Under the direction of architects in charge Johan Annerhed and Maria Papafigou, OOAK Architects has completed a wide range of residential design projects from its headquarters in Karpathos, Greece. Its latest project, the Patio House, caters to the specific needs of a Paris-based French-Swedish couple who have traveled to the island of Karpathos for years to vacation and windsurf.
The Patio House occupies a key plot on the shore of the Aegean Sea, offering unencumbered views of Afiarti Beach and its constant stream of dedicated windsurfers. Using this sparse and wild land and its panoramic views as the foundation for its design strategy, OOAK Architects concentrated on incorporating a structure into this dramatic landscape without detracting from its natural character.
Rather than introducing architectural elements that mimic the surrounding environment, the Patio House by OOAK Architects presents structure and landscape as two distinct, symbiotic elements that enhance and complement each other.