A retro video game is the unlikely inspiration for this island house in Greece

Much like the shapes in the beloved retro arcade game Tetris, from which it takes its name, this island house slots into its environment with satisfying precision. Located in the heart of the Aegean Sea, on the island of Antiparos, Greece, the residence peeks out of the horizon, all L-shapes and rectangular volumes. The home was designed by ARP (Architecture Research Practice), a studio with experience in building in Greece's archipelago and whose Avlakia House was featured in the Wallpaper* Architects’ Directory in 2022.

This island house slots neatly onto its site

ARP’s founder Argyro Pouliovali was inspired by the basic geometries of Tetris blocks as a means of shaping space through interlocking forms. ‘The starting point for this project was the existing unfinished structure – one of many that dot the Greek landscape – and a broader architectural philosophy rooted in the spirit of a place,’ the architect says.

'We approached the design as a process of careful subtraction and precise addition. By integrating simple geometric volumes that interlock like pieces in a three-dimensional puzzle, we transformed the inherited structure while maintaining a dialogue with its surroundings’.

The architectural context of Antiparos, which is set in the Cyclades, offers a mix of the picturesque, white-washed walls and domed roofs that have long been associated with these islands. Tetris house echoes this Cycladic vernacular, which is often expressed in cubic compositions and minimalist façades. However, it brings a contemporary touch through its crisp edges, compared to the more traditional, softer, rounded corners of local buildings.

When entering the home there is an air of spatial generosity. The architecture unfolds as visitors journey through house, the spaces designed to be dynamic, interacting with light and shadow.

Pouliovali hopes visitors feel the quiet presence of the site itself as they enter, she explains: ‘The house “contains” its surroundings, carefully balancing introversion and openness, while the materials used throughout subtly reflect local construction traditions. We aspire to create architecture that inevitably emerges from its place, much like all enduring architecture should.’

A pool frames the inner courtyard on the ground level. Inside the house, the layout steps away from a conventional arrangement, and offers a more communal way of living, with the body of water being the main focal point and rooms spread around it.

On the upper floor, there is a living room and principal suite with a large window open to views of the port. For Pouliovali, the real challenge was achieving a balance – 'between past and present, between privacy and openness, and between structure and landscape', she says.

The project is a great example of uniting local resources and skill, with contemporary design. Pouliovali explains: ‘The project employs a mix of local craftsmanship and available technology – from traditional, groutless stone walls marking the plot’s edges to concrete elements cast in wooden planks.'

'It was about working with what was at hand, in the way that vernacular architecture has always done, but without falling into a folkloric aesthetic.’

arp.com.gr