set in a desolate village in mani, greece, detale architecture and engineering has transformed an uninhabited farmhouse with a preserved olive mill, into a holiday home. the old structure was built in 1850 and is comprised of three separate, adjacent volumes that sit on different levels of the site. the ‘rusted mill house’ is a project born from the owners’ and design team’s great interest in the local traditional architecture. 

1850s greek olive mill rebirthed with cor ten steel creating the rusted mill house modern holiday villa 1

all images by yiorgis yerolympos

 

 

the old building originally served as an animal shelter; a storage area was placed on the ground floor while the main dwelling settled on the upper level, with no internal connection between them. the surprising and unique feature of the structure is a traditional olive mill, situated in the heart of the house, with much of its original equipment almost entirely intact. during the restoration, detale decided the equipment would remain in the house and was refurbished and protected through the advisory of the benaki museum’s conservation department. this space would become a center of connection between different levels and spaces of the house.

1850s greek olive mill rebirthed with cor ten steel creating the rusted mill house modern holiday villa 6

 

 

the project aims to maintain a balance between the vernacular of the past and its correspondence with the present. generating a harmonious and fluid merging of old and contemporary elements, the house itself becomes a journey of exploration. the main entrance is now defined on the upper floor through an external staircase leading to the terrace that looks out onto the mountain ridge and the coastline. the main living space settles traditionally on the upper floor and is now connected to the ground floor through an added staircase.

1850s greek olive mill rebirthed with cor ten steel creating the rusted mill house modern holiday villa 7

 

 

all stone works were restored as they originally existed, removing old concrete repairs and rebuilding what was ruined with traditional materials and techniques. the internal walls were refinished with natural mortar and the roof was reconstructed using chestnut timber. extensions of simple and restricted volumes lined with COR-TEN steel, a contemporary material that continues to age through time, were added to serve as links between the historic elements and the new, contemporary functional adjustments.

1850s greek olive mill rebirthed with cor ten steel creating the rusted mill house modern holiday villa 8

 

 

the use of steel and glass surfaces distinguish the new volume from the original building, emphasizing the different construction periods, but also the continuity and development of the house through time. a contemporary way of living is depicted in the implementation of the underfloor heating along with a central air cooling-heating system and smart KNX systems for all house operations. outside, one can find large rock formations that were revealed during the excavation process. flowers and herbs are tucked into the stone cracks, generating an interesting exterior aesthetic. 

1850s greek olive mill rebirthed with cor ten steel creating the rusted mill house modern holiday villa 4

1850s greek olive mill rebirthed with cor ten steel creating the rusted mill house modern holiday villa 2

1850s greek olive mill rebirthed with cor ten steel creating the rusted mill house modern holiday villa 3

1850s greek olive mill rebirthed with cor ten steel creating the rusted mill house modern holiday villa 5

1850s greek olive mill rebirthed with cor ten steel creating the rusted mill house modern holiday villa 9

1850s greek olive mill rebirthed with cor ten steel creating the rusted mill house modern holiday villa 10

1850s greek olive mill rebirthed with cor ten steel creating the rusted mill house modern holiday villa 11

1850s greek olive mill rebirthed with cor ten steel creating the rusted mill house modern holiday villa 12

 

 

project info:

 

name: rusted mill house
architecture office: detale architecture and engineering
location: mani, peloponnese, greece 

 

 

designboom has received this project from our ‘DIY submissions‘ feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.

 

edited by: myrto katsikopoulou | designboom