Messinian Mani is the place that combines the complexity and diversity of the natural environment with the simplicity and monolith of the built environment. This balance between the traditional buildings and the nature of Mani is one of the key elements of our study for the residential complex in Riglia. In addition to our own philosophy, the vision of the owners was also a catalyst.
A young couple with roots from the region, living and working in Switzerland in the tourism sector, with a clear vision and a plan for what they want to achieve with this investment. This project aspires to be a model of hospitality in the wider region, emphasizing not so much on ultra-impressive facilities as one might expect, but on a special way of accommodation that gives the visitor a sense of place, light and nature. The project is located on the edge of the settlement of Ano Riglion in Western Mani on a sloping hillside overlooking the Messinian gulf and consists of 5 self-contained small houses and a communal swimming pool with a restaurant that focuses on the outdoor environment.
A key feature of the study is the treatment of the complex as a micrograph of a settlement, using only the micro-scale of the Maniot villages to achieve this goal, without making any attempt to imitate the residential form. The 5 residences were placed in line and at a distance from each other, at the highest point of the plot, looking for the best view towards the sea. The entrance to the complex is from the western end of the plot, with an internal road leading to the upper side of the plot. From there, paved paths spaced between the houses start, which on the one hand led to the entrances of the houses and on the other hand, through stepped courtyards, the visitor ends up at the common level of the pool and the restaurant.
These routes between the houses and to and from the swimming pool refer to the uphill stepped alleys that one finds in the villages of the area. The 5 residences are made of load-bearing visible stonework, while they were given a monolithic oncoplastic form, expecting a gentle harmonization with the environment.
The residences have as their main feature the single two-story space in which the living room and a small bar corner are located, while on an elevated level in the form of an open balcony is the sleeping area. The bathroom is located below this area and slightly downgraded from the living room. Each house is strictly rectangular with the load-bearing stonework forming the two parallel walls on the long side and then unfolding to create a pitched roof also topped with the same natural stones in the form of slabs.
The other two sides of the rectangle are formed entirely by glass curtains, making the most of the view to both the sea and the mountain. From the interior, the visitor enjoys the feeling that the two-story height gives of free space, while the two large glass openings bring light into the interior of the house. Movable shading louvres help in the personalized management of insolation. In visual and functional continuity of the living room, a large courtyard covered with a linear metal pergola in the form of C offering shade but also privacy towards the neighboring houses. The visitor during his stay enjoys the privacy and autonomy of the residence, but at the same time has the possibility to use the common area of the pool and the restaurant.
This outdoor space is located in the lowest part of the plot, functionally and visually separated from the higher up residences. In the common area of the pool, another stone building (the ekto, ἓξ = 6 in ancient times) which morphologically follows the typology of the houses houses the preparation room-kitchen. The pool is of such a size that all tenants can be served comfortably, while its shallower parts offer water surfaces for relaxation. The complex as a whole creates a unity perfectly adapted to the environment, with the micro-scale of the houses and configurations playing a decisive role in the overall picture.
3H Architects | Hatzimichalis Nikitas - Holeva Ioanna