Interviews with Ioannis Panagiotou

My design priorities are human needs in whatever area of the design process I participate in. I try to integrate algorithmic design as an element of expression and innovation of the design result. But the depiction of the original idea in sketches and diagrams, as well as the theoretical approach of the basic idea is a necessary element of my architectural design.

Contact with art and photography for an architect is crucial before seeing through architecture. Along with the content of the design composition, the architect should constantly update his stock of knowledge in various fields that complement the architecture.

The immediate goal of our design team is to participate in architectural competitions both in Greece and in the rest of the world, with the aim of designing on a larger scale.

There are always design, bibliographic or philosophical references in an architect's work that influence the design result. It is crucial for me beyond the modern trends to create a design language that characterizes my work, without determining this vocabulary by the prevailing trends.

Architectural competitions are a unique experience that helps the architect continue to move towards his design completion. It is a perfect experience.

The main goal was to create a holiday home with a strong extroversion and a relatively low budget on a plot with a steep slope. So the architectural design had to focus on the correct placement of the building on the plot in such a way as to allow its users to relax enjoying the unobstructed view of the open horizon and at the same time to design the open spaces around the house in a way that do not increase the construction budget.

This concept was assigned to our architectural office by a family of Belgians who especially love Greece and the beauties of the place, who had confidence and supported our design concept for their new home, since the design comprehensively met their needs.

The project was constructed between the years 2018-2020 by the construction company EKFRASI LTD on behalf of the property owners.

The challenges of such a project have given impetus to design. The difficulties of the geomorphology of the area in combination with the intense tourist rhythms of the island of Skiathos and the desire of the users to create a place of relaxation gave us the motivation. The need of the owners to have a house in Greece mobilized our design tools, so that they have the best possible result.

The name polygonal house was given by the polygonal structure that exists both in the floor plan of the house and in its volumes. The specific structure results from the orientation and extroversion of the house towards the sea and the open horizon, in combination with the structure of the necessary functions of the building program and the morphology of the soil.

All the collaborators who contributed to the creation of the design proposal had a decisive role. Both the 3D artists and the static and mechanical engineers contributed in their turn to the completion of the design idea. The company that undertook the construction of the building collaborated with many teams in the various construction stages

The research of the design solution was based on the geomorphology of the area and the natural relief. The natural features of the place and the anthropomorphology defined the design goals. These are the need for the continuous visual contact of the users of the building with the environment, as well as the oncoplastic harmonization of the building with the intense tourist rhythms of the island. The method followed includes the mapping of the terrain, and the users needs through interviews.

The house has been built on the island of Skiathos in Greece, at Profitis Ilias on a plot with a large inclination slope located 350.00m above sea level. It is in the limited zone allowed by law and within this zone in the smoothest part as possible. The difficulty concerned the placement of the house on a sloping plot at the same time as the desire of the owners to have a unobstructed view and low cost budget construction. During the construction of the project, a special challenge was the difficulty in the project management when you build on an island and on a mountain in parallel in combination with the weather conditions.

Our architectural firm P9 Arch Studio was founded in 2019 by me on the basis of many years of experience in the field of Architectural design and construction since 2004. The establishment of P9 Arch Studio aims at the innovation of architectural work and cutting-edge design for projects of any scale.

The architectural firm was awarded in 2022 with the international Bronze A 'Design Award, while in the past it has published its works on international and Greek architecture websites. Its main activity is to study and build mainly in Greece and especially in the Greek islands.

Life begins with creation, so we are inspired by the environment, memory, time, materials to meet the new space we design for our customers.

Design is the human need that meets aesthetics and all this together is approached through innovation which is in itself a difficult factor in the function of the implemented architectural work.

I try to design on all scales, from the construction of design details and furniture to the scale of an urban redevelopment of public space. I am more interested in the design that involves various constraints (space, financial, law), so that I can overcome them creatively. In these cases the production of a good design gives multiple satisfaction.

My favorite recent design is "Event Scape / the public space otherwise.
It is a public space of about five hundred square meters.
The inspiration for the creation of the project is the urban geometry around us, the urban
landscape, the encouragement for alternative use of space by visitors.
The architectural composition is designed to arouse the curiosity of the participants to
discover the geometry of the space through the many alternatives that the design idea gives.
The specific geometry of the space helps visitors to use the construction in many ways, to sit,
lie down, climb, talk to each other, and finally socialize, developing human relationships.
The alternation of curves and sloping surfaces that are shaped by colour concrete beton which
create the outdoor benches, the canopies, the climbing, and play areas.
The architectural composition also includes some moving elements of plastic without internal
mass, low weight that fit the construction and are also functional to sit or playing to place
them in recesses and on the surface to change the geometry of the space to a small scale in
a controlled way.

