Stone house, Listaros

Stone house, Listaros

Hilltop Mediterranean villa

Designed for a creative Parisian couple seeking space to relax and unwind with friends and family, the materiality and palette of the house reflect the surrounding landscape and vernacular architecture of southern Crete.

Located between the villages of Listaros and Matala, the house was built to maximise views of the Libyan Sea, olive groves and the snow-capped Psiloritis mountains.

Planned along the principles of bioclimatic architecture, each orientation of the house was studied accordingly to provide shading. Stavropoulou Architects developed an inventive design for the house, to frame views without compromising bioclimatic principles.

The house is composed of three building volumes. Two of them are single – floored, while the third is a two storey space housing the entrance at ground level and the private area of the master bedroom, bathroom, and walk-in closet on the upper floor.

The terraces of the single-storey volumes become the verandas for the private area of the house.

All furniture within the house was designed by Stavropoulou Architects, via our usual technique of collaboration and partnership with local craftspeople that have in-depth knowledge of materials.

The house’s interior colour palettes deliberately create a sense of calm, highlighting the warmth of the wooden textures and the hues of the textiles.

Testimonials

As we had been very impressed by the realizations of Stavropoulou Architects in Athens, we asked Elena Stavropoulou to design the house we wanted to build on the South Coast of Crete. It has been a fantastic collaboration. She first took the time to advise us on the plot we wanted to buy – even helping us to find the right legal advisors, something extremely precious for foreigners! Then the creative and design process was both extremely fun and productive: she carefully listened to our ideas, and studied the way we wanted to live in the house and around into the slightest daily details. We also share the same concern of having the most environmentally-friendly possible house, and greatly appreciated that she paid such attention to the best thermic insulation; this is not so common with many houses in Crete. With her great team of collaborators, she also analysed the precise orientation and organization of the external pergolas according to the sun, the wind and the seasons: this allows us to have meals outside all year-round without boiling or freezing! Stravropoulou Architects also had an ideal collaboration with the building team, providing them the right support and frame, both technically, administratively, and to react accordingly to the small unpredictable events. We are so grateful to Elena and her wonderful colleagues to have turned our dream into reality!

An outdoor swimming pool with a clear view of the surrounding landscape and a bright blue sky with one white cloud on the upper left side of the sky.
Aerial view of a stone pergola with a swimming pool and a vast natural landscape surrounded by hills and olive trees.
Close-up view of the modern exterior walls in brown and beige tons of a minimal house against a bright blue sky.
A minimalist interior space with built-in wooden shelving, soft lighting, and light-colored walls.
A modern living room with a large, built-in L-shaped sofa featuring gray cushions and a wooden coffee table. The room has a minimalist design with a floating wooden staircase leading to an upper level and a dining area in the background with a long wooden table and chairs. The space is bright with neutral tones and a clean aesthetic.
A modern living area with a built-in white sectional sofa with gray cushions and an open-plan design that includes a kitchen and dining space. The room features a minimalist style with large windows, a wooden coffee table, and a bar-style kitchen counter with stools in the background.
A modern bedroom with a stone accent wall behind a bed covered with a greige duvet. The room features minimalistic decor, including wooden elements, a small side table with a lamp, and a dark upholstered bench near a large window.
A spacious outdoor terrace with a lounge chair and a small table set under a clear blue sky, overlooking a panoramic view of mountains and greenery.
A modern stone house with a minimalist design composed of rectangular volumes in different tons of beige and brown featuring a dark outdoor swimming pool, sun loungers, and umbrellas under a clear blue sky. The house is surrounded by a natural landscape with mountains visible in the distance.
A stone wall with plants and an olive tree at the back of the space overlooking surrounding hills.
A shaded outdoor patio area with a modern stone pergola structure during sunset, featuring comfortable seating and overlooking a scenic view of hills and a cloudy sky.
An outdoor patio area at night, illuminated by two lanterns on the ground, with a stone wall and decorative grasses in the background under a dramatic cloudy sky.
A scenic outdoor terrace at sunset featuring a pool, stone pillars, lounge chairs, and umbrellas, with a panoramic view of rolling hills and a colorful sky.
A modern house composed of rectangular volumes in tons of beige and brown, illuminated at night, reflected in a nearby dark swimming pool under a cloudy sky. The scene includes lounge chairs and a serene outdoor ambiance.
On the left side an outdoor patio area of a modern house with beige walls and a wooden pergola roof. The patio features a dining set and is surrounded by natural landscaping, overlooking a scenic view with mountains and clouds in the background. On the right side a stone wall with plants and an olive tree at the back of the space overlooking surrounding hills.
An outdoor patio area of a modern house with beige walls and a wooden pergola roof. The patio features a dining set and is surrounded by natural landscaping, overlooking a scenic view with mountains and clouds in the background