A Summerhouse in Antiparos Reframes Cycladic Building Traditions with Modern Rigour

Words by Eric David

Antiparos, Greece

For architects working on projects in the Cycladic Islands, the requirement of visual uniformity, courtesy of building regulations enacted to safeguard the local architectural vernacular, also creates its own set of challenges. With little room often left for any type of expressive deviation, innovation has to be articulated through quieter means such as volumetric composition, material calibration, and the careful negotiation between building and terrain. Perched on a steep, rocky promontory along Antiparos’ western coastline, “Toward the Sun” by Tassos Biris - Sofia Tsiraki & Associate Architects exemplifies this approach through the disciplined use of dry-stack stone and exposed concrete combined with an abstract, angular geometry that reframes Cycladic building traditions without departing from them.

Seen from below, the house’s cantilevered concrete elements project dramatically over the hillside. Stone volumes are partially concealed by native vegetation, reinforcing the sense of the architecture emerging from the terrain.

Photography by Mariana Bisti.

Seen from the hillside, the house’s cantilevered concrete plane extends decisively over the rocky slope, contrasting sharply with the irregular vegetation and rugged coastline below.

Photography by Mariana Bisti.

A frontal view aligns stone façades, slender openings, and the reflective pool surface, compressing architecture, water, and horizon into a single horizontal composition.

Photography by Mariana Bisti.

A window detail set into exposed concrete reveals the precision of the building envelope. Warm evening light catches the chamfered edges, softening the brutalist materiality while maintaining a sense of tectonic rigor.

Photography by Mariana Bisti.

Angular concrete roof forms rise against a clear sky, their slanted profiles accentuating the house’s abstract character. The sculptural geometry reads almost as a series of folded planes, poised above the stone-built base.

Photography by Mariana Bisti.

Stone and concrete meet in a tightly framed junction, where a projecting slab slices through a dry-stone wall. The composition highlights the architects’ controlled interplay between mass, structure, and shadow under the Cycladic light.

Photography by Mariana Bisti.

Rather than imposing itself on the landscape, the house is discreetly integrated into the rocky hillside. A long, horizontal wing follows the slope of the land, while a more compact, vertical volume anchors the composition. Together, they frame a central living zone that acts as both a spatial hinge and visual fulcrum. A third, detached guest volume sits slightly apart, introducing a measured degree of autonomy without disrupting the overall coherence of the scheme.

Materially, the house draws from a restrained palette that reinforces its relationship with the terrain. Sourced from the site’s excavation, dry-stack stone walls provide visual weight, lending the faceted orthogonal volumes a fort-like solidity, while exposed board-formed concrete introduces a distinctly contemporary tectonic language: angled roof planes jut upwards like jagged boulders, horizontal slabs extend outward to form deep overhangs, and a sharply cantilevered pool projects outwards towards the sea like the bow of a ultramodern ship. The result of this interplay between rough stone mass and sharply defined concrete elements is a design that hovers delicately between being resolutely contemporary on the one hand, while remaining anchored in the island’s material logic on the other.

  • Two slanted concrete roof planes emerge between rocks, echoing the jagged topography while framing distant sea views. The composition blurs boundaries between built form and natural outcrop.

    Photography by Mariana Bisti.

Aerial photography situates the house within the raw coastal landscape, highlighting its cross-shaped configuration and careful orientation toward land and sea. Angular roof planes and courtyards read as part of a larger topographic system, blurring the boundary between architecture and terrain.

Photography by Mariana Bisti.

  • A vertical aerial view isolates the cantilevered pool as a sculptural concrete incision into the landscape. Framed by timber decking and stone walls, the pool reads as a precise architectural endpoint, its sharp geometry contrasting with the irregular textures of the surrounding rock.

    Photography by Mariana Bisti.

  • From above, the project’s tectonic clarity is revealed through the interplay of concrete slabs, gravel roofs, and stone volumes. The linear circulation spine and angular pool articulate movement across the slope, reinforcing the house’s diagrammatic organisation.

    Photography by Mariana Bisti.

