Kythera - Progki

This was a development situated on the Island of Kythera in the South of Greece. The client requested the design be suitable for use as a ‘main house’ with a series of ‘hotel suites’ that could be built independently as required and with separate entrances as to be rented if required. The proposal we came up with focused on one main house with two bedrooms and two guest suites with siting for and additional three suites in the future. As the island is situated below the mainland, it receives a large amount of wind and drops in temperature during the winter months. Hence the focus on creating spaces that can be enjoyed during the hot summers as well as in the off season with the inclusion of fireplaces to the main house as well as the guest suites.

After an in depth site study, which involved visiting the island. The design was tweaked to better respond to the conditions, with one of the guest houses being lower to closer match the existing levels and allow for a clearer view from the main house. As well as the external facades being adjusted to reflect the mix in the local vernacular architecture.

As this was my first project in Kythera, I spoke with Alec Tzannes who had been successful in gaining the approvals for his own house on the island and was able to provide some much needed insight into the process.

Karina Alzate took the lead with internal spaces, trying to create the feeling of luxury hotel suites, through the introduction of small sitting areas as well as a focus on a small fireplace. As from our site visit we noticed the night time temperatures dropping when the winds blew over the island. She also created the feature render as to help persuade the local planning authorities.