A stone house that unites heritage with contemporary life

Located on the hill of Aleomandra, in Mykonos, but almost completely hidden in nature, the Mandra residence faces the sea and the sunset over the neighboring island of Delos. A holiday home with 6 bedrooms, built for a young and dynamic couple, to enjoy with their family and friends and celebrate the spectacular view, mixed with a garden with stone walls and sensitive landscaping that protects it from the road.

The house was built with the idea of ​​a slow and relaxed summer life, and encourages a conscious connection with family, friends and the freedom to exist peacefully in nature. The shape follows emotion and not function, as every space becomes an opportunity for rest, reflection and exploration.

To create a home that would allow guests to enjoy outdoor spaces throughout the day, we needed to filter the intensity of the local climate, providing shade and protection. Although the residence needs to accommodate a large number of guests, the architect did not want to dominate the landscape with large volumes. Inspired by the humble complexity of the island's traditional vernacular, they have reduced the architecture to 2 small volumes traditionally painted in white built around a large seating area in the courtyard covered by a wide pergola. This patio becomes the focal point of the house, perfectly connected to the living room and kitchen volumes, facing the pool and gardens. Under the pool garden, there are private dorms that silently enjoy the uninterrupted view over the lower garden and the sea. Its separation further reduces the overall impact of the home and clearly divides the social and private space.

The key to the character of the house is in the palette of traditional materials, such as lime, natural stone and wood, which were applied and designed with contemporary techniques to create a non-nostalgic architecture that unites heritage and context with contemporary life. With hand-built stone walls, the volumes with rounded edges are perfectly smooth. The usual pergola was designed to increase its structural integrity, forming a trellis that rests lightly on the white volumes, shading and protecting the extensive patio below.

The simple light volumes, the natural stone walls and the light planes of the pergola are comfortably inserted in the Cycladic landscape. The efficiency of its layout, centered on the patio's living space, simplifies daily life. The Mandra residence uses the humble Cycladic tradition, enriched by natural materiality and inspired by contemporary Greek summer life.

Post by: Giovanni da Paz

Source: Archdaily

Architects: K-Studio

Photography: Claus Brechenmacher & Reiner Baumann Photography

What steps is doral stones taking during the pandemic?

We know by now you have probably seen and heard this too many times, but just to be safe, here is doral stones can tell you about the Corona Virus Pandemic and what we are doing :

What is COVID-19?

The newly identified coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is caused by a virus called SARS-CoV 2. First identified in China in December 2019, COVID-19 has infected thousands of people around the world. While this coronavirus is new, it is not the only coronavirus. Coronaviruses were first identified in the 1960s, commonly infect people and are associated with the common cold.

What are the symptoms of COVID-19?

The symptoms of COVID-19 are difficult to distinguish, as they present symptoms like other coronaviruses that are similar to those of the common cold. People with confirmed cases have reportedly had mild-to-severe respiratory illness with the following symptoms:

IMPORTANT: Symptoms may occur up to two weeks after exposure.

How do I prevent infection?

As there is no vaccine or treatment for COVID-19 at this time, preventing exposure to COVID-19 is your best defense. Everyday practices to help protect you and prevent the spread of viruses include:

Wash your hands often.

Wash your hands well, especially after coughing, sneezing or having any contact with someone who's coughing or sneezing. Use soap and running water, scrub your hands for at least 20 seconds and then rinse and dry your hands thoroughly. When soap and water aren't available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer containing at least 60% alcohol.

Keep your hands away from your face

Avoid rubbing your eyes or putting your hands to your mouth until you've washed your hands.

Observe respiratory etiquette

Cover your mouth and nose when coughing or sneezing, throw away used tissues immediately and wash your hands afterwards.

Clean high-touch surfaces

Frequently disinfect surfaces like door handles, light switches and countertops.

What do I do if I feel sick?

If you begin to feel ill, even with mild symptoms, manage them as you would if you had the flu. Stay at home, in a separate room from your family if possible, and avoid public places until you recover. Rest, use fever reducers (if needed) and keep at least six feet away from other people when possible. If you develop a cough and/or have difficulty breathing, call your healthcare provider to discuss your symptoms and travel history, and you'll be advised how to best proceed.

What is social distancing?

Social distancing is intentionally increasing the physical space between people (at least six feet), as well as minimizing social contact, to avoid spreading illness. Examples include avoiding crowds, working from home instead of going into the office and visiting with loved ones via electronic device instead of in person.

Why is social distancing recommended?

In general, the larger the gathering, the more opportunities there are for person-to-person contact and therefore greater risk of spreading COVID-19 virus. A COVID-19 outbreak could last a long time in your community. Depending on the severity of the outbreak, public health officials may recommend specific actions, such as closing schools and public locations, in order to help keep people healthy, reduce exposures to COVID-19 and slow the spread of the disease. These mitigation strategies are particularly important in order to slow the transmission of disease in order to protect:

- Individuals at increased risk of severe illness, including older adults and persons of any age with underlying health conditions

- Healthcare and critical infrastructure workforces

What steps is doral stones taking during the pandemic?

In the name of social distancing, doral stones is recommending all customers to check our online inventory and postponing any store visit. We understand that you can’t buy a slab without proper inspection, but our entire stone inventory is registered on our website with high definition pictures and slab sizes. After selecting your stone, we are offering an extra 30 Day Period for all slabs placed on hold. We believe this can help you find the best stone for your project during this challenging time.

