IN LIGHT HOUSE | whitebox architects

The 400m2 residence in the north suburbs of Athens is surrounded by an acre of open space. The building was placed at the northern facing end of the plot for reasons of privacy and for creating a southern - oriented backyard. On the east, the parcel is flanked by a neglected apartment building, while on the west it lies adjacent to an architecturally interesting house from the last century, in a lush garden with tall trees. The layout is L-shaped, protecting the backyard from being seen from the apartment building while establishing visual connections to the neighboring garden. The swimming pool emulates the configuration of the house at an offset and remains unshaded, wich is required because of the local climate conditions. At the center of the garden, an almond tree was planted to mark the change of seasons. Initially, the site was occupied by an old stone mansion, after its demolition, the stones were reused in a new wall wrapping around the outer side of the new house. Thisstone wall creates openings, passageways, nooks and crannies, and encloses the living room, the dining and kitchen areas as well as the playroom. Because of the requirement for immediate visual and functional links between the ground level and its surroundings, large sliding doors and windows were introduced, like the open-angle frame at the living room. The same space accommodates the library with a transparent back looking upon a secret garden, the glass-enclosed double-facing fireplace, as well as the kitchen the latter has all accessible parts af the garden within easy reach and it is surrounded by deep sheltered areas for convenient outdoor living. Th central area is occupied by an atrium, optimizing bioclimatic performance and providing views towards the sky and the interior garden lining the upper level gallery. The double-height playroom includes a climbing wall and a slide to the ground floor. The upper level accommodates the sleeping quarters and an attic, all endowed with large planted balconies that emulate the feel of the garden. Children rooms are double height, where mezzanines are provided with a safety net for security and play.