Drakoni House is a 19th-century stone building converted into a holiday home in Crete. It has been uninhabited since 1920. Alterations to the traditional building were kept virtually unnoticeable from the outside and easily reversible in the future. The least possible construction interventions were made, mainly focusing on the restoration and reinforcement of the stone masonry and the reconstruction of the parts that had collapsed.
At the front of Drakoni House, a low wall wraps an entrance courtyard off the street, which features a bench and a hot tub.
The compact interior of the home is organized around a stone arch at its center, which creates a threshold between the bedroom and the living, dining and kitchen areas.
In the living space, a bench-like seating area, a fireplace and a kitchen counter are tucked into the corners of the room.
Next door in the bedroom, a bed is flanked by a toilet and a freestanding bath at either end of the room.
Deep-set windows frame views.
A slender staircase of weathered metal leads up to the roof of the home, where a lightweight pergola and perforated parapet, both made of metal, create an area to sit overlooking the surrounding village.
Exposed, weathered metal, rough plaster and irregular stone are all used throughout to create a feeling of “historical continuity” with the old fabric of the building.
An intentional deterioration and conscious imperfection are chosen in the construction materials bringing the whole into balance, according to the design studio.
The photography is by Giorgos Sfakianakis.
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