Stone Residence in Apokoronas, Chania

Situated on the outskirts of the historic Vamos Village, with commanding views overlooking the impressive White Mountains, our task was to conceptualize a residence designed for both tourism and special needs occupants.

The plot, boasting stunning 180-degree vistas and backed by the quaint rural village, presented a unique challenge. Placing the structure based on conventional height lines would have compromised views, accessibility, and privacy, as it would have faced adjacent houses instead of the scenic landscape.

To overcome this, we ingeniously reimagined the house’s monolithic form, incorporating a design that pays homage to traditional aesthetics with a contemporary twist.

This not only maximized the focus on the breathtaking views but also facilitated easier access to the land, garage, entrance, and the creation of private outdoor and pool spaces, incorporating environmentally friendly passive energy strategies.

The ground floor caters to daily living spaces and features a spacious en-suite bedroom designed to meet the needs of special occupants. The staircase, a central architectural element shaping the building, accentuates the inclined kitchen area and leads to a double-height space, culminating in three additional en-suite bedrooms.

Carefully curated interior materials enhance the holiday house’s traditional yet ephemeral essence, fostering a sense of openness and connection to the exterior spaces.

The seamless blending of boundaries is achieved through thoughtful selection, creating an atmosphere that complements the traditional character of the village.

Embracing the locale’s rural charm, we opted for locally sourced stone as the primary construction material, grounding the project in a sense of place, while maintaining a contemporary silhouette.