LOCAL LOCAL

The Greek island of Tinos is often called ‘the island of Aeolus’, the ancient god of the wind, due to the strong Etesian winds that blow throughout the summer season. Known locally as Meltemia, the Etesian winds are so consistent that the island was once covered with windmills for grinding grain; in fact, before electricity, almost all the grain produced in mainland Greece was brought to Tinos to be ground. The agricultural past is still visible in the endless rows of terraces supported by dry stone walls, locally known as xerolithies; these terraces once contained orchards and grain fields, but natural disasters and neglect due to internal migration have left the landscape of Tinos bare.

Old Cycladic farms often had a shed where farmers could spend the night or shelter their animals in case of extreme weather. One such stone shed is part of the plot of a holiday house designed by Local Local near the village of Kardiani. When the owners required a detached guesthouse to be built as an extension to the main residence, the location of the shed proved ideal for incorporating a fragment of ancient vernacular architecture into the overall design. This guesthouse is currently in the design phase and construction has not yet begun.

Like the main residence above, the guesthouse faces the island of Syros to the southwest. It’s a single-storey building with a central cluster of three bedrooms with sea views, accompanied by a detached volume containing the kitchen and dining room. The corridor between the two is covered by a pergola and can be used as an alfresco dining area or lounge in the warmer months. To the far west of the building is the original location of the old farmer’s shed, which has been converted into the owner’s painting studio. All three parts of the building are connected by a large terrace that seems to float above the vastness of the sea.In harmony with the main residence, the exterior walls of the guesthouse are clad in local stone, giving the impression that they are a continuation of the existing xerolithies in the adjacent fields. The roofs are covered with earth and vegetation, integrating the volumes fully into the hillside. Below the guesthouse, a small whitewashed chapel adds a sense of historical continuity to the whole composition, bringing the inhabitants into contact with the island’s long tradition of religious architecture.