  • A top-down view of a concrete stairwell captures the project’s brutalist precision, where sharp edges, deep shadows, and material junctions define space. Dry stone and exposed concrete meet with surgical clarity, transforming circulation into an architectural event.

    Photography by Mariana Bisti.

An oblique coastal view reveals the house embedded into Antiparos’ rocky terrain, its dry-stack stone walls and sharply angled concrete roof planes stepping down toward the sea. The low, horizontal composition mirrors the slope, while the abstract geometry asserts a contemporary presence against the vast Aegean horizon.

Photography by Mariana Bisti.

A concrete walkway slices through the rocky terrain, guiding arrival toward the house. Stone retaining walls and angular rooflines frame a slow reveal of the sea, reinforcing the project’s choreographed approach and landscape-driven orientation.

Photography by Mariana Bisti.

  • A close-up of an angled concrete roof edge captures the building’s abstract geometry, its crisp lines set against the open sea. The contrast between smooth concrete and expansive blue heightens the sculptural intent.

    Photography by Mariana Bisti.

  • Pebble-covered roof surfaces slope toward the sea, punctuated by angular skylights. The image emphasises how the building recedes into the terrain, blending abstract form with Cycladic material sensibility.

    Photography by Mariana Bisti.

  • An exterior passage between volumes frames a controlled descent toward the pool, with concrete and stone walls guiding movement and views.

    Photography by Mariana Bisti.

The pool’s angular geometry is seen from above, set against a vast blue seascape. Concrete planes read as abstract extensions of the landscape, reinforcing the project’s strong formal clarity.

Photography by Mariana Bisti.

Inside, an angled skylight slices daylight across board-formed concrete surfaces, animating the interior with sharp shadows. The interplay of light, texture, and geometry reflects the project’s sculptural rigor.

Photography by Mariana Bisti.

A narrow stair rises between dry-stone walls and exposed concrete, its compressed proportions heightening the experience of ascent toward light and sky.

Photography by Mariana Bisti.

A shaded terrace unfolds beneath a concrete canopy, where a slender column anchors the transition between interior living spaces, pool, and sun deck. Dry-stone walls frame views across the sea, while sliding glass panels and minimal furnishings reinforce the house’s seamless indoor–outdoor continuity.

Photography by Mariana Bisti.

Inside the main living area, generous glazing dissolves boundaries between interior and exterior, while stone walls and a slanted concrete ceiling define a grounded yet expansive communal space.

Photography by Mariana Bisti.

The dialogue between vernacular solidity and modern abstraction continues inside. Smooth concrete floors and board-formed walls and ceilings establish a neutral, brutalist-inflected backdrop, against which dry stone walls introduce texture and warmth. Timber elements used sparingly in cabinetry, shelving, and selected furnishings mediate between these harder surfaces, introducing a sense of domestic scale and tactility. Angled walls and slanted ceilings create a dynamic sense of volume, while integrated concrete built-ins, from benches and consoles to beds and washbasins, reinforce the continuity between structure and inhabitation, adding to the scheme’s sculptural rigour. Rather than compartmentalising functions, subtle changes in level delineate different living zones without interrupting any spatial flow.

  • A sloping concrete ceiling and dry-stone walls define a dramatic living space where structure and circulation converge. Floor-to-ceiling glazing opens to the rocky hillside, while a blurred figure ascending the stairs underscores the house’s fluid spatial sequence and lived-in scale.

    Photography by Mariana Bisti.

  • A neo-vernacular living space in Antiparos defines the dialogue between rugged materiality and Mediterranean light. Raw stone masonry walls and a sculptural, wood-imprinted concrete ceiling frame a sunken lounge. Expansive sliding glass creates a seamless transition to a linear pool and the Aegean Sea, while sharp shadows emphasize the tactile contrast of the brutalist-inspired textures.

    Photography by Mariana Bisti.

  • A split-level interior reveals staircases, built-in furniture, and layered stone walls. The composition highlights the house’s sculptural geometry and its carefully calibrated transitions between levels.

    Photography by Mariana Bisti.

