block722 embeds this breezy 'villa apollon' into the island coast of greece

living above the blue waters of greece

honoring the natural surrounding landscapes, block722 nestles its villa apollon along the southern edge of the greek island of lefkada. the underground dwelling effortlessly merges contemporary architecture with nature, making the most of its context, while respecting its green surroundings.

athens-based block722 architects were called to create the private holiday home, joined by a separate structure that houses four guest rooms. the plot is located on a cliffside overlooking the blue waters of the ionian sea. entering the site from the topmost side, visitors are guided down to the main house by way of a wide ramp. from there, a series of paved terraces and a narrow, natural path lead to a small, secluded rocky beach below.

images © yiorgos kordakis | @yiorgoskordakis

villa apollon, a dwelling embedded into the earth

in designing and building its villa apollon, block722 (see more here) notes the challenging topography of its site. in order to navigate the steep slope, remain discreet, and take advantage of the long views, the design team partially submerged the house into the earth. the architecture follows the natural topographic lines, which eventually defined the plan and roofline. this not only ensures the arrangement fits seamlessly and respectfully within the landscape and appears near invisible from the street above, but it also allows the interior to be neatly orientated towards the sea views.

coastal views curated by block722

stepping in through the front door of block722’s villa apollon, large skylines and a clear line of vision across the living room and towards the sea beyond, instantly introduce a sense of spatial drama. further inside, the main house contains a large open plan living space, flanked by a master suite and two further bedrooms. a separate outdoors dining area and a shaded, fully equipped barbeque kitchen are placed next to a swimming pool. all rooms feature iroko wood-framed, floor-to-ceiling glazing towards the water, with the living area including openings on both the rear and front facades.

the natural materials of the mediterranean

natural materials, in both the main home and the guest houses, complement the plastered concrete construction and nod to the wild mediterranean vegetation around the site. as a result, the interiors are modern, but also feel tactile and richly textured. the floors are either natural stone or terrazzo made locally by a specialist craftsman. a contemporary wooden ceiling made of teak slats becomes a central feature in the living spaces. at the same time, bespoke solid timber doors enhance the overall sense that this retreat is anchored in its site, intrinsically connected to its context.

1/13

project info:

project title: villa apollon

architecture, interiors: block722 | @block722architects

location: vasiliki, lefkada, greece

landscape: outside landscape architecture

design team: sotiris tsergas, katja margaritoglou, vasiliki moustafatzi, patricia fakiolaki, sofia stefanopoulou, michalis grylakis, danai lazaridi, sofia badeka

construction: paleros dreamhomes

supervising on site: sotiris katsikiotis, civil engineer

structural analysis: pavlos tetepoulidis, civil engineer (paleros dream homes)

as-built studies and supervision: sotiris katsikiotis, civil engineer, alexandra tzolou, architect eng. (paleros dream homes)

electromechanical, heating-cooling: giorgos katsampiris, electrical engineer (paleros dream homes)

completion: 2021

image editor: maria siorba