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House 11
Alexandroupolis
According to myth, the entrance to the Black
Sea was once blocked by the Symplegades or Cyanean rocks, which
flanked the mouth of the Bosporus and crushed everything that
sought to pass through them. But Jason and the Argonauts, with
the help of Hera, finally beat the formidable rocks and forced
them to stay forever open. This myth and the closeness, here,
of Greece to Turkey, of Europe to Asia, are reflected in the
organisation and iconography of the house as well as in the
duality of its facade.
The house is approached by a path that zigzags
its way under two frontal towers - a depiction of the two rocks-
leading to a grand stairway in the narrow slot between the two
building blocks. The stair ascends to the entrance portico,
which is flanked by waterfalls. Beyond the portico, the house
is arranged around a courtyard which leads to a rear patio and
garden. The two main towers accommodate the two-level master
suite, the study/library and guest room.
The architecture of the northern region of
Greece and of the monasteries of Mount Athos was a significant
influence in the design, as were such archetypal residential
types as the Megaron and vernacular houses.
Design collaborator,
drawings and model : Anthony Cheung
Below
: Axonometric, ground floor plan, longitudinal section
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