It’s hard not to relax and feel as if you’re on holiday when you live in the Greek Cyclades overlooking the Aegean Sea. Indeed, an atmosphere conducive for leisure and connection with the land was what this family home was designed to inspire.
Perched on a sloping 1,0764 square foot site on the island of Syros in the Cyclades, this single-family holiday residence was designed by Athens-based architecture studio Block722.
The studio’s founders – architect Sotiris Tsergas and interior designer Katja Margaritoglou – are known for their interdisciplinary and craft-based approach to design and architecture, as well as their unique style which combines Greek and Scandinavian aesthetics. The studio’s strengths certainly come through in this mesmerising residence, which they’ve named Viglostasi.
Sitting on the northern foothills of the Thrypti mountain within the eastern side of the island, the house – surrounded by a wild, green and rocky landscape – is designed as a 5,382 square foot complex of low, rectangular volumes, arranged around a network of paths connecting both the enclosed spaces and the various terraces, gardens, and patios in the area.
The Block722 team says it developed the character for Viglostasi by drawing on the typology of small Cycladic villages – minimalist constellations of low volumes, often spread out on the hillsides, overlooking the Aegean Sea.
Its clients are a family of four who use the house as their summer vacation home. They wanted to build their dream house on a Greek island according to the traditional principles of Cycladic architecture, where homes are harmoniously integrated into the landscape. Their brief envisaged a house inspired by traditional Cycladic culture and architecture with simple, monolithic volumes and forms, natural materials such as stone, marble, wood, and neutral colours.
“Our clients had very pleasant experiences of the countryside and the villages of Syros, its squares and alleys, and had requested that the design of the main house and the independent guest houses feel like a Cycladic village,” Tsergas says.
“They also asked for generous, yet modest and calming spaces for rest, to entertain family and friends, and spaces that would allow them to make the most of the island’s slow, indoor/outdoor lifestyle.”
This request for simple forms of the Greek island vernacular was very much aligned with Block722’s signature style, which often includes low key, gentle architecture, minimalist forms, natural materials, and neutral colours.
The main house contains the master suite and a second bedroom, as well as a flowing, open plan living area. Two guest suites provide additional sleeping quarters, remaining connected to the main house through shared facilities and vistas.
A central outdoor “plaza” brings everything together and acts as the heart of the entire complex. This plaza leads towards the infinity pool and lounge terrace at the lower end of the plot, offering uninterrupted views towards the horizon. Underneath the plaza is a home gym and yoga terrace where the family members exercise and meditate.
The house’s interior is crafted with materials such as plaster, marble, and wood, and furnished with simple furniture and decor with neutral colours. This allows the stunning landscape to shine.
“The goal was to deliver timeless elements in the design. The details in the woodwork, marble flooring, and application of local traditional carpentry and masonry techniques offer calm and intimacy,” Tsergas says.
“The Cycladic openings, framing the views of the natural landscape and Aegean Sea, bring these aspects close to the residence, while the large openings at the entrance of the house unite the interior with the exterior, and brings nature indoors. In this way, the interior and exterior are connected, creating a narrative as you navigate from one space to the other.”
Light, colours inspired by nature, terrazzo floors, traditional shutters and pergolas, a garden of native plants, and a green roof further accentuate the feeling of living in the midst of a timeless Greek landscape. The feeling of wildness is tempered by subtle luxury that’s achieved through expansive spaces, bespoke joinery, and texturally intriguing materials such as Olympus marble, travertine stone, bamboo, and oak wood.
Block722 worked mainly with local suppliers and craftspeople to ensure that the home authentically embodies the history and culture of its site.
The built-in lounge areas in the living rooms, the wooden furniture, bespoke constructions, and headboards in the bedrooms with wicker surfaces, emphasise the Cycladic aesthetics, while contemporary wood, metal and ceramic elements come together to add Scandinavian freshness and sophistication to the design.
“Viglostasi is an ode to the Aegean Sea of Greece, a place where modern luxury harmonises with the ancient beauty of Syros, creating an oasis that invites residents to enjoy a tranquil pace of life and connect with the natural beauty that surrounds their home,” Margaritoglou says.
Adds Tsergas: “The design elements all perfectly fit the client’s vision for a home that feels like a family of traditional Aegean structures, offering different views, and qualities of space to play with and enjoy. It makes the most of the site’s substantial size and connects the indoors and outdoors seamlessly, creating spatial narratives and framing views along the way.”