Liknon
by K-Studio
Client METAXA
Award RIBA International Awards for Excellence 2024
Liknon forms part of the terraced hillside of Samos, an island in the Aegean Sea. The single-storey building is exemplary in its interpretation of the ancient vineyard shelter vernacular creating a seamless connection between the interior and the surrounding landscape.
The small museum and vineyard explore Metaxa’s heritage within a century old vineyard that has produced this distinctive drink. The project consists of a restored terraced landscape and new visitor centre, sensitively set into the hills.
The architect’s approach of repairing the vineyard’s terraces and ‘stitching’ structures into the terrain with minimal intervention has resulted in an outstanding house with a strong sense of place and harmony between building and surrounding.
Thoughtful manipulation of the single-story volumes based on a folded geometry built into the hillside has transformed the derelict grounds into a series of joyful spaces. The architect mastered the challenge of sensitive siting by designing a footprint that responds to the geometry of the terraces in which it is set and a building that is made of and emersed in the landscape.
Building techniques follow traditional principles of stone-wall terracing. Through the inclusion of local craftsmen and materials from the island and the site itself, the built elements sit in harmony with the sense of place. This sustainable approach reduced the carbon footprint, the project fosters community spirit and makes a contribution to the island’s economy.
Sunken courtyards and passages provide a naturally cooled micro-climate. The building’s small number of rooms are cross-ventilated, its green roofs consist of a substantial soil volume that mitigates temperatures in a sustainable way.
Planting on the roofs and sloping ground adjacent to the building consist of a matrix of plants that responds to the landscapes character, enhancing bio-diversity and blending the structures sympathetically into the indigenous landscape.
The client wanted to celebrate the brand and illustrate the connection between cultivation of muscat grapes in the mineral rich volcanic terroir of the island and the flavour of the fortified sweet wine. Visitors are first led through the restored vineyard terraces before tasting a drink that has been produced in Samos since antiquity.
The holistic approach has created a building that is anchored in the tradition of viticulture and the project has restored an important landscape typology.
Location: Vourliotes, Greece
Date of Occupation: 01/06/2022
Cost: Confidential
Gross internal area: 306 m²
Contractor: BALLIAN TECHNIKI S.A.
Project Management: Conjekt
Surveyor: Palaiokastritis Yiannis
Structural Engineer: Helliniki Meletitiki S.A.
Mechanical Engineer: CONAP
Lighting Design: LAST - Lighting Architecture Studio
Landscape Architect: FYTRON landscapes PANOU S.A.
Kitchen Consultant: InoxLand
