Mirage

Located in the northern part of Cyclades, Tinos is the third largest island of the complex. Well known as the ‘Island of Madonna’, Tinos is the greatest center of pilgrimage in Greece. The island is famous for its unspoiled architecture, its picturesque villages and the beautiful scenery. In traditional Cycladic architecture, functionality, protection, simplicity and aesthetics are mixed, forming a particularly interesting and beautiful picture. The scenery is lined by thousands of kilometers of dry stonewalls that make the landscape visually unique. The project concerns a family summer house. The residence is situated on a steep sloped rocky plot facing south, overlooking the Aegean Sea. Our intention was to integrate the volume of the house into the existing topography and blur the boundaries between the built and natural environment. On top of the main living mass overlays a rimless infinity pool merging with the seascape and reflecting the surrounding scenery and atmosphere. Local materials and techniques were used to make the house ‘disappear’ into the existing topography. The house acts almost like an observation point as it clings to the rocks and oversees the dramatic cascading landscape. A landscape left almost intact due to the implemented design strategy and the careful selection of materials. The positioning of the pool on the landscape evokes memories of the optical phenomenon of “mirage”, thus water produces a displaced image of the sky. The presence of the house is revealed only through the sea-like surface of the pool, keeping the rest of the property camouflaged. The pool is framing the endless view of the Aegean Sea in the living room. This project’s essential aim is to illustrate the Cycladic aura. All materials are dynamically matched in strength. This ‘cave’ like house establishes a continuous dialogue with the landscape, providing unconstrained views of the sea.