Stunning residences and villas to make your summer in Greece feel like a vacation in paradise

AENAON VILLAS When tradition coexists in perfect harmony with modern-day luxury

Aenaon Villas is a hotel situated at the highest and narrowest part of Santorini, right on the edge of the island’s world-famous caldera, and offers views of all points on the horizon.

Built right on the ancient path that connects Oia with Imerovigli and Fira, it overlooks the beautiful beaches spanning the east coast of the island. The retreat consists of seven luxurious villas built with respect for the traditional Cycladic architecture, in harmony with the natural setting. Blending brilliant whitewashed surfaces with the island’s age-old volcanic stone, it’s a traditional complex of luxurious villas whose stonework evokes a feeling of rough grandeur.

The villa interiors are spacious, tastefully decorated yet simple and elegant, equipped with modern amenities that offer a sense of autonomy, comfort and luxury. Private verandas provide access to an infinity pool built on the caldera’s edge, featuring unobstructed views of the Aegean Sea, the volcano with its magnificent caldera and the spectacular sunset.

Aenaon Villas is a truly authentic place that offers tranquil privacy and guarantees a relaxing and rejuvenating stay, proving that respect for tradition can coexist in perfect harmony with the luxuries of modern-day needs. Aenaon Villas has won the 2016 TripAdvisor Travellers’ Choice Awards, came fourth of the top 25 BnBs in the world and first of the top 25 BnBs in Greece.

For more information, visit www.aenaonvillas.gr

Residence in Crete.

SUNNY SIDE VILLA IN PAROS BY STUDIO265
The Sunny Side Villa unfolds at a level parallel to the Golden Beach in Paros Island and is designed so that all main spaces have unobstructed views to the sea and the in-between landscape, with regard to the protection of external areas from northern winds. The main residence consists of four master bedrooms, a kitchen and an open-plan dining and sitting area. On either side of the main building volume, two independent volumes house the guest room and auxiliary spaces to the surrounding area.

The focal point of the residence’s external area is the swimming pool, situated in front of the sitting area, and the thoroughly covered relaxation spaces with an open-air pool bar. Diametrically opposite, an outdoor dining area is situated in front of the kitchen. Thus, the visual contact between the residence and the sea remains intact.

Sunny Side Villa.

Large tamarisks, reeds and agave at the border of the site to the beach create a sensation of an overlarge courtyard space which is not only defined by paved surfaces but also completed and continued by low vegetation throughout the surrounding area. Floors are layered in cement screed the color of the sand, and a wooden deck in natural hues is laid around the pool. Pergolas covered by irregular timber and reed leaf are constructed for shading, while stone walls with small openings offer protection from the island winds.

Light permeates the interior spaces through successive openings of different orientation; reflected on white surfaces, it highlights the clean design lines. Furniture, fabrics and decorative elements are all made of natural materials and attribute a sense of comfort and relaxation, ideal for a country home. The residence, according to the energy performance of buildings regulation, is ranked high energy class ‘A’, as thick, high-quality insulation is applied throughout its shell while the selected casings and glazing have low thermal transmittance (U frame and U glass values).

Additionally, solar collectors provide hot water and heat the swimming pool water, while heating and cooling systems are energy efficient. Finally, rainwater is collected from the roof for irrigation and grey water is reused, after a treatment process, for the same purpose.

RESIDENCE IN CRETE BY 3+ ARCHITECTURE
The Residence in Crete by 3+ architecture is situated below the mountain ridge borders and is defined by geometric clarity, the use of natural light and a dialogue between the interior and its external surroundings.

As the site has limited views to the sea in the northwest, and with neighbouring buildings blocking the south and part of the north, the initial intention was to create a building volume facing towards the sole visual connection to the sea. The external sides of the L-shaped residence are austere and closed in order to protect privacy within, while the internal corner contains the everyday living.

The volumetric voids, combined with the extensive use of transparent elements, attempt to alleviate the distinction between exterior and interior in order for the landscape to become part of the living area. Shading surfaces are used as filters that control sun flow in the living zone, creating a constant alteration between light and shadow on the elevations and indoors. The water element in the internal court, created by the building shape, is inserted between the ground and views, seemingly uniting with the sea.

The building comprises two volumes which synthesise an L-shape typology. The former and longest is placed almost parallel to the north-south axis and contains living areas, in contact with the court and the swimming pool which follows the same axis, while the bedrooms face towards the south and the auxiliary spaces to the north. Large openings allow natural light to penetrate the interior, adding thermal efficiency during the winter period; canopies and porticos offer protection from western light during the summer. On the north side, a small coppice will formulate in time, in order to impede cold air and help with the cooling of the residence during summertime.

At the joint of the two volumes, an open atrium is created as a point of reference, ensuring better lighting and ventilation of the adjoining living areas, as well as the sense that nature intervenes in the interior, since from every corner the occupier may focus on the views. The design aimed for a spatial organisation of the building through close contact with nature, as well as the use of the local climate. The implementation of bioclimatic elements such as the atrium, shading, thermal insulation, geothermal energy and other building elements, as well as the orientation, add to the reduction of the residence’s energy load. The synthesis is characterised by austere lines and geometric clarity. The domination of white and its combination with contemporary materials highlights the form and the simplicity of the design.

TINOS HOUSE I BY IOANNIS EXARCHOU
The restoration of this house in Tinos retained and highlighted its basic characteristics, transforming it into a modern, functional residence adaptable to the future needs of its habitants.

One of the main concerns throughout the design and construction was to retain the nature of the materials, the construction entity and the intriguing spatial arrangement, within the cost and time requirements of the project. In the spirit of determinist economy, user functions were planned on the basis of a unified space (the ‘wet site’) joining in this way the new shell to the old. The irregular and unusual surfaces and proportions were also maintained.

Tinos House.

Care was taken over the re-design and construction of the door and window frames and the wooden constructions, preserving their proportions and technical entity. Forged latches, bolts, and mechanisms were reproduced, while any new elements were designed following the same spirit, along with the house’s furniture, electrical installations, and certain lighting units.