Villa Gaia

Adopting the name «Gaia» which merges the meaning of earth and ground, the two-storey residence in the settlement of Glyfada, Phocis identifies its essence with that of the earth and is fully integrated into the natural landscape. The peculiarity of the plot in terms of its strong slope and orientation favoured the creation of a volume that emerges from the ground and comes to fulfill the unity between natural and artificial, nature and form.

The residence is structured on two levels, with the spatial route starting from the highest level and ending at the lowest. The northwestern part of the house, which is into the ground, encloses the functions of the entrance and vertical circulation, while the main living and sleeping areas spread out diametrically, activating the southeastern façade as a surface of visual expansion towards the Gulf of Corinth enabling contact between inside and outside.

The influence of nature on the architectural form of the building as an extension of the landscape is achieved through the use of the natural material of stone, the earthy colors and the plantings that spans over all levels.

An external staircase that follows the southwestern boundary and the slope of the plot allows the exploration of the relationships between the ground and the building while man surrenders to the view when descending it.