Perched on a hillside, on the southern edge of the Greek island of Lefkada, Villa Apollon looks out towards the sea, calmly nestled among greenery. The project, a modern holiday home, is designed to do exactly what the perfect island retreat should do – provide a haven of relaxation, combining contemporary aesthetics with timeless materials in a sophisticated mix of minimalist architecture and nature. This happens to be the speciality of its author, Athens-based architecture studio Block722.
The structure combines a larger, main volume that houses the main residence, and a secondary structure that contains four guest rooms. The two buildings are connected through a selection of external spaces, as a varied landscape of planted areas, paved terraces and water elements weave together everything in the plot, creating a coherent whole – a retreat that turns its back to city life and opens up towards the Ionian Sea and its green environment.
A studio featured in the 2016 Wallpaper* Architects Directory, Block722 was founded in 2009 by architect Sotiris Tsergas and interior designer Katja Margaritoglou. The two bring together Greek and Scandinavian sensibilities in interpreting contemporary Mediterranean architecture that draws on its context and feels organic, timeless and minimalist. This approach is evident in this project, as Villa Apollon’s low, serene volumes made of natural materials and soft, neutral colour tones become an effortless extension of its green environment.
A ramp guides the visitor down to the home's main entrance. A series of skylights and clear views through the building and across the other side towards the sea instantly offer a sense of place – and drama. A concrete construction is complemented by materials such as iroko and teak wood, stone, and terrazzo, in an interior composition that celebrates the touch. The interior feels gentle and unassuming, with features anchored to the ground and low seating connecting the inhabitant with the land.
From the main house, a series of paved terraces and a winding, natural path lead to a small, secluded rocky beach below – perfect for that all-important plunge.
INFORMATION
-
Jaguar reveals its new graphic identity ahead of a long-awaited total brand rebootJaguar’s new ethos is Exuberant Modernism, encapsulated by a new visual language that draws on fine art, fashion and architecture
-
Olfactory Art Keller: the New York gallery exhibiting the smell of vintage perfume, blossoming lilacs and last night’s shameOlfactory Art Keller is a Manhattan-based gallery space dedicated to exhibiting scent as art. Founder Dr Andreas Keller speaks with Lara Johnson-Wheeler about the project, which doesn’t shy away from the ‘unpleasant’
-
Explore a barn conversion with a difference on the Isle of WightGianni Botsford Architects' barn conversion transforms two old farm buildings into an atmospheric residence and artistic retreat, The Old Byre
-
A breezy Greek island retreat lets the outdoors inOpen to the elements, an island retreat in Corfu by Invisible Studio was designed to suit the local climate, using metal mesh screens rather than windows
-
A Corfu house balances local vernacular and 21st-century minimalismCorfu House, a sensitive and minimalist holiday home, has been recently completed on the Greek island as a collaboration between architects Tony Wynbourne, Georgios Apostolopoulos and engineer Makis Gisdakis
-
Piraeus Tower is a Greek high-rise icon revived through sustainable strategiesThe restoration of the Piraeus Tower is completed in Greece, revealing a revived façade by local architecture studio PILA
-
Remembering Alexandros Tombazis (1939-2024), and the Metabolist architecture of this 1970s eco-pioneerBack in September 2010 (W*138), we explored the legacy and history of Greek architect Alexandros Tombazis, who this month celebrates his 80th birthday.
-
Tour House D in Athens, where interiors are peachy keenDesigned by Cometa Architects, House D in Athens is full of curvy, colourful character
-
Sun-drenched Los Angeles houses: modernism to minimalismFrom modernist residences to riveting renovations and new-build contemporary homes, we tour some of the finest Los Angeles houses under the Californian sun
-
Three Object Apartment embraces raw concrete honesty in the heart of AthensThree Object Apartment by DeMachinas is a raw concrete home in Athens, which confidently celebrates its modernist bones
-
Modernist architecture: inspiration from across the globeModernist architecture has had a tremendous influence on today’s built environment, making these midcentury marvels some of the most closely studied 20th-century buildings; here, we explore the genre by continent
