Summer House in Euboea | GEM ARCHITECTS - Gounaropoulou, Emmanouilidou, Bazos

The site is located in the area of Chronia, on the island of Euboea, central Greece.

It is an inclined site with olive trees, beside a pine forest, with a great north view of the Euboic gulf.

It is a complex resembling a "village", that consists of four separate buildings, the main house being a two storey volume while all the rest remain single storey high. They are all situated in the north upper side of the lot, following the landscape’s morphology . The volumes meander among the trees, creating small sheltered courtyards that enjoy privacy and beautiful sea views.

Morphologically, traditional elements are transformed using a more contemporary language, while following the main principles of vernacular architecture.

The main house is exteriorly lined with stone, referring to similar traditional buildings, as for example, the medieval Tower in Rovies. The other three peripheral volumes are finished with crude white plaster.

Furthermore, everything works to create a bio-climatically friendly design. The walls that are 60 cm thick with an inclined exterior surface provide a natural coolness at the interior.  

The small courtyards are shaded by wooden pergolas and work as buffering zones from the sun and rain. The system of limited openings, while enhancing the volumes tectonic nature, allows for natural cross ventilation throughout.

Finally, rain water is collected in underground reservoir tanks.