DZA

Ring House

Residential

Location: Antiparos

Status: Completed 2012

Project Architects: Atelier Bow Wow

Executive Architects: DZA

The ring house is located on an exposed hilltop on the island of Antiparos, offering stunning views. The challenge stood in the creation of a house with maximum privacy and, at the same time, with unobstructed view. The program of the building is broken down to individual volumes, each containing a very specific living condition. The smaller building components are then organized to form a perfect ring, where the 5 bedrooms are placed opposite the living areas and covered bbq, facing the eastern views towards Paros. To avoid blocking the view from the living areas the ring is cut and the western part pushed down allowing a panoramic view towards the western hillside. At the same time this creates the entrance stepping over the lowest building block. From here the house is spiraling upwards and creates a perfect staircase where each room forms the stepping stones to the ultimate viewpoint on top of the Ring House. In the center of the house an internal courtyard is connecting each building component with plateaus. On windy days the shape of the courtyard gives constant protection from the weather. Here in the heart of the building a 25 meter pool is penetrating the circle.