Sometimes the spirit of the place (genius logi) is so powerful that you do not need to do much in order to achieve a great design. All you need to do, is understand the place well and be in line with it. This site is a real sea front site with front border washed away by the tides of the Mediterranean Sea. The area Dokuz Evler (Nine Houses) takes its name from the 9 sea front houses on the beach constructed before 1974 as the first and only constructions in the area at the time. All nine houses designed singlehandedly with a Bauhaus modernism concept, which was on the rise in the island during the end of 1950’s onwards. Although there had been 15 more designs along the same shore lane after 1974, none of them seek the opportunity to become ‘the 10th’ design. Not through a formalist approach but by means of understanding their character and the basic of capturing the spirit of the place.   

For us, this concept meant; ‘to have a functionally perfected layout, minimalist interiors, best materials and to do the right thing at every step as opposed to having a design manifestation through a form-based approach.’ The minimalism in the use of natural materials, a tranquil atmosphere to come to after a hectic work day, and a meditational terrace to listen to the waves on the shore. In other words, ‘do not mismanage or mishandle’ any aspect of the design, stick to the basic design principles 101 and let the spirit of the place guide you. In this sense, this project is a manifestation of what a good design should entail as opposed to show off with forms and images trying to be ‘different’ for the sake of being better!