Background

The villa is located in the suburban area of ​​Panorama in Thessaloniki, Greece. The original villa construction was completed in 1987 in order to meet the needs and requirements of the client’s parents. Fourteen years after (in 2001), the family decided to remodel and amplify the villa with the addition of two more rooms on the first floor, the parking space, the swimming pool and the pool house. When the current owner inherited the property, in 2022, he decided to go through a total reconstruction and interior remodeling of the complex as well as a new landscape design to accommodate the modern needs of his new family.

The project

The objective of the clients was the complete redesign of the interior of the house as well as the exterior, according to their specific requirements and taste. The modern couple wanted the new house to stand out and at the same time blend in the beautiful natural environment by following and a contemporary and minimalistic design language. At the same time, there was a need for a new landscape design which would also affect the existing swimming pool. Maintaining all the available interior space of the house, the client requested the incorporation of a lift inside the house. Entering from the main entrance on the ground floor, there are the semi-open kitchen, the living room overlooking the view, the dining area, a walk-in closet and the restroom. Access to the first floor is possible through the staircase or the lift which leads to all private areas, i.e., the master bedroom with its bathroom and the dressing room, as well as the children’s room and the home office of the owner; which was originally a third bedroom. The basement, which elevates higher from the exterior ground level by 1,1 meter and therefore receives some natural light, is dedicated to the secondary common areas (playground – gym – restroom – sauna), the maid’s room with its bathroom and the common restroom of the floor. Regarding the exterior design of the main building, all decorative elements of the facades have been removed, leaving the “naked” shell of the house as originally constructed. Having a white canvas but a predetermined volume to play with, the new design consists of a second skin of a wooden grid, wrapping around all three of the facades of the building except the southern one which protrudes from the main volume and faces the swimming pool and the exterior view. The space between the wooden grid, which also serves as railing for the balconies, has been fitted with fiber cement panels while the rest of the walls are painted with a warm red color contrasting the vivid green of nature. The old ceramic roof has been also removed, given its place to a flat roof with adequate space in order to fit solar panels for the increased energy demand for electricity and heating of the villa. The interior design follows a minimal and monochromatic approach with the use of earthy tones, such as wooden oak planks for the flooring as well as light beige ceramic tiles on the kitchen floor. The use of black marble on the fireplace base and partly in the bathrooms adds touches of contrast to the overall calm interior. Built-in furniture create space through volumetric composition in each individual room. Moving on the new landscape design, the swimming pool has taken a new rectangular shape and larger dimensions while the rest of the planting and pathways follow a synthesis of linear and curvy lines which guide the user around the house through its diverse surroundings. In front of the southern façade of the house there is a linear development of connected common areas starting from the porch of the villa and moving on to the relax space with sunbeds right in front of the pool. Τhe height difference between the basketball court and the pool level is bridged with built bleachers which create the perfect spot for socializing and hanging around the court.