Attuned to the rest of the design, views and natural light have also been carefully modulated throughout. In the central living space, large sliding glass doors open fully towards both the sea-facing pool terrace and a more sheltered rear courtyard formed by the rocky slope, while triangular skylights puncturing the sawtooth roof provide controlled shafts of sunlight.

In the adjacent dining area, openings on multiple orientations frame sea views and landscape fragments, allowing light and outlook to vary throughout the day. For the bedrooms, clerestory windows and narrow horizontal openings supplement larger glazed surfaces, ensuring for balanced illumination while maintaining privacy and thermal control, as do skylights in the bathrooms.

  • A dining area framed by dry-stone walls and raw concrete ceilings opens toward the sea through full-height glazing. A solid timber table and woven chairs introduce warmth against the mineral palette, while a linear clerestory window washes the space with soft daylight, reinforcing the home’s balance between tactile intimacy and expansive coastal views.

    Photography by Mariana Bisti.

  • A compact kitchen is framed by dry-stone walls and a low concrete ceiling, balancing rugged materiality with domestic ease. Pale timber cabinetry, a concrete island, and playful pastel accents sit between opposing glazed openings, allowing light, landscape, and circulation to flow seamlessly through the space.

    Photography by Mariana Bisti.

A symmetrical bedroom composition aligns the bed with framed sea views beyond sliding glass doors. The contrast between rough stone masonry and smooth concrete surfaces reinforces the house’s dialogue between weight and light.

Photography by Mariana Bisti.

A narrow stair descends between concrete walls and built-in timber storage, illuminated by an angled skylight above. The compressed proportions heighten the sense of movement and spatial transition.

Photography by Mariana Bisti.

A sculptural cast-in-situ concrete basin is centred beneath a circular skylight, where a shaft of daylight animates the raw surfaces. Integrated timber cabinetry introduces warmth, softening the room’s otherwise austere material palette.

Photography by Mariana Bisti.

A bathroom showwer pairs board-formed concrete walls with a slim timber partition. Black fixtures and a large window frame views of the rocky slope, merging utilitarian clarity with a strong sense of place.

Photography by Mariana Bisti.

  • A compact bathroom balances concrete, timber, and stone, with built-in elements and warm lighting creating an atmosphere of pared-back comfort and material continuity.

    Photography by Mariana Bisti.

  • Viewed through a concrete threshold, the bedroom opens directly toward the horizon. The layered framing of walls, glazing, and distant islands underscores the project’s precise control of sightlines and depth.

    Photography by Mariana Bisti.

  • In the bedroom, exposed concrete ceilings and stone walls frame a restrained sleeping area. Built-in timber cabinetry and carefully positioned openings create a calm, tactile environment anchored in material continuity.

    Photography by Mariana Bisti.

A closer view of a bedroom highlights the interplay of exposed concrete beams, stone masonry, and integrated timber joinery, with sunlight casting precise shadows that articulate structure and depth.

Photography by Mariana Bisti.

A shared bedroom unfolds beneath a low concrete ceiling, where dry-stone walls, built-in timber beds, and filtered daylight create a calm, cave-like atmosphere anchored in material weight and restraint.

Photography by Mariana Bisti.

A compact living and sleeping zone unfolds beneath stacked dry-stone walls and raw concrete planes, where built-in timber joinery defines seating, storage, and a raised bed alcove. Filtered daylight enters through narrow openings and a glazed door to the terrace, framing sea views while reinforcing the home’s calm, monastic atmosphere.

Photography by Mariana Bisti.

A stairwell links levels through a sequence of concrete slabs, timber balustrades, and stone walls. The vertical circulation becomes a spatial pause rather than a purely functional element.

Photography by Mariana Bisti.

A compact sleeping alcove integrates storage, seating, and bed within a stone-lined volume. Daylight enters through carefully positioned openings, emphasising intimacy and architectural precision.

Photography by Mariana Bisti.

  • A pared-back bedroom where angled, board-formed concrete walls and ceiling create a cocooning geometry. Soft linen bedding and a woven basket temper the mineral austerity, while a compact window and directional reading lamp introduce a quiet, introspective atmosphere shaped by light, shadow, and tactile restraint.

