A Perfect Greek Hilltop Villa Photographed by Athens Based Ioanna Roufopoulou

Today we’re taking a little trip to where no Project of the Week has gone before — Greece! I’ve had my eye on the incredible work of Athens-based architectural photographer Ioanna Roufopoulou for quite some time now, and am excited to share this series with you.

Let’s jump in and check out Ioanna’s photographs of a gorgeous villa perched upon a hill in Syros, Greece for block722architects. Right off the bat, you’ll notice how dynamically these read, steeped in hard light and graphic in nature.

There is a nice rhythm created by the repetition of the posts, which help draw our eyes out from the center of the scene towards the ocean at the edge of the frame. Another thing I appreciate here is how, even with softer light and an overall brighter scene, Ioanna still keeps the light directional and shapely, preventing this image from falling flat.

The texture here is palpable. The thatching and the dappling it creates on the facade is just lovely. It echoes the rippling on the ocean and the seating material. This gives us a phenomenal sense of place and makes it feel as if we could reach through our screens and touch everything in the scene.

This villa’s view is unrivaled, and Ioanna uses this unique vantage point to lay it out for us. Seeing the horizon line suspended over the roofline is a fresh perspective. This angle also helps us note the parapet roof and the overall shapeliness of this home.

I am a big fan of the restrained post-processing style that Ioanna employs. The neutrality and simplicity lends itself well to this home, where the shapes and light do all the talking.

Again, there is a sense of peace and tranquility given off by the quiet moments that Ioanna creates. The images are simple and unfussy. Wrinkles on the bed linens? Ok! Casually placed objects like glasses and shoes? Perfect! She brings tan ideal amount of humanity to this project.

Here we are given a look at the master bath, where nice directional light streaming in carves out the shape of the tub and gives us descriptive shadows but isn’t too much — there is that continued sense of calm and quiet that the rest of the interior photos sport. The balance of exposure between the interior and exterior feels right, and while there is an emphasis put on that gorgeous view out the windows, our attention is still able to rest on the room itself.

Back outside, a sweeping view of the exterior helps us place the house among the sea and the amazing pool and patio area. The house appears to be suspended among the water, and it is such a lovely scene. My favorite part though? The patterns of light streaming through the patio cover.

I truly could not think of a better place to lay out in the sun. Ioanna does a perfect job at portraying the magic of this villa and its incredible location. With the array of textures and specular light, there is a sense of heat and time of day that places us in the scene.

Her perspectives beautifully showcase the property in relation to its location, while translating the bold set of shapes that make up the villa’s hardscaping and pool area. There is also a great illusion going on, where the pool seems to be part of sea, and the steps appear to lead right down into the ever-stretching blue expanse. Talk about an infinity pool!

We’ll end this Project of the Week with this great little detail. If this doesn’t transport you right to the villa in Syros, I’m not sure what will!

Many, many Thank You’s to Ioanna for sharing this project with us. See more of her lovely work by heading to her website ioannaroufopoulou.gr and her Instagram @ioanna_rouf.

If you have a project you’d like to be considered for Project of the Week, you can submit it here.