Are store hours changing?

Yes. As the situation evolves quickly, we are updating our store hours and taking extra measures to help provide a clean and safe environment for our customers and team members.

Keep Informed

Get the latest information on the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19), learn how to protect yourself and take advantage of our convenient services:

Visit CDC.gov for updates on this rapidly evolving situation

Get the latest from Miami-Dade County

Get the latest from Florida Health

Get the latest from White House

Source: We're in this together: Helping you and your family through COVID-19 by Walgreens

Recent Posts

4 Tips for Winning a Design Competition

Miami-Dade brings home a Pinnacle Awards of Excellence for Natural Stone use!

4 Tips for Winning a Design Competition

Every year the attendees of CASACOR Miami - an architecture, interior and landscaping design exhibition that takes place during Art Basel at Miami’s Brickell City Centre - choose the best room of the show to be awarded. For the second year in a row, Mr. Allan Malouf's room was selected amongst many incredible projects. This time, doral stones helped by providing the Natural Stones for the two feature walls. One wall showcased the All Saints, an elegant marble, deep and luminous at the same time with a complex personality because, despite emerging from a dark background, it transmits great light and vitality. On the other wall Mr. Malouf chose the Matarazzo, a refined Dolomite that features grey hints over a white backdrop to combine a solid appearance with a minimal accent. This amazing balance was probably one of the many reasons his Family Room was chosen as the best room but if you want to increase your odds of winning a Design Competition, here are 4 tips from the NKBA panel “How to Win a Design Competition,” featured speakers Bob Borson, FAIA, associate principal for BOKA Powell and a former NKBA Insider; DJ Carey, editorial director for CT Cottages & Gardens, who has served as an NKBA competition judge;Kendall Ansel, principal for Kendall Ansell Interiors and a winner of an NKBA 2020 Design Award for Living in Place design, and Peter Salerno, CMKBD, owner and lead designer for Peter Salerno Inc., who also has served as an NKBA competition judge. They shared personal experiences as entrants and judges. Here are their key tips: 1. High-Quality Photography

Although it seems like a no-brainer, it’s one of the most important factors when submitting a competition

entry package. In order for a judge to consider someone’s work, the judge needs to see a great portfolio of images featuring the design.“If the images aren’t great, you’ve already lost the judge,” Carey said. Lighting and composition are notable in photograph selection. Everything should be appropriately lit to accentuate the space, and nothing should seem unnatural.“It’s important that it doesn’t look like a showroom photo,” Borson said. He added that it should appear how it would while enjoying morning coffee.The first photo in a series should pull all of the information together and orient the judge to the space. Any photos used for design competitions are also portfolio-building content, so paying extra for a good photographer’s service is worth the effort.“You’re going to use this image to build your portfolio,” Salerno said. “That $2,000 can help you get more than you put in, and it’s not wasted money.”

Photograph: Kris Tamburello

2. Tell a Story

The narrative piece in a submission is where the designer can explain layout choices, overarching themes and anything that’s not easily expressed in a photograph. Use writing as an opportunity to pique the judge’s interest in the space beyond visual appeal.“Please don’t use clichés,” Carey said. “Tell me about the project, tell me about the problem, tell me about the solution.”Writing processes depend on personal preferences, and some of the panelists shared their perspective. “I write the bullet points first, and then the next day I work on the ‘fluffy’ parts,” Ansell said. Floorplans are also part of the storytelling aspect beyond the written statement. These detailed documents show a designer’s skillset and ability to adhere to guidelines. “When the documentation doesn’t match the product, that’s a big red flag,” Borson said. Make sure the written portion matches what is being represented in the plans and the visuals. Judges look closely at plans to confirm that a designer is carefully considering both aesthetic and technical components in a space.“As designers, we need to be able to provide the proper floorplan and elevation,” Salerno stressed.

Photograph: Kris Tamburello

3. It’s All in the Details

What brings charm and sophistication to a design is carefully thought-out detail. From a purposeful color choice to patterned tile, choosing thoughtful and subtle elements brings a design together. Panelists mentioned elements like greenery, thoughtful ceiling choices and carefully chosen accents as factors that enhance designs.“You need something green, something that has life,” Carey said. “Otherwise, the space will feel dead.”With increasing technology in the kitchen and bath spaces, clever solutions for hiding it are appreciated. Ansell mentioned that sometimes “wall acne” accumulates from the multitude of wires, switches, ports and smart devices. Designing with this in mind helps determine functional accessories that add to the details as opposed to detracting from the aesthetics of a space. Homeowners need the devices and the ways to charge them — but they don’t need to see them.

Photograph: Kris Tamburello

4. Don’t Give Up

Receiving a letter that states, “We regret to inform you…” is disheartening. The panelists collectively agreed, however, that this is the most important piece of advice — never stop entering competitions. It takes a lot of work to construct a winning package, but a loss leaves room for growth and improvement. The best way to get better and improve the odds is to send in submissions and learn from those that were not chosen.“If you submit for a design award and don’t win,” Borson said, “keep trying.”

Source:https://nkba.org/info/2020/03/the-nkba-list-4-tips-for-winning-a-design-competition

Recent Posts 📷Miami-Dade brings home a Pinnacle Awards of Excellence for Natural Stone use!