    Photography by Mariana Bisti.

  • Sunlight slices diagonally across a stone wall beneath a pitched concrete ceiling, reinforcing the interior’s sculptural geometry and material interplay.

    Photography by Mariana Bisti.

  • A sliding timber panel reveals a narrow stone-lined corridor, where light and shadow articulate depth, texture, and the thickness of the walls.

    Photography by Mariana Bisti.

  • A custom timber door handle emerges seamlessly from a flush wooden surface, its minimal detailing highlighting craftsmanship and tactile restraint.

    Photography by Mariana Bisti.

The main living space unfolds beneath sharply slanted concrete ceilings, where daylight washes across dry-stone walls. Large sliding glass panels dissolve the boundary to the pool terrace, balancing monumentality with openness.

Photography by Mariana Bisti.

Sunlight cuts dramatically across a textured stone wall, highlighting the raw, earth-toned palette of this Antiparos retreat. The composition focuses on the interplay between the heavy, brutalist concrete ceiling and the ethereal blue of the horizon. Low-slung contemporary seating maintains a modest profile, ensuring the architectural relationship between the shaded interior and the expansive coastal vista remains the focal point.

Photography by Mariana Bisti.

The concrete pool’s edge dissolves into the pastel seascape beyond. Minimal detailing and subdued tones allow light and water to take precedence over form.

Photography by Mariana Bisti

A sharply pointed concrete slab projects outward, its geometry mirrored by the calm sea below. The image captures the tension between weight and levitation that defines the project

Photography by Mariana Bisti.

Seen at golden hour, the house unfolds as a composition of dry-stone volumes and sharp concrete planes. The cantilevered pool and layered terraces extend toward the sea, balancing solidity with pronounced horizontal reach.

Photography by Mariana Bisti.

Ultimately, this is a house that isn’t looking to blend in through familiarity, but rather through precision. Whilst closely anchored in the Cyclades’ material logic and engagement with the landscape, its sharply angled geometry and exposed concrete construction express a contemporary architectural position that stands apart from the region’s more softened forms. The result is a project that goes beyond finding a balance through the norm of visual conformity, opting instead to articulate a vision based on a careful alignment of site, structure, and spatial order.

A wide coastal panorama frames the house in the distance, revealing its restrained footprint within Antiparos’ rugged terrain. The stratified rock formations and calm sea emphasise the project’s deliberate integration with the landscape.

Photography by Mariana Bisti.

At dusk, the house settles into the rocky slope as interior lights glow softly behind stone walls. The layered volumes and angled roofs create a measured silhouette against the fading sky and sea horizon.

Photography by Mariana Bisti.

An evening view across the terrace shows the linear pool extending toward the sea, flanked by dry-stone walls and concrete overhangs. The warm interior illumination contrasts with the cool twilight, underscoring the project’s balance between refuge and exposure.

Photography by Mariana Bisti.

At dusk, the stone-and-concrete house clings to the rocky promontory, its low volumes silhouetted against a pastel sky. Warm interior light punctuates the rugged massing, underscoring the project’s quiet dialogue with the surrounding seascape.

Photography by Mariana Bisti.

Seen at twilight from the rocky hillside, the house reveals its abstract roofscape and stone volumes stepping toward the sea. Circular skylights and warmly lit interiors punctuate the concrete planes, while the fading horizon situates the architecture within Antiparos’ elemental landscape.

Photography by Mariana Bisti.

A night view along the main circulation axis reveals the illuminated interior behind expansive glazing. The angled roof planes guide movement toward the horizon, reinforcing the house’s strong directional logic.

Photography by Mariana Bisti.

The pool is framed beneath a deep concrete overhang at sunset, creating a sheltered yet open threshold to the sea. The warm gradient of the sky enhances the architecture’s calm, contemplative atmosphere.

Photography by Mariana Bisti

A Summerhouse in Antiparos Reframes Cycladic Building Traditions with Modern Rigour