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design
mag
The Kostala house in Ekali, named after Tania Kostala, the
co-owner and driving force behind its realisation, is a case
in point.A continuous, operable glass envelope surrounds
the south and east sides of the ground floor, overlooking a
pool to the south and allowing light to penetrate deep into
the open plan living area, while simultaneously allowing
uninterrupted views into the garden and the towering pine
trees dotting the boundary.
The double-height void above the living area acts as a
thermal chimney.The kitchen, dining room and formal
entrance are also on this level.The upper floor has four
bedrooms – three with ensuite facilities – and a study.
The overall effect of the interior is one of warmth, light and
transparency and a richness of detail without ostentation.
The use of ceramic tiles as both roofing and wall cladding
is consistent with Athanasopoulos’s vision of combining
traditional materials and construction techniques with
contemporary design.“We are modern architects and we
are trying to do modern designs,” he says simply.“But we
are very open to using all sorts of traditional techniques
and materials but in a way that brings something fresh
and modern to the outcome.”
To say that roof tiles are a traditional Greek building
material is somewhat of an understatement.
Archaeological excavations in Greece have found fired
terracotta roof tiles dating back to the third millennium BC.
The spread of roof tiles throughout Greece and across the
Mediterranean region was simultaneous with the rise of
monumental architecture beginning in about 600 BC that
came to define ancient Greece and ultimately global
architecture for millennia to come.