THYTA House / LASSA architects

• Curated by Paula Pintos

LEFKADA, GREECE

• Architects: LASSA architects
• Area: 380 m²
• Year: 2023
• Photographs:@NAARO
• Lead Architects: Dora Sweijd and Theo Sarantoglou Lalis

LASSA’s THYTA House frames views of the Ionian archipelago. THYTA is nestled within a mountainous natural landscape covered with wild scrubs and olive trees overlooking one of the most beautiful panoramas of the Island of Lefkada in Greece.

The THYTA House was designed by LASSA Architects as a retreat for a local family. An elliptical silhouette delineates the common areas of the house while the bedroom areas are inserted within the topography on the upper floor. The project is partially hidden into the terrain and forms a combination of overlapping volumes reducing the elevation seen from the sea. The house is deployed linearly on two levels following the curvature of the mountain profile.

An elliptical living room detaches from the sloping terrain allowing for the creation of a courtyard as a secluded garden that provides shading while emphasizing views of the mountain and sky. The roof is punctured by two oculi that frame olive trees. A column-free pergola extends the shade and framing of the sea. When entering the house one walks into a world that projects the gaze toward the ravine and the glittering lights of the sea.

The curved and sinuous lines accompany the discovery little by little. A key objective of the design is to seamlessly extend the interior spaces into a multitude of outdoor living areas such as the terraces, the loggia, the pool area, and the courtyard. The living room and kitchen is spacious, conceived as a pavilion it is open to all sides. On the upper floor, a hallway connects a family room and two bedrooms that overlook the upper garden and the elliptical roof terrace. The lower level integrates a studio within one of the stone retention walls that structure the landscape.

The planted roof protects from direct sunlight and excessive heat throughout the day. The living room, designed to be open on both sides, allows the refreshing northern wind to naturally ventilate the house during the evening hours. The overhangs protect the façade from direct sun and the planted roofs act as a thermal mass that reduces significantly the need for cooling and heating. A combination of different tones of neutral colors to various shades of blue, grey, and green delineates subtly the project and facilitates its insertion in its surrounding landscape.

The project construction was facilitated by offsite CNC cut formwork elements designed and assembled by LASSA that enabled to reduction of the cost while providing specific building constraints. The planted garden comprises a blend of native coastal vegetation requiring minimal watering, featuring wild olive trees, shrubs, and small aromatic gardens, creating a captivating sensory experience.