Avlakia house: a dwelling between two gorges
Avlakia House by ARP – Architecture Research Practice is located between two natural gorges on the island of Antiparos, Greece. Located on a site with expansive views toward the western Cycladic archipelago and direct exposure to strong northern winds, the residence rises with a monolithic presence over the terrain.
The program called for a main house and a guest house with seven bedrooms in total, accompanied by multiple outdoor areas and swimming pools. The scale of this requirement could easily have dominated the landscape. Instead, the architects approached the project as a hybrid between architecture and topography, allowing much of the volume to merge with the sloping terrain.
images © Yiorgos Kordakis
arp embeds built space into the slope
A large portion of the ARP-designed Avlakia House is set into the earth and constructed from local stone. This decision by the architects limits the visual impact of the building when viewed from a distance and preserves the contours of the site. The distinction between what rises above ground and what remains concealed below is guided by environmental exposure, spatial sequence, and respect for the cultural landscape.
The architecture emerges as a continuous stone retaining wall that traces the terrain. Its thickness conveys a sense of permanence while remaining aligned with agricultural structures found across the Cyclades. The gesture feels both infrastructural and inhabitable, forming a threshold between land and dwelling.
Avlakia House sits between two natural gorges on the Greek island of Antiparos
the white monolith overlooks antiparos, greece
Above ground, a white monolithic volume contains the shared spaces of ARP’s Avlakia House. Its geometry is defined through proportion and repetition, with subtle inward inclinations that respond to solar orientation and human scale. The white surface captures the changing light of Greece throughout the day, casting soft shadows that articulate its depth.
Below ground, the private bedrooms are organized as a cluster of stone volumes arranged around a protected courtyard. This configuration evokes the spatial logic of a small village, where circulation occurs through open air yet remains sheltered from prevailing winds. The courtyard introduces light and air into the embedded spaces and shape a living space that feels breezy and curated.
An amphitheater carved into the terrain extends this relationship between dwelling and landscape. Serving as a viewing platform, it frames the horizon and the surrounding gorges.
the residence is conceived as a hybrid between architecture and landscape
interiors of local stone and marble
Material choices reinforce the project’s dialogue with place. Local stone and marble define walls and surfaces, while terrazzo flooring references regional craft traditions. Collaboration with local artisans ensured that construction techniques reflect the knowledge embedded in the island’s building culture.
The environmental strategy operates with similar restraint. Planted roofs blend the architecture into the terrain while contributing to thermal performance. Deep shading mitigates solar gain, and cross ventilation harnesses the northern winds that sweep across Antiparos.
Throughout the project, landscape operates as part of the structure itself, as its massing responds directly to the site’s two gorges. The pools and outdoor terraces extend along the retaining wall and align with natural contours and maintain visual continuity toward the sea.
a white monolithic volume contains the shared spaces above ground
local marble, terrazzo, and regional craftsmanship shape the material palette