Landscapes of Cohabitation in Antiparos

How does one build on the stark beauty of a Cycladic landscape without destroying its form, ecology and history?  Seeking a new equilibrium, this project attempts to reverse the trend of transformation as destruction: by recasting transformation as Symbiosis.

The Aegean landscape is a living synthesis of natural and cultural forms—a dynamic equilibrium shaped over millennia through processes of emergent self-organization. Yet this delicate balance is profoundly vulnerable, sustained only so long as the traditional economic and cultural practices that gave rise to it remain intact. Today, the Cycladic landscape faces a dual threat: on one hand, abandonment, leading to erosion, desertification, and fragmentation; on the other, the accelerating pressures of tourism-driven development.

Placing a development within this sensitive context demands a thoughtful response, one that begins with a deep understanding of the landscape’s historic and natural elements: the amphitheatrical arc of hills, seasonal streams, juniper groves and phrygana vegetation, the pezoules (agricultural terraces), and the xerolithies (dry stone walls).

A new design strategy emerges through synthesis. At the structural level

the existing landscape is read and extrapolated to form a spatial skeleton that anchors all new interventions

From the topography to the system of terraces and walls, to new roads, buildings, and outdoor spaces, every element adheres to a logic of continuity, moving from greater density in the protected core to sparseness on the exposed hilltops.

The restored and expanded terraces stabilize the soil, manage water, and shape development. Roads follow the logic of traditional features, perpendicular to the slope like xerolithies, or parallel like the pezoules. Parcels are left undivided by walls, fostering visual continuity and a sense of shared landscape.

Biodiversity and habitat are safeguarded: stream corridors, junipers, and ephemeral wetlands are preserved; non-native species are minimized. Vegetation strategy bridges native ecology and human habitation.

The fractal interweaving of local plant communities is replicated using percentage-based mixes, where each zone subtly transitions into the next

This layered approach forms a continuum—from cultivated garden to wild nature—resulting in a resilient and beautiful cohabitation.  A replicable model for low-impact, high-value development, it balances ecological integrity, cultural continuity, and contemporary needs within Greece’s evolving tourism landscape.

Awards:

2019: Big See Awards, winner of category: Landscape and Urban space

2018: 10^th International Landscape Biennial Barcelona: Finalist for Rosa Barbara prize

2010: AR the Architectural Review: Honorable mention