Project: Forest House: : A Passive House approach
Location: Thessaloniki
Architectural Study: ONUS Architecture Studio
Lead Architect: Margarita Kyanidou
Project Team: Margarita Kyanidou, Anna Andreadi, Aikaterini Korka, Charoula Kotsala, Chrysanthi Papaioannou, Georgina Lampropoulou
Structural Study: Liakos Georgios
3D Renders: ONUS Architecture Studio
Status: Proposal
The project is a private residence located next to the dense forest of Thessaloniki. The architecture embraces the slope and the surrounding landscape, forming a sequence of volumes that open towards the trees. The house is organised around a central courtyard, where a sculptural pine creates a natural reference point and brings daylight deep into the interior.
A series of concrete volumes with different orientations define the façades. The geometry creates sheltered outdoor spaces, shaded terraces and long overhangs. Each volume frames views of the forest while ensuring privacy from the street.
Large sliding openings connect the living spaces with the garden. The ground floor accommodates the kitchen, dining and living areas as one continuous space around the courtyard. The connection between inside and outside is direct: the landscape enters the house through planted roofs, recessed gardens and generous glazing.
The material palette is calm and tactile. Earthy volumes, timber cladding and natural tones integrate the building into the forest. Planting on roofs and terraces softens the geometry and supports the microclimate. The interior uses warm textures, soft fabrics and custom-made furniture, creating a comfortable domestic atmosphere.
At night, the house becomes a quiet lantern in the landscape. Subtle lighting emphasises the depth of the spaces and the presence of the inner garden.
The residence offers a balance between privacy and openness: protected from the street, fully opened to the forest. It is a compact and efficient family home where nature, architecture and light define everyday life.
Project: aTREEum House: : A Zero-Energy Timber Home Inspired by Nature
Location: Kifisia, Attica
Architectural Study: ONUS Architecture Studio
Lead Architect: Margarita Kyanidou
Project Team: Margarita Kyanidou, Anna Andreadi, Christina Ntalli
Structural Study: Dedes & Roditis Engineers
3D Renders: Katerina Iakovaki
Status: Proposal
On a narrow 6-meter-wide plot in Kifisia, aTREEum House pioneers sustainability as the first timber structure in the area, utilizing CLT (Cross-Laminated Timber) and glulam to minimize its carbon footprint.
This approach not only reduces embodied energy but also promotes a circular economy in construction. At its core, an atrium preserves an existing tree, integrating it into the daily life of the home while enhancing thermal comfort and natural ventilation. The house embodies the essence of a modern treehouse, respecting and coexisting with nature .
Designed as a zero-energy home, aTREEum House combines passive and active strategies to achieve energy self-sufficiency. A Building-Integrated Photovoltaic (BIPV) façade produces renewable solar energy, offsetting its operational energy needs. A closed rooftop greenhouse acts as a thermal storage space, stabilizing indoor temperatures and reducing heat loss in winter. The house maximizes natural ventilation through strategically placed green infrastructure, including roof gardens, atriums, and vertical greenery, contribute to cooling and insulation and sculptural geometric openings, while scrap perforated steel from cnc factory of the region work as shading system and open corridors. Additionally, a rainwater harvesting system provides irrigation, further reducing the home’s environmental impact. .
Beyond its function as a residence, aTREEum House acts as a catalyst for sustainability, opening and expanding the dialogue on sustainable action in urban design. .
In a city like Athens, increasingly affected by the Urban Heat Island effect, it stands as a paradigm for a new model of living—one that redefines the relationship between architecture, nature, and energy efficiency, offering a tangible vision for a more sustainable urban future.
