The project combines classic and innovative, it is created with traditional materials for the area: the walls are faced with stone and wood, and the interior design, as if filled with weightlessness – a finding of modern architects.
This is what makes the exterior of the mansion so strikingly different from the inside, as different building materials have been used for the finishes.
Transparent glass contrasts with the dense texture of the dark brown Iroko wood.
The material does not need any further impregnation or colouring due to its high oil content. The natural properties and natural bioprotection of wood allow it to be used both for exterior and interior decoration.
This contrast was deliberately used to achieve an element of surprise – pomp and solidity at the entrance to the residence itself, lightness and airiness inside. Huge glass panels were used throughout to create an open window effect to the surrounding nature.
All the floors of the house are filled with light and depth through this approach. And the view of the living room with natural stone fireplace, from the stairs leading to the second floor, is simply breathtaking. It is as if you were high up on a hilltop, watching the glowing embers at the foot of the fire.
The location of the building on a hill in a similar way also helps maintain a comfortable natural temperature. The building itself has air vents that maximize the airflow down from the hillside to keep the room cool and fresh.
Is the ethnic style of the original Serafides house on a steep hillside influenced by the local culture or is it a unique architectural design?