Voronoi’s Corrals is a project located in a 60,000 m2 plot in an isolated natural setting in the island of Milos, Greece. The overall design strategy was to segregate the rural areas of the landscape from the wild ones with clearly defined borders that form four distinct corrals. Each corral takes its references from its microenvironment and adopts sustainable strategies to amplify responsibly the experiential qualities of both the house and the landscape.

The Immersion corral is in a plateau at the edge of the white tuff and limestone cliffs which characterize the Southern coast of the island. Here the senses are bombarded by the presence of the raw natural elements: the sounds of the sea, the intensity of the sun and the wind, and the broad views of a horizon framed by geological formations.

The 170 m2 building on this plateau is organized around exterior courtyards which are used to funnel and control the prevailing winds and provide passive ventilation. The mass is defined by volumes that step down to blend visually with the natural slopes of the area. The exterior shell of the building is articulated by the stacking, coursing and stepping of long limestone blocks which have low heat conductivity and provide excellent thermal protection. Furthermore, like the cliffs, the material ages naturally changing appearance during the seasons.

The Orchard corral is the largest corral, enclosing a planting area of 18,320m2. This area has been regularly cultivated since before the first aerial photography records of 1945. It preserves the agricultural nature of the property which has been regularly cultivated for generations. An orchard of 550 Olive trees was planted along with grape vines, vegetables and aromatic herbs. Only local Mediterranean varieties were selected to minimize the irrigation needs.

The scale of the corral provided the opportunity to absorb the excavation material of the entire site, reshape the topography, and install a horizontal geothermal network which provides energy efficient cooling and heating for the entire project.

The Preservation corral is located in an area of 580m2 where the morphology of the land creates a zone undisturbed by the winds. This provided the opportunity to create a protected ecotope which was planted with fruit trees of varieties that are unique to the island and which are almost extinct.

The Isolation corral is in a small clearing that is accessed through a narrow path passing through the native wilderness. It is the most isolated location on the site, surrounded by the wild flora and the sounds of a small brook. This is the smallest corral and will be built by hand to preserve the surrounding vegetation. Like in other traditional structures in the islands, the edge of the stone wall will define the shape of a small shaded resting space.