Sigurd Larsen sculpts interconnected cubes for single house on rocky greek island

SIGURD LARSEN BUILDS SUMMER HOUSE ON A PICTURESQUE GREEK ISLAND

Perched on the gentle slope of a petite peninsula jutting from the Greek island of Kythnos, Piperi House by Sigurd Larsen offers breathtaking panoramas of the Cycladic archipelago. Taking cues from traditional villages, the house emerges as a composition of white cubes interconnected by stepped alleys. Crafted as a crystalline sculpture hewn from a single block of white stone, the monolithic volumes stand in stark contrast to the arid landscape adorned with shades of burnt brown and green.

Both inside and outside, the whimsical white staircases invite a circular flow through every level of the residence. Taking inspiration from M.C. Escher’s drawings, one can traverse the house in an endless loop of steps, moving above, below, and through its spaces. Arranged in a cluster of four white cubes positioned at varying heights within the hillside, the design offers numerous panoramic vistas of the surrounding islands. The design team opted for large openings from around the house, allowing the blue hues of the sea and sky to suffuse the interior.

PIPERI HOUSE’S OPENINGS EMBRACE THE BLUE SERENITY OF SEA AND SKY

Piperi House, designed by architect Sigurd Larsen, invites residents to immerse themselves in the tranquil beauty of the untamed scenery. From within the house, residents can enjoy the scenery of the petite uninhabited Piperi Island, located southeast of Kythnos. The terraces serve as connectors between different spaces but also emphasize the beauty of the Mediterranean landscape. On the exterior, the roofs of the white cubes offer access to elevated plateaus above the rocky terrain.

The various outdoor areas created by the arrangement of white cubes face different directions, ingeniously providing a sheltered spot unaffected by the summer winds. Two staircases guide one from the house to the water, each on opposite sides of the peninsula. One pathway leads to the rugged rocks and cliffs on the eastern side, offering an opportunity to leap into the sea, while the other leads to a small sandy beach on the southwestern side.

The property extends beyond the hill’s ridge, where a guest house is nestled within an existing stone barn. Complete with an outdoor kitchen and a pergola, this tranquil space allows guests to transition from witnessing the sunrise at the main house on the eastern cliffs to indulging in the sunset at the outdoor kitchen, facing the beach on the southwest side.

Project info:

Architect: Sigurd Larsen Design & Architecture | @sigurdlarsen_architecture

Location: Kythnos, Cyclades, Greece

Completion: 2023

Size: 130m2 + 20m2 guest house

Photography: KKROM

Products:

Kitchen: Reform, design by Sigurd Larsen

Sofa and benches: design by Sigurd Larsen, cushions by Solo Athens

Wooden desks and lounge chairs: design by Sigurd Larsen, built by Offcut Berlin

Mattresses: Coco-Mat

Bed sheets and towels: Tekla