Santorini holiday house

Greek architecture firm Kapsimalis Architects has designed these two contemporary holiday houses in the traditional village of Firostefani on the island of Santorini .Two old pre-existing cave houses, set next to each other dug into the volcanic soil. The intention of the project was to create two totally different cave houses, that are almost opposing to each other. The longer cave house on the left side has been designed as a primitive, minimal and sculptural space. Sharp lines and volumes are contrasting with the smooth curves of the cave house, creating an odd sense of the space. The use of similar color palette and materiality onto the floor and the walls forms a continuity of the interior space bringing out the curves and the random forms of the cave. The earth colors that are chosen, become darker and darker from space to space until the last room, that ends with a dark grey color. The house also features a view to the volcano and to the bright scape of caldera, creating an antithesis between the darker interior space and the intense feeling of light of the yard.

The second house has a different approach. The main idea of the design was to convert the old cave into a futuristic, innovative space, attempting to push the limits of the space to a breaking point. The marks of the cave are obvious, as the soil of the earth, as appeared through the excavation, is maintained. A construction of shady mirror, covers two of the sides of the main space, offering a different perspective to the space. Light and color effects inside the mirror create optical illusions, and luminous circular and rectangular holes that don’t exist in reality. A hidden video screen inside the mirror produces sounds and motion.

The design of the holiday houses is totally integrated in the volcanic landscape and the cubistic architecture of Santorini in a more contemporary twist.