This Undulating Island Home Is A Minimalists Nirvana

On the Greek island of Paros, where Swiss-born Colombian architect Christina Sellerne built a vacation home for herself and her family, strong winds blow like blue skies and clear seas. "This house was born out of very pragmatic and romantic ideas," says Selern, who had no intention of building on the site when he inherited it from his late wife's brother. Then local decrees changed, forcing the hand: build now or lose the right to build forever.

Living room and dining room outside the house. custom table by Michalis Akoglanis; The Rodolfo Dordogne chairs are from Cassina.

The resulting house is a work of Zeiler's thoughtful vision, despite being randomly generated. London and New York-based Seilern Architects (SSA) has for the past 16 years developed an extensive research practice for projects such as concert halls, private libraries and restaurants. He cites the first cooperative project in Zimbabwe as a turning point in his career: “At that time, building materials were hard to come by. If we needed gutters, for example, we had to cut them out of the stone that was there. Sometimes you have to work hard.” Totally different than what I'm used to.”

Since then, SSA has challenged the tradition of imposing Western architecture by producing works that draw on the materials and local heritage of each project site. "We don't fit into one classification," Sellern says. "It's about finding the right clients, not the right buildings." As a client himself, Selern was inspired by the dialogue between nature and history.

The living room features a bench with upholstery and cushions by Dimitrias Kalifianakis. The coffee table is by Delta Marble Company and the rug is by Raj Company.

Located on a secluded peninsula overlooking the Aegean Sea, the three flat-roofed structures that make up the house are linked by exterior corridors arranged on an east-west axis to withstand the fierce winds at the same time. (A consultant envelops a été engineer pour aid à trouver des solutions structurelles afin d'atténuer devantage son impact.) Conformément à l'architecture cycladique, les bâtiments suivent des examples médiévaux dans les environs, mis à jour avec la tendance moderne vers le sustainable development. Sharp edges replace rounded ones, and subtlety is more appreciated than patina. Marble dust from the island's old quarries was mixed with the plaster to finish the exterior walls of each building, which are made of aerated concrete blocks using a third of the material's weight needed for the concrete surfaces. The open spaces are designed in the form of stacked slabs that conform to the natural topography and are implemented in different shapes of terraces so that guests can stroll around barefoot. "A stone can get hot," Sellern says. "But the balcony is like soft butter underfoot."

The focal point is the pool, which spans more than 2,000 square feet and overlooks an olive grove. It features curved glulam covering and a bamboo pergola that surrounds the living room, bar, and dining area, as well as built-in pool chairs.

Inside, Celern ditched the formal dining room in favor of a modest kitchen with dining area. He deliberately kept the open plan living space small to maximize space for outdoor entertaining. "The whole house is about sunset," Selleren says. "This is what customers see as soon as they walk in."

In one of the five bedrooms, a built-in headboard doubles as a desk. Armchair Carl Hansen.

Instead of whitewashed adobe, he chose the beds, benches, tables, and bedding made of light gray microcement, a gorgeous finish that requires no joints and doesn't chip. The custom bedding and pillows are finished in a muted, muted color palette. Further inspiration was drawn from the island's traditional architecture, which depicts oliveri's hammered marble windows and doors, similar to the ornate stone lintels of caste churches and affluent country houses. "It's an element of historical context that we've reinterpreted and recast to create something familiar to the island yet new to the experience," Selleren says.

This, of course, is home success: a combination of the inside and the outside. satisfy the needs of the family and the whims of Mother Nature; And merging the ancient past with our present moment.