Birch House

  • Year: 2021
  • Location: Longos, Greece
  • Size: 265 m2

Birch House is a three – bedroom residence designed for a narrow site facing the sea. The site is characterized by two arrays of fully grown birch trees which suggest a strong linear axis towards the beach. The design starts with the 50 metre North wall, which defines the volume of the building but also shelters it from the prevailing North-West winds. The house is then organized in two zones, a private and a living zone with the latter positioned on the front facing the sea views taking full advantage of the sun and tree positions for minimum environmental impact.

The architectural expression of the scheme aims for clarity of form and material in order to become legible by the viewer, therefore the layout is defined by a series of thick walls aligned to the major axis with spaces in between. The materials chosen showcase the structural resolution of the scheme with the concrete slabs left bare and the structural walls rendered with a mix that uses local ground material to achieve its warm tone.

Finally, despite its minimal conception the house creates certain visual references with classical design such as the expressed beams of the pergolas with the coffered ceiling in between as a shading device, or the linear array of niches that create a monumental yet calm entry sequence to the dwelling. Through this contemporary use of traditional forms, the design achieves a connection to its locale and familiarity with the viewer.