Magma White Santorini | KKMK Architects

Magma White is the architectural reworking of a pre-existing residence on the quiet side of Santorini. Originally built during the early 2000s construction boom, the structure reflected the era’s reliance on mimicry rather than design, with a fragmented layout and no clear spatial hierarchy. Instead of erasing these conditions, KKMK Architects, Marina Karamali and Kate Karagianni, chose to engage them directly. The project began with the existing skeleton and unfolded as an act of transformation through geometry, material, and spatial rhythm.

A new geometric system was introduced, overlaid onto the irregular footprint to bring order and direction. The architects wrapped the building in layers of local stone, which both clarified the spatial organization and masked structural inconsistencies. This wrapping redefined circulation, enclosed programmatic zones, and opened carefully framed views, without denying the structure’s origins. Geometry here is not aesthetic, it is operative.

At the center of the composition sits a linear pool. Positioned with a deliberate offset, it aligns the interior axes with the horizon and reconciles prior asymmetries in plan. It also functions as a spatial bridge, connecting the domestic interior with the volcanic landscape beyond. Around it, a subtle outdoor topography unfolds: open-air cinema, shaded seating, and a barbecue zone are seamlessly integrated across stepped levels.

The architecture is structured around movement. Transitions are essential, not decorative, but embedded into the experience of the house. The sequence begins at the street and unfolds through a measured procession: entrance, interior, courtyard, and finally, into the semi-subterranean guesthouses carved into the slope. A continuous corridor serves as the spatial spine, linking programs while maintaining visual and functional cohesion.

Material articulation is exact. Local volcanic stone gives the project gravity and permanence, while white volumes and natural textures strike a balance between density and light. Perforated metal elements, such as the staircase, introduce porosity, allowing light and shadow to animate the interior and create subtle visual connections between levels.

Inside, spatial openness is maintained through varied sightlines and discreet zoning. Functional areas are loosely defined rather than closed off. Bespoke joinery, built-in shelving, Volakas marble elements, and hand-crafted beds form a coherent interior language, contemporary, site-specific, and quietly tactile.

The architecture extends into the landscape sectionally. What was once a generic flat rooftop becomes a structured outdoor terrain. The guesthouses, conceived as modern hypóskapha, are embedded into the volcanic slope, referencing Cycladic tradition without relying on nostalgia. The result is a residence that is not decorative, but deliberate, layered, integrated, and in conversation with both site and structure.