“Rocksplit” is a holiday home with a natural stone facade, located on the Greek island of Kea. The island belongs to the Cyclades archipelago in the Agean Sea and is only 20 km from the mainland. Typical of the island are its mountainous landscapes and dry yet fertile valleys. By intelligently combining traditional construction techniques and the conscious use of local resources, the designers Faidra Matziaraki & Victor Gonzalez Marti from Cometa Architects built this 115 m² villa on behalf of a family of four. The bright natural stone facade harmonizes perfectly with the hills and the breathtaking nature of Kea.
As the name suggests, the “Rocksplit” house is the result of an extensive architectural and landscape analysis. But with careful planning, the narrow, steep building site was builta breathtaking houseon three levels overlooking the Poisses valley. However, the house is not built directly into the rock. The traditional construction method “Kotounto” was used, meaning a dry, damp space was created between the rock and the building.
The living area with kitchen is on the first floor and the bedrooms are upstairs. A straight staircase with vertical ropes instead of railings connects all three levels. There is a consistent color palette throughout the house: thebright natural stoneharmonizes with the light gray micro-concrete and the white plaster.
Inspired by ecologically sustainable values, the holiday home has underfloor heating powered by the solar heaters installed on the roof. Cooling is done through cross ventilation and there is also additional underfloor cooling. In addition, rainwater is collected and stored in an underground reservoir.
The sun-protected terraces allow a 360-degree view of the surrounding landscape. The wooden furniture that can be seen in the house was specially designed by Cometa Architects. The wooden tables, benches and beds pay homage to the local culture and exude an unmistakable charm. The furnishings are a stunning mix of traditional and modern, while still meeting the needs of modern life.
A project byCometa Architects
