Nicosia-based architecture studio Christos Pavlou Architecture has brought nature into this garden house in Nicosia, Cyprus. 

Named The Garden House in the city, the 182-square-metre house feature small courtyard and outdoor spaces that connect main volumes as continuous space.

"Bringing nature back to the city although not a new idea it is a growing imperative especially for cities like Nicosia which has failed to make greenery and communal public areas a priority in its urban planning," said Christos Pavlou Architecture. 

"During lock-down we rediscovered the essential value of our houses, realising once again our need for more outdoor areas, balconies and rooftops to exercise and practice our hobbies."

"The need to freely breakout to enjoy open-air spaces and connect with nature and neighbours has become more desirable than ever during the pandemic," added the studio.

"But again the virus issue came only to emphasise what is already known through systematically forgotten and ignored, the urge to accelerate the process of incorporating nature in our cities in creative ways."

A house that brings nature back to the city, promoting shared spaces and social dialogue between its residents is what inspired the architects to design the "garden house". 

The design emphasises the potential for private urban gardens and the microclimates they create to improve living conditions within cities and slow global warming.

Not hiding behind fences and fully glazed on one side, the architects' proposal aims to form a physical continuation of the adjacent public green area. 

The house seeks to establish a unified relationship between the neighbourhood, the private garden and the public park. Urban elements such as building, street and public space are not treated as absolute activities in isolation but as one single homogeneous configuration as the house becomes part of the park and the park is included in the house. 

The integration of green areas into the house incorporates the planting of gardens on 60 per cent of the ground floor, the use of green terrace on the first floor, the provision of bee-friendly landscapes and 40 kinds of native wildflowers.  

All areas inside flow on the outer spaces and are organized around a green central courtyard placed in-between two white cubic volumes. 

Making space for nature in the city not only brings beauty to the urban fabric but encourages the return of local bird species and bees maintaining thus urban biodiversity; furthermore, it promotes human health and well-being.

Site plan

Ground floor plan

First floor plan

Section

Study diagram-1

Study diagram-2

Study diagram-3

Landscape plan - first floor

Project facts

Project Name: The Garden House in the city

Architecture Firm: Christos Pavlou Architecture

Firm Location: Nicosia, Cyprus.

Completion Year: 2019

Gross Built Area: 182 sq.m

Structural Engineer: Andreas Charalambous

Landscape: Solomou Landscaping

Mechanical engineer: G. Katsambas   

Electrical engineer: eplan electrical consultants LLC.

Aluminium design: Rabel 3D systems.

Project Location: Nicosia, Cyprus

Budget: 320.000 euro

All images © Charis Solomou

All drawings © Christos Pavlou Architecture

> via Christos Pavlou Architecture