Natural stone, which has been used as a basic building material since prehistoric times, is increasing its popularity in living spaces day by day with its structure that keeps it warm in winter and cool in summer and offers a humid and spacious space experience. Bringing the vitality of nature to houses with its characteristic texture, natural stone brings an extraordinary and elegant style to the living spaces where it is used. This month we have dedicated our Showcase pages to inspiring beach houses in Spain, Greece, Belgium, US, Hawaii, and Chile, where contemporary architects gave life to natural stone in order to help their users feel rooted in their natural habitats.
Vacation House in Livadia
Architectural Design: PALY Architects
Building Date: 2019
Area: 216 sqm
Location: Livadia, Greece
Photography: George Anastasakis
Natural Stone: Local natural stone
Location: Facade
At the top of Cape Koutoulos, leaning against the rock of the mountain, the Vacation House in Livadia was made of earth and stone materials, with the aim of integrating the building with nature. Protected from the north wind, the tall residence faces south towards the West Cretan Sea. The solid L-shaped wall made of stone, a continuation of the mountain, defines the layout of all interior spaces. The two clear volumes, one of which houses the living room, kitchen, and dining room and the other one houses the bedroom functions, are connected by a long semi-open living space that starts from the rock and ends on a raised floating platform between mountain and sea. In the design where the earth, sky, and sea meet, exposed concrete on the floors, earth-colored clay coating on the walls, rusty metal, natural wood on the pergolas and local natural stone on the façade are among the basic materials used. The open-air dining and seating area on a platform, as well as the semi-open area with an open barbecue and fireplace, offer users a comfortable lifestyle and contribute to dialogue with nature.
Xerolithi House
Architectural Design: Sinas Architects
Building Date: 2019
Area: 245 sqm
Location: Serifos Islands, Greece
Photography: Yiorgos Kordakis
Natural Stone: Xerolithi stone
Location: Exterior walls surrounding the building, building walls
Integrating with the landscape while respecting the natural elements, local architecture and traditional building methods, the focus of the design of the Xerolithi House was to adapt to the context, which is made up of scattering wild bushes and gravelly slopes adorned with giant cliffs. Short stone retaining walls, locally called “xerolithies”, built for land cultivation a long time ago, were included in the design process as the most striking element in the existing plot. These walls, which usually do not exceed one meter in height, form straight strips parallel to the slope and run over the entire surface of the slope. Although the Greek Islands come to mind with white boxes, the architects challenged this morphological bias by imagining the main facades of the house as xerolites, with walls that start low and rise gradually. The walls have been transformed into independent structures that approach and diverge according to the slope by creating spaces between them. To achieve this, all the programs of the house were placed in order, thus giving the building a long and narrow form. The walls, which were built with traditional methods and without the use of joint mortar, on the front and back facades of the building, are independent of each other and approach and move away from each other according to the slope, making room for living spaces. The walls are positioned as blown pieces, inspired by the strong island winds. In line with the “Xerolithia” reference, the roof of the house is covered with soil and vegetation that mimics the natural landscape. This made the house almost invisible.
Stone House in Menorca
Architectural Design: Nomo Studio
Building Date: 2019
Area: 450 sqm
Location: Menorca, Spain
Photography: Joan Guillamat
Natural Stone: Limestone and local natural stone
Location: Facade and garden walls
Located on a hill on the Spanish island of Menorca, the stone house was built using the same techniques and materials as the old limestone walls that surround farmland on the island. The stone layers created by adding one on top of the other on the façade and the garden walls ensure the harmony of the architecture and the landscape. The stone layers created by adding one on top of the other on the façade and the garden walls ensure the harmony of architecture and landscape. The removal of natural stones from the soil during the construction of the villa also strengthens this harmony. The program consists of six bedrooms, a living room, a dining room, a kitchen, a garage, and an auxiliary unit. It is arranged around a magnificent two-story high space that physically and visually connects the lower and upper floors. It is a semi-open space that is an extension of the covered patio, kitchen, dining room, and living room, providing flexible spaces for daytime activities. The openable double-glazed façade of this volume, which forms a threshold between the house and nature, functions as a winter garden in the mild season, a shaded porch in the summer, and a thermal buffer by providing insulation in the winter season. In the garden, wild olive trees and native vegetation surround the gray stone-clad swimming pool with limestone ramps. The façade composition provides a reinterpretation of Menorca’s traditional joinery and white plaster jambs, with white plaster and light-colored stone forming a geometric patch.
