THE LINE OF STONE

**The Line of Stone**
A dwelling born from the earth, following its natural cut.
The stone becomes a line — a trace that organizes space without imposing itself.
The volumes are fragmented, following the natural terrain, while the central open-air space becomes a meeting and reference point.
*The Line of Stone* does not inhabit the landscape — it continues it.

The residence is located in Marathi, Paros, in a protected area with strict building regulations.
Harmonious integration into the environment and respect for it are among the most important requirements for construction in this area.
Stone is the only permitted material, and minimal intervention or alteration of the natural environment is one of our primary goals.
The buildable area is limited to a narrow strip, leaving the required distances from the property boundaries.

As a house on an island, inhabited throughout the year, particular attention was given to protection from the north wind — the strongest one — as well as to the sun’s path, to ensure the proper balance of light and shade in every season.

The existing rocky outcrops on the plot defined strong visual axes and levels along the site.
The design began from one of these formations, which was located within the buildable zone; from it emerged a linear, elongated movement following the natural slope.
All existing dry-stone walls were preserved and, where possible, integrated into the new composition, creating moments of “dialogue” between the old and the new.

The composition consists of distinct volumes that are shifted and rotated relative to each other — to ensure the best possible views, protection from wind and sun, and to maintain a continuous linear flow that organizes space and movement.
The volumes were placed on different levels, following and reproducing the natural slope.
At the front façade, no fill was added, preserving the natural difference between the ground and the building.
This choice was intentional: the feeling of the “cliff” — this brief gap between the structure and the earth — was a conscious design goal, an element of tension that enhances the experience of place.

Central to the spatial organization is the shared outdoor space — the core meeting point for the residents of the two volumes.
Positioned at the center of the composition and sheltered from the winds, it serves as a point of reference around which the other spaces develop.
The functions follow one another from the most public to the most private: the outdoor communal dining area extends on both sides into seating areas, leading to the indoor living and dining room, then the kitchen, and finally the bedroom with its bathroom — symmetrically in both volumes.

The choice of materials aims at a harmonious integration of the project into the landscape and at highlighting traditional Cycladic architecture through a contemporary approach.
Local stone, flat roofs covered with gravel in earthy tones, and natural wood compose a palette that unifies the building with its surroundings — as if it were born from it.