Ypseli Anafi`s Hive is a building complex consisting of 8 suites of different types, with common characteristics of quality and comfort. It stands on a plot of 4.332 m2 in the area of Exo Roukounas in Anafi island, close to Katsouni beach, overlooking the sea that stretches beyond.
The aim of the design was to create a hospitality complex in which each space would be open to the sea located on the south and east sides. One characteristic feature of the composition is the water core in front of the reception building, around which all the common functions were developed (relaxation areas, outdoor seating, bars). This is located a short distance from the suites, which each open onto their own private outdoor area. A gentle intervention was attempted, with a staggered layout of buildings adapted to terraces already formed on the ground. All private terraces as well as the communal relaxation area overlook the sea and the view, which is dominated by Mount Kalamos, the second-highest rock in the Mediterranean after Gibraltar. The alternation of stone and white volumes, as well as the shading elements on the facades of the building, are characteristic features of traditional Cycladic architecture.
The total area of the buildings is 460 m2. The first building that one encounters when approaching the complex from the east side from the outdoor parking lot, is that of the reception (with WC, luggage storage and laundry space - linen cabinet in the basement). Starting from this point, passage to the common areas and suites is shared through landscaped outdoor paths.
The eight suites are located in a two-level building that follows the natural ground and terraces of the plot. Most suites comprise two rooms, three are one-room, and each has its own bathroom and small kitchen. Four of the eight suites are on the first level, and these open onto courtyards covered with pergolas or stretch membranes –sails– with low planted flowerbeds and built-in benches that separate each area for greater privacy. The second level includes four more suites which open onto courtyards on the roof of the lower level, and these are also separated by low planted beds and built-in sofas. Great emphasis has been placed on the surrounding area in order to integrate the configurations as harmoniously as possible with the natural environment. In particular, plants and herbs local to the island have been used to delimit the areas and enrich the outdoor spaces of the complex.
Elements and materials found in traditional Cycladic architecture –and particularly that of Anafi– were used to build a structure that could integrate harmoniously into the distinctive landscape of the island. The key characteristics include domes along the major axis of the volumes, white exterior masonry consisting of plaster without guides or uncoated stonework made with local stone and recessed joints such as old dry stones and openings with a specific width/height ratio. The landscaping of the surrounding area and the paths has also been done to incorporate elements of the natural environment -uncoated stone structures made of local stone, courtyards and stairs with cement mortar coating slabs, and stabilized soil.
