The serenity and poetry of Santorini, Greece do not rely solely on its signature Cycladic Architecture. If white cubic forms with blue accents serve as the inhabitants’ response to the environment and climate of this Mediterranean archipelago, then an earthen re-imagination of said forms based on history and landscape is Kapsimalis Architects’ vision for a residential project that overlooks the Mediterranean Sea.

Situated in Pyrgos—a traditional village on Santorini—the summer home protrudes like a growing collective of minerals with organic shapes. Within the interconnecting geometries are shaded interstitial spaces that bring in wind and help create secondary navigational paths for the residents. The complexity in circulation creates individual spaces that cater to private needs such as a common area with shared facilities. The composite of many different elements might pose this project as an over-designed building; however when navigating around the different spaces within, one can see that this project is one that maximises experiential qualities through minimal instances. The railing’s slight bend, the extending metal balcony, the soft hue of the interior’s surface, the circular lighting fixtures, the point where two vaulted roofs meet, etc all have their individualistic personalities that share a notion of simplicity and poise. Arranged cleverly within the flora of Mediterranean Sea, they synergise to become one with the landscape as if the overall structure has been there all along.

Inspired from curated architectural and contextual elements within Santorini, Pyrgos Summer House is a musing creation. Not shying away from formal interpretation, Kapsimalis Architects have delivered a project that is modern yet still down-to-earth, and especially poetic.