Huinawai House
Architectural Design: Walker Warner Architects
Building Date: 2019
Area: 7.000 sqm
Location: Kona, Hawaii
Photography: Matthew Millman
Natural Stone: Limestone
Location: Facade, floors
Designed in harmony with the natural environment, Huinawai House is one of six minimalist building groups located on a 7,000 square meter rocky area by the sea. Each building lined up around the central main courtyard, which resembles a small village, orients towards the ocean view. Shaped with a simple design approach, the house draws its strength from the interaction with its surroundings and the landscape experience, directing the focus of the users to the sensory experiences offered by the constant sounds and smells of the ocean and the stunning view of the mountains on the coast. Accessed by a long driveway that ends in the garage, the entrance to the L-shaped house is a gateway to seclusion. Surrounded by white limestone walls, the building aims to open up completely to the raw nature of the Pacific Ocean with its large wide windows, sliding doors and heavily landscaped courtyard. The green of the landscape, the dark cliffs on the beach and the white limestone exterior of the building create a stark contrast, while the pool located close to the beach offers a unique sunset view. Contrary to the rugged landscape of the region, the interiors have a simple design concept, where the ceiling is covered with cedar, the floor is covered with polished Limestone, and the furniture is specially produced to help keep the local craft traditions alive. The building, which is a modest part of the site that reflects the nature of the land and sea, is blended with the inclusive spirit of the natural landscape.
Casa del Infinito
Architectural Design: Alberto Campo Baeza
Building Date: 2014
Area: 900 sqm
Location: Cadiz, Spain
Photography: Javier Callejas
Natural Stone: Travertine
Location: Facade
Located in Cádiz, Eternity House aims to provide its users with a timeless experience that leaves a mark. Emerging as a stone platform at the far end of the Atlantic Ocean waters, the building resembles a pier overlooking the vast sea view. The travertine facades of the building, which look like sand, merge with the horizon line on a horizontal plane, creating an endless plane. Built as a large box with a length of 20 meters and a depth of 36 meters, the house was shaped with Roman travertine, referring to the acropolises, as it is very close to the area where the Roman period ruins are located. For the living space, the first 12 meters of which was built underground, 2 layers were dug in the rocky area. In the project, the exterior walls, which look like stairs opening to the upper surface of the house, are also covered with travertine, thereby strengthening the design idea that integrates with the land. The stairs leading to the platform are positioned at the entrance of the building. Located in an area like heaven on earth, where the region is said to be a meeting point where people come together with God, according to mythology, the House of Eternity stops time with its perfect horizontal view.
Juncal and Rodney House
Architectural Design: Pepe Gascon
Building Date: 2014
Area: 361 sqm
Location: Begur, Spain
Photography: Jose Hevia
Natural Stone: Local natural stone
Location: Facade
Juncal and Rodney House, designed intertwined with its setting in Spain, is positioned against the mountain and sea view on the horizon in the Mediterranean. Consisting of three bedrooms and a two-story common area, the project is positioned on a steeply sloping land with a view. The north-south facing horizontal volume is separated from the neighboring plot by a masonry wall. These walls, shaped with local stones, transformed the land into a large terrace. The stone walls parallel to the entrance of the house are connected to each other by a central courtyard that divides the volume into two parts and offers a view of the rocks left after the excavations on the plot. The stairs overlooking the garden in this section emphasize the division of the house into two. Although the main volume is connected to a stone retaining wall, the courtyard allows light to enter and creates visual perspectives between the two parts of the house. The design concept has been further enriched with consoled balconies and terraces, ensuring a spatial continuity in the project that leads to the horizon view. A design concept that opens completely to the sea is adopted in the lower part of the building, which is designed freely with its upper floors, terraces and balconies. The steep geography of the region, rocky floors, sky and sea were the elements that shaped the design.
