A jewel of an island between Crete and Greece's mainland is incentivizing young, vibrant folk to relocate with a pretty attractive deal: prospective residents with young children will get a plot of land, a home, and three-months of subsidized living—not to mention the benefits of the idyllic seaside climate.
Alexia, Achilleas, and friend Fotini prepare lunch in the kitchen, outfitted with cabinets by Zeyko.
A UFO bathtub by Benedini Associati for Agape lends an alien touch to one of the master bathrooms.
Guide to Greece: Athens
Athens architecture has been famous for thousands of years, but what about modern design? Dwell uncovers the 21st century design scene. Photo by: Alex Subrizi
Athens, Greece-One of the world’s oldest cities, Athens is home to some of the most revered structures in the history of architecture. In creating the Classical Style, the Greeks established some of the founding principles for today’s buildings, guaranteeing their spot in every architectural textbook. The Acropolis of Athens contains such incredible buildings as the Parthenon, the Temple of Athena, and the Erechtheum. Photo by: Charles P.
In an effort to root the home to its location, the team elected to use dry-stacked slate quarried from a nearby island for much of the main structure. “These walls are common in the Pelion area of Greece,” says Achilleas.
Both master bedrooms are accessible from the large deck and a covered walkway and garden tucked behind them.
Life at the Plane House is all about relaxing and hanging out with friends for co-owner and Athenian Achilleas Mourtzouchos. Here he does a bit of lounge-side grilling on a modular Pure seating system by Viteo. Even the fire table and grill are part of the Austrian outdoor furniture company’s line.
"Our contextual approach to individual projects seeks to produce unique architectural experiences," says architect Konstantinos Karampatakis of K-Studio. In this project, the proportions of the c. 1800 building was the bridge between its old form and new iteration. The architects kept the high ceilings, thick walls, and tall windows of the original, and combined those features with contemporary details and finishes.
The far wall with the bank of windows is curved—part of the building's original design. The sofa is by Muuto, the chair is by Skandiform, and the rug and coffee table were sourced from the local flea market.
A sliding partition separates the living room from the dining room.
K-Studio sought to disguise much of the apartment's lighting and ventilation. Local architectural lighting firm Halo helped devise the plan.
Here's a view from the hallway of the closed partition. The hanging lights are from Vesoi.
Two of Llot Llov's Matt pendants snake around Muuto wall hooks to provide bedside lighting.
The New Acropolis Museum hovers over a working archeological site, a fitting metaphor for Athens, where antiquity still enjoys an outsize presence today.
The bathroom features a cast-concrete floor and shower by Gessi.
Though compact, the kitchen and dining room still manage to fit a full-size table, which is from Habitat. K-Studio designed the pendant lamps made from reclaimed conductors from Hellenic Telecommunications.
Traditional facades and considerable foot traffic are the norm in neighborhoods like Monastiraki.
Stone walls, a pine tree exploding out of a deep overhang, iroko decking, outdoor rooms, a glassy swimming pool, and endless views of the sea make this home a paragon of indoor-outdoor living.
The Mourtzouchoses entertain constantly, which means that food is rarely far from anyone’s mind. Alexia sets a Tio table (with matching chairs) by Massproductions, over which hangs a thatch of dried palm fronds.
Made from white aluminum and oiled teak, the wooden sun loungers are from Viteo’s Pure collection. The long low table is made of Corian by DuPont and comes from the same line of outdoor furniture.
Achilleas and his friend Jovi tend the grill, which was Achilleas’s own design and is supported by a concrete beam—cast with slate stones embedded in it—just above the opening.
Achilleas and his girlfriend Alexia lounge on an Extrasoft sofa by Piero Lissoni for Living Divani.
A sliding wall in the living room pivots 90 degrees to reveal a small space near the door and to close off part of the room.
Completed in 2011, the two-story Plane House—a wordplay riffing on its simplicity and strong, horizontal lines—now caters to what Konstantinos calls two “speeds” of life.
The living room, sports a trio of Shell chairs by Hans J. Wegner for Carl Hansen & Son.
Dimitris Pikionis, Landscaping around the Acropolis, Athens, Greece
The floor plan.
Gunnar Knechtel Photography, Italy, Sicily, Town: Syracuse, Island of Ortigia. The house of Francesco Moncada,. Typical street in the Island of Ortigia. Old ancient greek street layout.photographed on the 27+28,12.2010 for Dwell Magazine
Resting along the crest of a volcanic crater on the little-known island of Nisyros in the Aegean Sea, Villa Nemésis marries the mystique of ancient Greece with modern design.
The sculpture in the entrance is by Greek sculptor Kostas Koulentianos.
Arched entryways bring to mind the cave homes in Oia, Greece.
Inspired by Greek diners, the nook gets the best views of the San Rafael hillside.
A vintage stool, a design that once was a staple of Greek classrooms, is tucked under the office desk on a landing leading to a balcony. The visual theme of the vertical wooden slats repeats itself here, including on a closet door. “They have no handles,” Ritenour says of the closet doors. “The lines are the door handles; you have to know to grab them.”
The home's whitewashed exterior references Greek island architecture.
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