In the village of Pollonia, a tribute to the island group, its topography, and its natural beauty
With its sandy beaches, cobalt blue sea, and fishing port, the village of Pollonia looks like a painter’s canvas come to life. Located on Milos, the island in the Cyclades where the Venus de Milo was discovered, the village is now home to a complex of luxury suites created by KKMK Architects. Overlooking the sea and the island of Kimolos, White Pebble Suites was designed by Katerina Karagianni, Marina Karamali, and Myriam Kourouvani, but also by nature, which guided the architects’ hands as they drew lines and curves inspired by the topography of the islands. The design captures the motion of waves in the wind and their ever-changing reflections in the sunlight. In fact, the sun and wind are the stars of an aesthetic and a design that are very much part of the landscape. An in-depth study of the local landscape was, in fact, the starting point of the project, resulting in a structure created according to the story told by nature. And nature penetrates deep into the heart of this hospitality property, which is low and respectful of its setting.
The footprint of White Pebble Suites is a V shape, with a swimming pool in the center, as if it were an extension of the sea beyond the structure, which can be seen from within it.
An organic appearance and references to the local area have also been created by using traditional techniques and materials for the façades and the exteriors in general. The effect is of an intertwining of history, dialogue with the typical architecture of Milos, and a contemporary perspective. The white façades, which contrast with the blue sky, are uninterrupted curves, as if they were shaped by the wind of the sea and colored by the changing shadows and reflections created by the sun throughout the day.
The twelve suites maintain a constant dialogue with nature, their colors reflecting the delicate tones of the exterior and with their furniture partly in wood. Each one has a terrace with awnings and canopies that blend with the warm color of the sand in the distance, as well as plants, both inside and out. Some of the terraces have an infinity pool.
Reflecting the overall shape of the structure, small corridors run between one volume and the next, with a central corridor leading down to the swimming pool and the sea.
Location: Pollonia, Milos (Greece)
Architect: KKMK architects-Karagianni Karamali
Design team: Katerina Karagianni, Marina Karamali, Myriam Kourouvani
Photography by Vangelis Paterakis, Billy Zoupas, courtesy of KKMK