Sterling House
Architectural Design: Alexander Gorlin Architects
Building Date: 2021
Location: USA
Photography: Peter Aaron
Natural Stone: Gray granite
Location: Facade
Set in the forest, overlooking an alpine lake in the Hudson River valley, the Sterling Lodge was designed to blend in with the natural landscape of rocks and rock outcrops on the grounds. With its green roof, mahogany windows, and façade clad in gray granite, the building blends into its surroundings from a distance. Set on a natural rock shelf in the cliff, among the trees, the house takes advantage of the insulating properties of the soil, which creates great energy efficiency, as half is sunk into the hill. With its L-shaped plan, it contains living areas, kitchen, dining and living areas. All rooms open onto a large hundred-meter terrace overlooking the forest; thus creating the feeling of being in a tree house. The lower level contains all the bedrooms and private areas, each with a private terrace overlooking the forest, while the garage, guest wing and playroom are located in the adjacent wing of the L-shaped plan. From the outside, the structure looks like a castle in the forest that grows out of its rugged and rustic surroundings.
LAB House
Architectural Design: Studio Arthur Casas
Building Date: 2022
Area: 947.56 sqm
Location: Taguaíba, Guaruja
Photography: Fernando Guerra
Natural Stone: Local natural stone
Location: Facade
Located on a plot overlooking the sea in the middle of the Atlantic Forest, LAB House is planned to hang above the vegetation. In order to realize this idea in the building, which offers a wide perspective of the ocean, it is fixed to the concrete beams on the façade; 4 meters high “L” shaped wood-covered metal wings are used. The rooms in the building are arranged on the ground floor with large windows and balconies overlooking the forest. A guest room and an office are located on the lower level, while the other floor is reserved for welfare and relaxation environments such as a spa, sauna and gym. On the middle floor, the social area placed at the height of the treetops, the living area is integrated with the dining area and the terrace with the swimming pool reinforces the feeling of being in touch with nature. On the upper floor, there is a balcony designed to provide a 180-degree sea view and a breeze that integrates the freshness of the vegetation. Facades covered with natural stone and wood create materiality that is in harmony with the landscape of the region while creating a contrast with the surrounding green vegetation. Most of the furniture such as desk and coffee table in the interior was specially designed by architects.
Vacation House in Lia
Architectural Design: MOLD Architects
Building Date: 2013
Area: 300 sqm
Location: Lia, Greece
Photography: Yannis Kontos, Iliana Kerestetzi
Natural Stone: Local natural stone
Location: Facade
Designed as a composite “terrace” on a steep slope, the Holiday Home in Lia is located on the rocky slopes of the Cycladic landscape. Stone walls become a compositional tool that defines indoor spaces, shapes courtyards, provides protection from northern winds and frames the landscape, creating indoor and outdoor spaces in accordance with the natural flow of the slope. It was aimed to “hide” the house with the use of stone and iron, together with the earth-colored cement mortar floors. This logic is reinforced by the creation of areas where edible plants grow on the roofs. The roof vegetation, together with the olive trees, oleanders and bougainvillea growing in the surrounding area, contribute to the visual continuation of the landscape. Considering that life on the island is mostly lived in the open air, it was given importance to create outdoor spaces with different qualities. While the roofed, covered and sheltered areas are prominent in the design, the other volumes are designed freely to be exposed to the sun and wind. Indoor and outdoor areas in the building communicate, creating the route that goes down to the sea. The combination of closed spaces is realized with the typology of traditional Cycladic dwellings.
House in Huentelauquén
Architectural Design: Izquierdo Lehmann
Building Date: 2007
Area: 350 sqm
Location: Huentelauquen, Chile
Photographs: Luis Izquierdo W.
Natural Stone: Local natural stone
Location: Facade
Located in the Chilean town of Huentelauquén, forty meters above the coast, on a rural landscape overlooking the sea at the edge of a windy plateau, the structure is buried to disappear into the plain of the plateau, where only five chimneys emerge like lookouts looking out to sea. In the design placed horizontally on the land, the rooms on the ground floor are lined up to form a courtyard protected from the wind, facing the horizon view away from the retaining wall at the back of the land. A pair of large windows suspended between the skyline and the excavated courtyard and below the living and dining room floor opening to either side, another living room is placed, continuing with a terrace open to the sea. Accessed from the inner courtyard by a staircase leading through the house, the terrace is placed in front of the living room, providing an uninterrupted view of the sea from the horizon to the beach.
