aasa12012: Greece

domenica 21 ottobre 2012

GRACE SANTORINI HOTEL BY DIVERCITY ARCHITECTS

“The Grace Santorini Hotel (completed in 2010 by Divercity and Mplusm), has recently opened the exclusive Grace Santorini Villa.

The hotel's original concept was to follow the broken geometries of the ground's contours, forming a series of ledges into the steep gradient of the Caldera. The understated design allows this extraordinary landscape to take centre stage.

The Villa, a 400 sq m luxury residence, keeps the radical simplicity and the organic forms of the hotel while providing a contemporary interpretation of vernacular architecture. The concept is inspired by the local natural and geological surroundings, specifically the volcano and properties of porosity.

An exclusive spa area is dedicated to the well being of the guests with therapies and treatments based on volcanic ash, vines, and lava stones.

The space is articulated through a sequence of thick walls with concave openings, prismatic patterns on the floor and rock-carved furniture.

The thick porous walls of the master bedroom and the Volcanic Spa are interspersed with apertures that provide glimpses from one room to another as well as the exterior view.

The bespoke black and white resin floor, inspired by the stone-cobbled narrow pathways (calderimia) of Cyclades, lead the guests to the spa, where strong contrasting colours are continued into the hydro massage area.

The Villa, and Volcanic Spa, includes a master bedroom with lounge area, an en-suite bathroom, dressing area, show kitchen, and a guest bedroom with an en-suite bathroom.

All four units lead directly onto the spacious outdoor lounge and dining area and the private swimming pool with its view to Santorini Caldera.” Description of Divercity Architects.

Location: Santorini, Greece

Architect: Divercity Architects. Mplusm

Client: Grace Hotels Group

Project Status: Complete, 2012

Collaborators: Alkestie Skarlatou, Sophia Vantaraki

Photos: Serge Detalle

sabato 20 ottobre 2012

PSYCHIKO HOUSE BY DIVERCITY ARCHITECTS

“This private residence in Psychiko, an affluent suburb of Athens, was designed for maximum freedom of movement and flexibility.

The house is divided into three distinct zones: a stone core inspired by the defensive rock of the Acropolis, an amphitheatrical upper floor, imagined as a pair of binoculars framing the expansive city views, and a transparent living area that occupies the space between them.

Each zone is connected through a notional ribbon running through the site. A series of surprises playing with light and scale, the design exploits the tension between conflicting elements – opaqueness and transparency, intimacy and openness, curves juxtaposed with angular geometry.

In contrast with the fluid interior, the external wall is clad in stone, sheltering the residence from the surrounding buildings. This boundary peels away to create an intimate garden that opens up to the neighbouring house, which belongs to the same family.

The sweeping arc of the external wall is echoed by the swimming pool, a canal that connects the front and back of the house.

With an entrance camouflaged in the stone wall, the marble garage doubles as a gallery for the owners’ collection of vintage cars and modern art.

Glazed partitions, skylights, and slatted blinds allow natural light to penetrate the open-plan living spaces.

A series of cuts and slits in the sculptural façade bring the outside in. Located on the first floor, the bedrooms are suspended in mid-air, with picture windows that frame the spectacular view across Athens.