Villa Renovation in Agni, Corfu

For this project located in the cosmopolitan area in Agni Corfu, overlooking the bay, our brief was to extend the ground floor level and maximize the buildability of the plot. This was not only done to be up to date with the market’s demands but also to accommodate the owners’ lifestyle.

The house, divided into two stories, was a simple Corfiot house, and its volume, although correctly orientated towards the magnificent views, did not leave any floor space allowance towards the front or left and right of the property. Our response was to incorporate the existing stone-built retaining wall, which was offset 2,5 meters away from the house’s back wall, into a new floor plan.

This resulted in the creation of two more bedrooms, as well as an open-plan entrance, kitchen, dining, living room, and fireplace area. More specifically, the extension with its roof lights allowing daylight to access inside and the new bedrooms created to develop a dialogue with the stone wall and at the same time have views to the sea.

Special attention was given to the materiality and the small details of the property. The fireplace unit was done in a way to host a high-end entertainment system and at the same time host the fireplace and nooks for reading and viewing outside.

In order to match the existing materials and overall feel of the existing house, a neutral colour pallet was chosen, while placing solid marble floors internally and externally creating a linear refreshed yet relaxed atmosphere

Careful lighting strategies both natural and artificial were adopted in the early stage of the design to enhance the experience regardless of the time and weather.

The much-needed technical elements were carefully designed to be part of the whole experience as well as the atmosphere of the place. For example, the stone retaining wall which was turned into an interior of the house was re-mortared and waterproofed. On its basis, however, as a provision, a gutter was left which acts not only as a potential drain but as an atmospheric lighting solution. Additionally, on all bedrooms that touch the retaining wall, materials and closets were created in such a way to allow humidity to escape, for example, louvered cabinets and wardrobes instead of traditional panels.

As a result, this design and built project has managed to offer an updated and enhanced Corfiot experience as shown by the ratings and comments on the rental platforms and also respect the previous work done and turn key disadvantages into advantages.