Opening the Mind

A stunning sea view was the primary design criterion of the project created by Panos Panayiotou + Associates (PPA) for a luxury complex on a coastal seafront site in Limassol, Cyprus. The new development, called iHome, consists of two residential towers with high-end apartments, lofts and penthouses. Intended to add a new dimension to an already highly distinctive stretch of Cyprus’s southern Mediterranean coastline, it dominates the Limassol skyline and – according to the architect – brings together « everything that is special and luxurious in an exclusive collection of unique and elegant houses. It is a small corner of utopia ». The aim was to give the buildings the best possible sea view while leaving ample open spaces for a large garden area, which together with the external terraces and the shaded areas around a central swimming pool would make a unique lifestyle statement. « Taking all of this into account, we began by developing a concept that would create permeability between the buildings, allowing each group of apartments to ‘float’ inside an open structural mesh, » explained the architects. The interaction between solids and voids and the way in which light designs the shape of the buildings creates a thrilling composition. Both towers have transparent façades that make nature seem even closer.
An array of materials – mainly glass and oxidised copper as well as the highest quality marble, revisited with the reliability and versatility typical of porcelain stoneware – further underscores the sensation of complete harmony with the sky and the sea. Each apartment is spatially configured to achieve the best possible view, with many of the daytime areas facing directly onto the balcony. The double-height penthouses occupy the upper floors and feature rooftop panoramic terraces. Wood floors, neutral walls and full-height windows serve as the perfect backdrop from which to enjoy a view that changes continuously throughout the day. Stone-effect porcelain tiles recreate the details of natural stone with their wealth of veins, colour gradients and material inclusions. The original and highly varied floor and wall tiles from Italian company Atlas Concorde create spaces with a high degree of personality in which stone-effect porcelain coordinates perfectly with cement-coloured tiles. The volumes of the individual cells that enclose the apartments are tempered by the use of curved façades, creating soft, floating solutions that are reprised as distinctive elements of the garden. The patinated copper tone chosen as the main colour of the façades helps to blur the boundaries between the garden and the building, placing nature firmly centre stage.