Mediterranean Living celebrates the warmth, light, and timeless elegance of homes along the Mediterranean coast. From sun-drenched interiors to landscapes that merge indoors and out, each residence in this series embodies a harmony of natural materials, fluid spaces, and effortless connection to its surroundings—capturing the essence of Mediterranean life.
Located in Paralimni, on the southeastern coast of Cyprus, the Avlí Houses (Avlí: Αυλή, meaning “courtyard”) by Ona i Ona Architecture and Design were designed for two related families wishing to continue their tradition of spending summers together. The project accommodates two autonomous residences on a compact 607-square-metre plot, organized around a shared, climate-responsive courtyard. Balancing collective outdoor living with privacy, the design draws on Mediterranean architectural traditions while responding to the needs of contemporary living.
The design establishes a careful balance between autonomy and togetherness, ensuring each household benefits from generous private living spaces while encouraging daily interaction through a sequence of shared outdoor environments.
Rejecting the conventional logic of a semi-detached arrangement, the two volumes are positioned around a common open space that becomes the project’s primary organizing element.
One residence occupies the street edge while the second is set deeper within the site, creating an inward-oriented composition that privileges internal relationships over external frontage.
This spatial configuration draws upon the principles of Cypriot vernacular architecture, where the courtyard acts as a transitional realm between public and private life and forms the centre of domestic activity.
Access to both houses is arranged through this shared open space, reinforcing its role as the collective threshold of the development.
The courtyard performs as the project’s environmental and social center.
Alongside the main entrance sequence, it accommodates communal outdoor living areas and a small swimming pool, while shaded seating and strategically positioned planting extend outdoor use throughout the summer.
Passive environmental strategies – including natural ventilation, evaporative cooling and carefully shading – enhance thermal comfort without relying exclusively on mechanical systems.
Each residence also incorporates a more secluded outdoor area enclosed by movable bamboo screens that filter sunlight, promote cross-ventilation, and allow the spaces to adapt to changing climatic conditions.
A three-metre-wide planting strip of native trees further strengthens the relationship between architecture and landscape, while contributing to the site’s ecological performance.
The result proposes an alternative model for Mediterranean holiday living, where shared rituals and individual retreat coexist within a cohesive architectural framework.
Carefully controlled openings, inward-facing façades and climate-responsive outdoor spaces foster both privacy and connection, demonstrating how vernacular spatial principles can be reinterpreted to support contemporary patterns of family life.
Facts & Credits
Project title Avlí Houses
Typology Architecture, Residential
Location Paralimni, Cyprus
Site Area 607 m²
Total Built Area 220 m²
Completion Period 2023–2025
Architecture Ona i Ona Architecture and Design |Eleni Flouri, Laoura Maria Fotiou
Structural Engineering Savvas Constantinou
Mechanical Engineering Giorgos Katsampas
Electrical Engineering Nikolas Katsaris
Construction Company CREATO Constructions Evagorou Ltd
Energy Consultant / Energy Study Giorgos Katsampas
Landscape Architecture Antia Georgiou
Photography Creative Photo Room
This project was submitted to Archisearch through the “Submit a Story” feature, where architects, designers, and creatives are invited to share their work for publication.