Comprising​ ​four​ ​residential​ ​buildings,​ ​the​ ​villas​ ​actually​ ​sat​ ​unfinished​ ​for​ ​several​ ​years​ ​due to​ ​the​ ​country’s​ ​economic​ ​crisis.​ ​In​ ​2015,​ ​the​ ​current​ ​owner​ ​purchased​ ​the​ ​property​ ​in​ ​order to​ ​finish​ ​the​ ​project​ ​as​ ​a​ ​quiet,​ ​private​ ​residential​ ​property​ ​for​ ​the​ ​owner’s​ ​family.​ ​A​ ​place​ ​for relaxation​ ​and​ ​retreat,​ ​privacy​ ​was​ ​an​ ​essential​ ​aspect​ ​of​ ​the​ ​project,​ ​to​ ​be​ ​balanced​ ​with taking​ ​advantage​ ​of​ ​spectacular​ ​views.

The​ ​completion​ ​of​ ​building​ ​works​ ​were​ ​undertaken​ ​by​ ​Dinis​ ​Real​ ​Estate​ ​and​ ​Development, who​ ​updated​ ​the​ ​design​ ​with​ ​local​ ​partners​ ​including​ ​Spinian​ ​de​ ​Sanchez​ ​Exterior​ ​Architect. The​ ​time​ ​frame​ ​of​ ​the​ ​project​ ​was​ ​tight,​ ​with​ ​redesign​ ​and​ ​then​ ​construction​ ​works​ ​to​ ​be finished​ ​within​ ​a​ ​year​ ​and​ ​a​ ​half.

Connecting to the outdoors

With solid brick and stone work enclosing the villa to provide privacy, the key architectural feature became the creation of an interior/exterior connection oriented toward prime views with a sliding system. For a modern application such as this, aluminium was the client’s first choice of framing as the smooth and square finishes that can be achieved from aluminium window framing suit the more minimal detail oriented design that is prevalent​ ​throughout​ ​contemporary​ ​Greek​ ​villa​ ​architecture.

Produced​ ​in​ ​collaboration​ ​with​ ​local​ ​fabricator​ ​Simpas,​ ​the​ ​Reynaers​ ​systems​ ​ultimately specified​ ​are​ ​the​ motorised Hi-Finity​ ​with​ ​double​ ​glazing​ ​for​ ​the​ ​large​ ​sliding​ ​patio​ ​doors and​ ​CS​ ​77-HV​ ​for​ ​the​ ​opening​ ​windows.​ ​The​ Hi-Finity​ ​sliding​ ​door​ ​is​ ​a​ ​state​ -of​ -the​-​art structurally​ ​glazed​ ​door​ ​offering​ ​the​ ​possibility​ ​of​ ​floor-to-ceiling​ ​and​ ​wall-to-wall​ ​glass,​ ​along with​ ​an​ ​ergonomically​ ​designed​ ​handle​ ​and​ ​concealed​ ​locking​ ​system.​ ​The​ ​CS​ ​77-HV​ ​is​ ​the hidden​ ​vent​ ​variant​ ​of​ ​the​ ​CS 77.​ ​Here,​ ​the​ ​hidden​ ​vent​ ​ties​ ​in​ ​well​ ​with​ ​the​ ​minimalist architectural​ ​style.​ ​The​ ​vent​ ​profile​ ​is​ ​invisible​ ​from​ ​the​ ​outside,​ ​concealed​ ​behind​ ​the​ ​outer frame,​ ​which​ ​keeps​ ​the​ ​lining​ ​to​ ​a​ ​minimum.​ ​Profiles​ ​from​ ​the​ ​functional​ ​range​ ​can​ ​further​ ​be easily​ ​combined​ ​with​ ​this​ ​design.

The​ ​result​ ​is​ ​impressive.​ ​Traditional​ ​in​ ​form​ ​and​ ​scale,​ ​the​ ​introduction​ ​of​ ​a​ ​modern aluminium​ ​sliding​ ​system​​ ​is​ a powerful​ ​element​ ​in line with ​the​ ​local​ ​architectural vernacular.