Architecture studio Detale designed in Kalyves, Mani Peninsula the beautiful “The Rusted Mill House”. Set in a desolate village, the property is comprised of three separate, adjacent volumes that sit on different levels. The structures, constructed around 1850 and a unique feature is situated in the heart of this house a traditional olive mill. It was decided the equipment would remain in the house and was restored through the advisory of the Benaki Museum’s Conservation Department. The main entrance is now defined on the upper floor through an external staircase that leads to the terrace that looks out onto the mountain ridge and the coastline.
The main living space settled traditionally on the upper floor is connected to the ground floor through an added staircase that is a keeper to the “secret” of the house, the olive mill. They removed old concrete repairs and rebuilding what was ruined using traditional materials and techniques. The internal walls were refinished with natural mortar and the roof was rebuilt using the tiles that were on site, reused, refurbished, and kept original. Extensions of simple and restricted volumes lined with COR-TEN steel were added to serve as links between the historic elements and the contemporary functional adjustments, emphasizing the different construction eras but also the continuity and development of the house through time.
