Bernando Sanchez
Joanna Dinis
Zoi Karakinari

Seaside villas Syvota

Igoumenitsa - Grecia - 2016

Lo stile architettonico tradizionale di queste ville realizzate a Syvota, in Grecia è inconfondibile: lineare, accogliente ed inserito in modo spettacolare all'interno dell'ambiente grazie ad un look contemporaneo e senza tempo. Situate ad Igoumenitsa, città costiera nella parte nord-ovest della Grecia, le ville residenziali Sivota sono progettate secondo la tradizione, sfruttando al meglio i panorami del Mediterraneo e per godere appieno della vita all'interno e all'esterno della casa, con un mix di elementi costruttivi tradizionali e moderni.

Comprising four residential buildings, the villas actually sat unfinished for several years due to the country’s economic crisis. In 2015, the current owner purchased the property in order to finish the project as a quiet, private residential property for the owner’s family. A place for relaxation and retreat, privacy was an essential aspect of the project, to be balanced with taking advantage of spectacular views.

The completion of building works were undertaken by Dinis Real Estate and Development, who updated the design with local partners including Spinian de Sanchez Exterior Architect. The time frame of the project was tight, with redesign and then construction works to be finished within a year and a half.

Connecting to the outdoors

With solid brick and stone work enclosing the villa to provide privacy, the key architectural feature became the creation of an interior/exterior connection oriented toward prime views with a sliding system. For a modern application such as this, aluminium was the client’s first choice of framing as the smooth and square finishes that can be achieved from aluminium window framing suit the more minimal detail oriented design that is prevalent throughout contemporary Greek villa architecture.

HiFinity Sistemi scorrevoli e CS 77 Hidden Vent Finestre - Villa Seaside villas Syvota situato in Igoumenitsa, Grecia

The selection of the sliding system was paramount to the overall design. Donatos Dinis of the Dinis Real Estate and Development Group explains they looked at a number of systems and ultimately selected the Reynaers system as it was the only tested and complete system on the market while being affordable. ‘Our client loves this system because it results in unobstructed views. With its hidden profiles, this was the only system we felt that could do this,’ says Dinis.

Our client loves this system because it results in unobstructed views.

Donatos Dinis

Produced in collaboration with local fabricator Simpas, the Reynaers systems ultimately specified are the motorised Hi-Finity with double glazing for the large sliding patio doors and CS 77-HV for the opening windows. The Hi-Finity sliding door is a state -of -the-art structurally glazed door offering the possibility of floor-to-ceiling and wall-to-wall glass, along with an ergonomically designed handle and concealed locking system. The CS 77-HV is the hidden vent variant of the CS 77. Here, the hidden vent ties in well with the minimalist architectural style. The vent profile is invisible from the outside, concealed behind the outer frame, which keeps the lining to a minimum. Profiles from the functional range can further be easily combined with this design.

On Site Challenges

There were a number of practical issues with respect to the installation of a modern system into the existing building frame. In order to keep the view open, a wide opening was required. This necessitated a wide beam without a column or any excessive depth obstructing the view. The beam specified for the wide span opening has added carbon fibres in order to reduce the beam depth and allow for full views outward. Further, rain gutters were routed through the columns and into the flooring.

The result is impressive. Traditional in form and scale, the introduction of a modern aluminium sliding system is a powerful element in line with the local architectural vernacular.