C-O Lab

SYKAMIA

type: Accommodation complex

location: Sykamia_Serifos

surface: 294 sq.m.

status: design

design: C-O lab (Olga KtenĂ , Eva Spilioti)

renderings: Michalis Meggios

The Sykamia project is located on a plot of land that borders the sea and the beach of Sykamia. However, the preservation of the tall reeds that characterize the area was considered particularly important, while the flat terrain at the low elevation of the site prevented the creation of sea views from the buildings. Additionally, the northern orientation of the plot towards the sea required protection from the summer meltemi winds.

These factors led to the central design idea, which was the creation of an internal courtyard that functions as the heart of the complex, while the buildings are developed around it. The design enhances the sense of community, collectivity, the exchange of ideas, and togetherness, in harmony with the idea of shared living.

The complex consists of five independent volumes, framed by surrounding walls, forming a closed rectangular shape. The entrance to the complex is located at the center of the southeast side, and directly across from it is the entrance to the common-use building. From there, on the same central axis, is the exit towards the beach. To the right and left of the central axis are the four buildings that house the sleeping spaces. Movement through the complex is facilitated by a perimeter corridor that runs along the buildings and frames the central courtyard.

At the center of the complex and the courtyard, a shared swimming pool is designed in an irregular shape resembling a lake, which appears to have resulted from a natural depression of the land and filled with water from the neighboring sea. To enhance this image, fine gravel, resembling a beach, is placed around the pool.

All the buildings are constructed with exposed stone on the exterior and colored plaster on the interior, with stone floors both inside and in the courtyards. The roofs are planted, offering additional thermal insulation and blending harmoniously with the natural environment. The pergola is made of a thin metal frame, rust-colored, with bamboo covering, and follows the symmetry of the complex. The metal frame, both tangible and conceptual in some areas, acts as an arcade, shaping the flow of movement around the perimeter of the complex.

The common-use building includes a living room, kitchen, and dining area. On its lateral facades, beneath the pergolas, are an outdoor sitting area and an outdoor kitchen with a dining space. The four-bedroom buildings, identical to each other, include a sofa, a double bed, a desk, wardrobes, a bathroom with a private courtyard, and a covered terrace that also has an outdoor sitting area and dining space.