Stone-house extension in Chania city center

This project is consisted of two parts : the reconstruction of a 1920 cretan stone house and the one storey vertical extension which together they have created a family home. This was one of the many houses created for the refugees back in the days and is a characteristic example of its kind, reimagined now with dynamic potential, not hiding anymore, but quietly standing confidently. The extension was built in metallic skeleton, a wooden roof with solar panels and an extra loft space. The scope of the design was to create a unified result from the juxtaposition of the old and the new, that preserve each part's character at the same time. Clean cut volumes, semi transparent surfaces, high ceilings and light colours, create an airy atmosphere and a functional flow. Elements of the old house body downstairs where the common spaces are place, are incorporated in the design and century old details, like the old roof ornament, give tribute to the romanticised past. On the upper floors, where the bedrooms are, a game with heights and different views of the city, is giving an interesting and hopeful quality in the building. It is an extension towards the wish for a more expressive and balanced future, while honouring our roots, even if we didn't choose them. Aren't we all refugees?