The first thing I designed was a residential complex that was a big challenge for me when it happened.

Important design tools that are part of the innovation in design in general, but also especially for me are the algorithmic design and the three-dimensional scanning of the space, at the same time with the developments in the augmented and virtual reality that come into our lives.

Creativity is all around us as long as we reveal it. I am particularly creative when I have the freedom and the conditions to use innovative design methods and cutting-edge architectural design in my work

My feelings about my works are a reflection of the feelings that the users of these works feel when they live in them.

Design is primarily about human needs. Designers can improve living conditions on any scale. The Avant-Garde in art and architecture contributed to this goal.

The future of design goes through the development of design tools, combined with innovative materials such as biomaterials and new production methods such as 3D printing, robotics and the integration of augmented reality methods in construction. All of these areas already shape the future of design and construction.

While updating my knowledge of design tools, I try to extend the references and good theoretical documentation of the design idea to most projects.

We work with young architects that we integrate into our creative team so that renewal and innovation is an ongoing process.

The most easy way to communicate with us is our email: info@p9archstudio.com and our website: https://p9archstudio.com/

Building on a piece of land located both on an island and within a mountainous setting presents distinct construction challenges. When this condition is combined with the need to build on a steeply sloped site, the complexity increases significantly. However, a site with a pronounced incline offers unobstructed panoramic views, and particularly on an island like Skiathos—renowned for its natural beauty—this translates into architectural strategies that aim to organize the building’s volumes in such a way that every part of the residence maintains a visual connection to the sea and the horizon.

The selection of materials in an architectural project is influenced by various factors, including inspiration drawn from local resources, durability, functionality, and more. In this case, the choice of metal canopies was driven by the need for expansive overhangs on the building’s southern façade, providing essential solar shading during the summer months, as the residence is designed primarily as a seasonal vacation home. Metal allows for the creation of large cantilevers without the need for vertical supports that would obstruct the invaluable views. Painted planed timber cladding was applied to the underside of the metal canopies, creating a balance between natural and industrial elements. Additionally, frameless glass balustrades were used to ensure uninterrupted visual access to the surrounding natural landscape, reinforcing the design’s commitment to openness and seamless integration with the environment.

The design concept originated from the need to organize the residence across two levels, as the required floor area could not be accommodated on a single level due to the steeply sloped terrain. This led to the development of a dwelling that can be conceptually divided into two distinct levels, each fully functional on its own in accordance with the architectural program and suitable for vacation use. This spatial arrangement allows the residence to host a greater number of occupants while maintaining an enhanced degree of privacy between them.

On the island of Skiathos, traditional vernacular island architecture coexists with its contemporary reinterpretations. Greek vernacular island architecture emerged from the fundamental need of its inhabitants to adapt their way of living to the local landscape and to respond to the climatic conditions of the region using the tools and materials available to them at the time. Designing a residence today can be seen as a reinterpretation of that same essential need—this time articulated through the lens of contemporary means, technologies, and values. This constitutes the core relationship with the vernacular tradition, beyond formal references such as color, materials, or other morphological elements.

The desire for constant visual connection with the surrounding environment emerged directly from the interview process with the clients. It was a key parameter offered by our design approach—one that we maintained throughout the development of the project. However, everything began with our first visit to this wild and beautiful site where the residence would be located. The plot itself, along with the local building regulations, provided the initial framework for our thinking, but it was the beauty of the natural landscape that ultimately guided the evolution of the design.

The Greek climatic conditions inherently encourage a strong relationship and continuity between interior and exterior spaces. The large openings on the façade of the residence serve as a primary architectural gesture toward this integration. Outdoor living areas, pergolas, and shading devices provide the spatial infrastructure that fosters such connections, guiding users into transitional zones and blurring the boundaries between inside and outside.

A key objective of the design research was to achieve a 180-degree view from within the residential shell. This led to the decision to break up the initial singular volume and create a polyhedral form that ensures unobstructed views across the entire horizon. This design intent resulted in a building that not only explores sculptural massing but also allows the residents to maintain a continuous visual connection to the horizon from within the interior spaces.

We were driven by the need to create an outdoor relief space on the upper level of the residence, which would support the requirement for each level of the dwelling to function independently, if needed by the users. This exterior space acts as an extension of the upper floor’s living area, reinforcing spatial autonomy and enhancing the flexibility of use within the overall architectural program.

Each project we are called to design presents its own unique conditions. Every site is different, as are the needs and expectations of its users. What this particular project offered us was the knowledge and experience of navigating the technical complexities involved in constructing a residence within such a demanding environment—an environment that nevertheless allows no compromises in the quality of architectural design or the execution of the work.