A Bare Concrete House in Greece With A Lap Pool That Extends Towards The Horizon

A lot of contemporary homes are designed to blend in with their natural surroundings and that’s usually quite easy to do when they’re framed by forests or lush vegetation. In the case of this house from Tinos, Greece, things were a little different and more challenging. That was because the terrain is quite rocky and barren.

The house has a fairly dynamic geometry, with several extension coming out on two adjacent sides
The house has a fairly dynamic geometry, with several extension coming out on two adjacent sides

The team at Aristides Dallas Architects were however quite inspired by this topography and they came up with a really interesting design concept. They designed the house as a sort of man-made cave, a structure which sis partially enveloped by the ground and blends in with the ground without being subterranean. 

The living area which is at the center opens onto a covered terrace with a beautiful view of the surroundings
The living area which is at the center opens onto a covered terrace with a beautiful view of the surroundings

What immediately stands out is the clean geometry of the volumes, their linearity and their sort of rugged aesthetic. In order for the house to become camouflaged in the landscape it had to mimic the land around it. As such, the architects relied on bare concrete as a main material. They also kept the palette of colors and finishes simple, taking inspiration from the scenery. A particularly eye-catching feature is the lap pool which extends out of the slope in which the house is camouflaged and reaches towards the horizon. 

Related: An Amazing Split-Level Home With A Shipping Container Pool

The lap pool extends towards the horizon and becomes a sort of attachment for the living area
The lap pool extends towards the horizon and becomes a sort of attachment for the living area
There are covered indoor-outdoor areas on either side of the lap pool and it's also partially covered by the roof
There are covered indoor-outdoor areas on either side of the lap pool and it’s also partially covered by the roof

Internally, the areas are arranged into three main volumes and they are all covered by a single slab of concrete that’s partially covered up by the land. There are several openings into the roof which let natural light and fresh air into the spaces below, making up for the closed design. The common areas are clustered at the center and open onto a covered area which acts as a sort of indoor-outdoor space. The other two volumes are a bedroom suite and a guest area and they’re projecting out to the sides, perpendicular to one another and connected to the central volume. 

The common areas are combined into an open floor plan with full-height windows looking towards the sea
The common areas are combined into an open floor plan with full-height windows looking towards the sea
The entrance is at the back of the house, quite well hidden
The entrance is at the back of the house, quite well hidden
The house is blending in with the terrain which is partially covering it in a natural and organic way
The house is blending in with the terrain which is partially covering it in a natural and organic way
The lap pool is integrated into the floor plan and doubles as a divider between the common and private sections of the house
The lap pool is integrated into the floor plan and doubles as a divider between the common and private sections of the house
A view from above reveals the strategically-placed openings in the roof which bring natural light into all the different volumes
A view from above reveals the strategically-placed openings in the roof which bring natural light into all the different volumes
The bedroom suite makes up one of the side extensions while the other is occupied by a guest room
The bedroom suite makes up one of the side extensions while the other is occupied by a guest room