The site for this residence is an elongated plot along Pedieos river in Ayios Andreas, Nicosia, which is dominated by the dry-riverbed’s lush vegetation. From a statutory perspective, the site is listed as an area of ‘specific heritage character’. This classification enforces a series of design restrictions and a limitation of material palette for new buildings.
Bradly speaking, these constraints fall in two categories. The first concerns the project’s general spatial strategy and is evident in issues like the placement of the building in the plot; it determines the required setback of the building along the street according to the notional ‘building line’ created by existing edifices. Another similar requirement is that the building would be a fully detached house surrounded by vegetation. The second category concerns the articulation of the project’s architecture. For instance, it requires the use of a compact form with emphasis on solidity rather than spatial voids, with minimum overhanging elements. Moreover, the distribution of vertical openings and the use of natural materials are also enforced.
The proposal transforms all these design constraints into a starting point and a challenge. In this sense, the project seeks to operate as a ‘Set Piece’ in the residential area, whose architecture strives for a ‘sophisticated disappearance’. In other words, while upon first impression the project might go almost unnoticed, a more attentive examination reveals its complexity and subtle nuances in respect to the context.