrounding nature succesfully. While the main body is made of concrete it fully respects the traditional architecture, so stones and wood cover all the interior and exterior construction and it doesn’t lack simplicity and space organization. An amazing house in a fabulous place!
Architect: DImItrIs Filippitzis
It was Easter holidays last week so I’ve been away for a week. Like almost every year we went to our little mountain village in northern Greece, Grevena Macedonia.
The weather was very cold, misty and rainy every day. But the garden was beautiful nontheless!
I adore the way my ayntie uses rocks for plant pots. How clever is that?
A couple of ceramic bird nests I made few years ago still decorate the entrance.
The houses of the area were traditionaly stone built like the one above. But after the big earthquake in the 90’s when the governement gave house loans to the habitants, most of them chose to build new houses. So today very few of the old ones remain intact and they are usually abandoned.
When I was very little and my family didn’t have a house in the village (our home was burnt during the civil war) we spend some time in this house that belonged to a relative. So I’m sorry to see it ruined like this and I will be even sorrier when it will be demolished one day.
That’s the street in front of my family house. This part of the village is built on rocks and it used to be beautiful because, although the village is 800m above the sea level, hundreds thousands years ago the mountain was covered by the sea, something you can see on the round shapes of the rocks.
But unfortunately the village administration decided few years ago to ruin the rocks in order to have a larger street. One of the most beautiful and unique sights of the village will never be the same!
And here is my family home!
Just above the village square!
Hopefully soon I’ll manage to scan some old pictures from other villages to share!
This gorgeous 530 square meter family home in the French Alps, located in the St. Martin de Belleville is inspired by the mountains and valleys in a modern twist. Designed by Noe Duchaufour Lawrance, the three storey construction and interior architecture are all built around the focal point of the chalet, a large room where the family comes together. The communal spaces are located on the top floor and are isolated from the private quarters. A detached 100 square meter barn area works as a guest house.
When seen from outside, this chalet seems like an ordinary challet, but when you enter you face an amazing contemporary space. Minimalism prevails along with many industrial elements such as steel and cement. Instead of wooden floors the challet has screed cement flooring. The staircase is made of oxidized steel with concrete steps. The fireplace is fabulous, a suspended metal structure with concrete coated exterior.
On the first floor, we see a Jacuzzi room a place for relaxing! Hovering beds, cement sinks and designer furniture coplete a lovely interior. The interior design for the second floor (communal) draws inspiration from the surrounded nature something obvious in elements like the sculptural table, fireplace and in the hearth centerpieces. The main lounge acts as the communal part of this chalet and the entire chalet has been constructed accordingly inspired by this space. The organic table is sculptured with concrete coated metal and is coated with fiberglass and corian.
This out of the ordinary challet possesses many traits and very sophisticated interiors with very attractive and interesting design elements.
photo : Vincent Leroux
spotted on yatzer
K-Studio designed the new Moda Bagno/Interni showroom in Athens, Greece. The large building of 1000 sqm space hosts contemporary classic furniture, bathrooms and kitchens. The facade is clad with these interesting exaggerated perspective frames made of cedar that really draw attention. See more pictures and read the article on Contemporist.
via Contemporist
Costa Navarino Resort in Messinia of Greece seems to be a really magical place for kids.
The Sand Castle is a very special hotel for children designed by Polyanna Paraskeva and it draws inspiration from the vast dunes of the bay of Navarino. It hosts recreational and educational activities and it appeals to children at the ages of 5-7 and 8-12 years, providing a variety of programmes according their age.
The interior spaces are designed according the children’s needs and according to their scale. The various activities take place inside and outside the building since the litimts between interior and exterior seem non existent.
Architecture for children seems to become a very special chapter where imaginativeness and sensibility boost the interactive association of children with architectural habitat.
Their association with National Geographic created a program of recreational activity that teaches the children natural enviroment and Greek mythology.
The Cocoon is a building complex for infants and toddlers. The two buildings expand in a total area of 1000 sq. m.
Cocoon draws ispiration by the womb, the place where life is born. The round soft shapes contain life and protect it. 
Fluid organic forms and underground spaces with green roofs surround a basin, from which organic forms emerge.
Eco-friendly materials were chosen for the construction, as well as the equipment. The earth, the sun, the wind and the water surround and define the building.
It seems like a really fun place for kids!
via polyannaparaskeva.blogspot, dezine, dezine
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