Situated in an olive grove in Halkidiki, Greece, The Olive Tree House is a 21-square-meter prefabricated summer house designed by Eva Sopeoglou Architecture and completed in 2016. The project was conceived as a low-maintenance, eco-conscious weekend retreat for its client, offering stunning views of the sea and the monasteries of Mount Athos.

The design stands out for its creative use of a perforated, olive-green metallic envelope, which wraps around the structure and is inspired by the dappled shade of olive trees. This innovative cladding, developed in collaboration with metal fabricator METALSO, uses a CNC punching machine to create a textile-like pattern with leaf-shaped perforations. As the sun moves, this envelope fills the interior with a dynamic play of light and shadow, blurring the line between inside and outside.

The house's rectangular, 3-by-7-meter plan is oriented to the cardinal points, a strategic placement that maximizes shading, natural ventilation, and views. A thin corridor connects the small interior rooms, which include a kitchen and bedroom, and is aligned with the surrounding olive trees. The building's orientation allows each room to have its own character based on the quality and intensity of its shadows, with colorful morning light on the east side and dramatic midday effects from the south.

Full-height sliding metal doors allow the internal spaces to open up completely to the landscape, facilitating semi-indoor and outdoor living. To ensure interior comfort, the design relies on natural ventilation, including a sloped roof that helps extract hot air. The prefabricated nature of the components allows the house to be dismantled at any time, leaving a minimal environmental footprint.

Credits

Architect: Eva Sopeoglou

Photography: Mariana Bisti and Elias Sopeoglou

Metal Fabricator: METALSO Sheet Metal Design

Manufacturers: AkzoNobel, Isomat, METALSO, Trumpf