Designed by Konstantinos Pittsas and KP Office, Pezoules House is conceived as a direct dialogue with its natural setting. Located on a steep and narrow plot, the residence responds closely to the terrain, orientation, and surrounding landscape, using architecture to frame and intensify the experience of the site rather than dominate it. The project’s sustainability strategy is grounded in minimal landscape intervention, passive environmental responsiveness, and the use of locally sourced materials that reinforce the connection between building and terrain.
Building with the landscape
The organisation of the house is shaped by the steep topography of the site. Rather than flattening or extensively reshaping the land, the building volumes are carefully positioned to work with existing contours and preserve the natural character of the terrain. The articulated arrangement of the main masses allows the panoramic landscape to enter the house from multiple directions, creating a constant visual relationship between interior and exterior spaces.
Views are revealed gradually through movement, with framed openings and transitional spaces directing attention toward the surrounding hillsides and vegetation. This approach reduces the distinction between architecture and landscape, allowing the house to function as an extension of the site itself.
Distributed volumes and passive spatial planning
Pezoules House is composed of three independent residential volumes, each organised across two or three levels. This fragmented arrangement reduces the visual impact of the building within the landscape while also improving environmental performance by allowing light, air, and views to penetrate between the structures.
Ground floors accommodate communal functions such as living, dining, and semi-outdoor seating areas, strengthening the connection between everyday activities and the surrounding environment. Bedrooms with en-suite bathrooms are distributed strategically throughout the upper levels, creating spatial separation and privacy while allowing each room to benefit from natural light and framed views.
The use of semi-outdoor areas supports passive cooling by creating shaded transitional zones that moderate heat gain and encourage natural ventilation, particularly important in Mediterranean climates.
Materiality and contextual integration
The project’s material palette is deliberately restrained and rooted in the site context. Exterior masonry surfaces are finished in plaster, while outdoor architectural elements are constructed using exposed stone sourced directly from the site. This approach reduces transportation-related environmental impacts while visually embedding the architecture into its surroundings.
The use of local stone also reinforces durability and thermal mass, helping stabilise internal temperatures by absorbing and slowly releasing heat throughout the day. Combined with shaded openings and carefully oriented volumes, these material choices contribute to a more energy-efficient and climatically responsive dwelling.
Preserving existing ecology
A central aspect of the project is its effort to minimise disruption to the existing landscape. The placement of building volumes around pre-existing olive trees allows the mature vegetation to remain part of the architectural composition while preserving established ecological conditions on the site.
This strategy reduces the need for extensive replanting and maintains the environmental identity of the landscape. The preserved trees also contribute to shading and microclimatic comfort around outdoor areas, improving usability during warmer months.
