Nahmia-Messinas residence
Plakakia, island of Aegina

Identity A permanent residence, located in Plakakia, Aegina, responding to the surrounding one-storey traditional and modern architecture; A. Konstantinidis, D. Diamantopoulos, K. Dekavalas, are some of the architects that have left their imprint in this part of Aegina. On the same plot, there was an existing house by D. Diamantopoulos. Some design elements, such as the wall color and exposed concrete, were chosen to match the existing house, in order to form a unified whole.

Organization The house is organized in two levels: the upper level with the public rooms (living, kitchen, dinning, wc) and the lower level with all the bedrooms (master, children, guest, clinic, and office).

Materials Concrete cast in place, the upper level is finished in painted plaster, the lower level finished in local stone excavated from the land.

'Green' design This is a transitional house in terms of ecological solutions. It was designed with the input of a Feng Shui consultant, and has incorporated certain 'green' solutions which are important Aegina.
For example, the house was located on the site so that the least amount of pistachio trees would be cut - only 2 or 3. The remaining trees were protected during construction.
The house has an underground water cistern, like the old Aegina traditional houses, as Aegina has water supply problems. Sometimes in the summer, water supply cannot meet demand. The water cistern collects approx. 30-40 cubic meters of water annually, which is used to water the 1,000 sq.meter garden.
The house is very well insulated and has thermo-break aluminum windows and doors. It is naturally ventiallated and cooled, and in the summer uses ceiling fans - instead of air conditioning.
Water is heated by two flat-mounted solar heating panels on the roof.
This is one of the very few households in Aegina that not only recycles its household waste, not only reuses containers and (fabric) bags, but it also composts its organic kitchen waste and the baby (bio-degradable) diapers (or uses fabric diapers). High-energy consuming electrical appliances, such as washing machine and dish washer, are operated during the night, using low-cost night electricity.

The design process commenced in 2003 and construction was completed in the summer of 2004.