A challenge of balance_

The structure was built in many stages, it kept expanding as inhabitant monks grew in population, eventually left abandoned and in ruins as it had suffered the relentless consequences of harsh weather and the passage of time. The Athanasiadis family of engineers envisioned the conversion of the historical building into a holiday home, establishing via simple means the conditions of a new residence inside an old historical “shell”. With attention to detail and respect towards the historical significance of the building, the special architectural features were revealed and preserved in order to breath new life into it. Stone lintels, indoor courtyards, arches at the ground floor and traditional stonework are the building blocks of traditional architecture which in combination with modern amenities, bring the building to the 21st century without altering the original construction and thus allow the visitor to “travel” to another era. The building, as an ‘archival’, almost archaic imprint, managed to survive despite its long course through time, bringing the memories of things handmade and invites the visitor to a special experience of fairly ascetic living, drawing its inspiration from the area itself, old and new at the same time, in a small stone settlement of southern Greece.