AUSTRINUS
HOUSE & STUDIO

southern; of the south
from Latin auster [“the south wind”] +‎ -īnus


Austrinus House & Studio is a building divided to a three-level house with a small terrace and a small ground-floor studio with separate entrance. Located in the heart of Splantzia neighbourhood, in the old town of Chania, Crete, the ground floor and first floor of the building date back to the Venetian period (17th century), while the last floor is an Ottoman addition of the 18th century.

The renovation started in November 2021, by enforcing the structure with concrete and restoring the facade with natural pigments, and finished with the last interior details in the summer of 2022. The floor plans got re-arranged towards the conversion of the building into a contemporary guest-house. With respect to its old shell, the design forms a light structure that enables for the space to breathe, with the least permanent interventions possible. The narrow and crooked layouts -classic case of the venetian architecture of 17th century- demanded a wholistic design approach, including custom oak furniture that would provide enough storage and the necessary utilities. Flooring and walls vary between wood, ceramic tiles and naturally coloured compressed cement mortar.


THE HOUSE 


















THE STUDIO
















Architect: Athina Botonaki
Structure: ILIOS Construction
Wood work: Xylotechno - Βασίλης Καφεσάκης
Metal work: Κυριάκος Σεργάκης, Αλέξανδρος Παπαφιλιππάκης