The Sporades is a small cluster of islands in the North Aegean that are known for their picturesque coastlines and verdant landscapes. Being close to the mainland, these islands have inherited the architectural tradition of the nearby mountain villages with their hipped roofs covered with tiles. This feature sets the architectural vernacular of the Sporades apart from the better-known typology of the “sugar-cube” Cycladic house.
On the island of Skiathos, Local Local was commissioned to create a new three-bedroom guesthouse for an existing holiday house. Designed in the mid-1970s by Greek architect Michael Photiades, the house retains the local traditional element of the tiled roof and combines it with modern design features.
The new guesthouse has been placed at the back of the existing house in the middle of an orchard and, although it is completely detached, it has been conceived as a visual extension of the main structure. Small courtyards have been introduced to the floor plan, to allow for more natural light and bring nature even closer to the interiors, since the guesthouse doesn’t have direct sea views. While it follows its own design principles, the guesthouse echoes some design elements from the Photiadis house, creating a smooth dialogue with the existing architecture on the plot.
Design team: Sofia Xanthakou, Joana Gomes
Τext: Kiriakos Spirou