Katikies, Tinos Island

Residential

Location

Tinos Island

Status

Under Construction

Developer

Firiskia Smpc

Angeliki Evripioti

CO - Founder

CHRYSANTHI ALMPANI

Project Manager

ALEXANDRA ANDROUTSOPOULOU
Architect

NIKITAS VEKRIS
Architect

“Set at the highest point of a steep, rugged site in the village of Avges on Tinos Island, Katoikiés is a residence that faces southwest, offering sweeping views of the Aegean Sea while remaining sheltered from the strong northern winds common in the Cyclades.”

To design a home on Tinos, also known as the “handmade island” for its deep-rooted tradition of craftsmanship, meant, for us, engaging with its vernacular architecture in order to reinterpret it in a modern way.

Axonometric

“That approach led us to fuse elements from two key moments in Tinian architecture into our design. ”

Diagrams

The first, which inspired the project’s name, is “katoikiés”, those traditional stone farm dwellings once scattered across the island’s fields, offering shelter to herders of a bygone era. The second is the Tinian monasteries, which were often built as fortified complexes to protect against pirate raids. Their typology inspired us to create an enclosing “monastery wall”, which embraces and connects the villa’s communal and private spaces, forming a sheltered central courtyard.

Around it, the various smaller blocks unfold organically, much like in the katoikiés of the past, when architecture evolved in response to the lives of its inhabitants. A growing family meant a growing house, with each new need sparking a change in the spaces within the house. In this spirit, the residence’s smaller, independent volumes are arranged like beads on a necklace, strung along the defining wall. Some are nestled entirely within the protective shell, while others extend outward, providing a layered living experience that balances intimacy and openness, order and freedom.

Masterplan

Groundfloor

“The materials used are drawn from the Tinian vernacular architecture.”

The “monastery wall” features a smooth plaster finish with wide, floor-to-ceiling openings. Counterbalancing its modern and minimalistic style, the smaller blocks, rooted in an archetypal, primitive form of shelter, are made of stone that is exposed and interrupted by small openings topped by locally sourced marble lintels, a distinctive element of Tinian architecture. A raw concrete beam crowning the “monastery wall” ties everything together, adding cohesion to the overall architectural composition.

Front Elevation

Side Elevation 01

Side Elevation 02

The central terrace serves as the heart of the house and consists of the aforementioned enclosed courtyard, fully sheltered from the wind while allowing natural light to enter the interior. This area also features a swimming pool, which is partially shaded by a wooden pergola.

“Meanwhile, each individual volume accommodates a specific function, such as bedrooms, lounge areas, the kitchen, and other living spaces.”

Each bedroom is slightly rotated to better orient itself toward its respective view, while also minimizing potential heat loss from the particularly strong northern winds of Tinos. The covered areas between the different spaces create small private verandas for each bedroom, as well as additional secondary courtyards that extend the use of the spaces during the summer months. In harmony with the island’s native vegetation, the open spaces and inner yards are dotted with olive trees and endemic plants and bushes.

“A network of paths and stepping terraces invites residents to explore and enjoy the outdoors, as well as access a guesthouse situated on a lower level, designed in the same spirit as the main residence.”

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