The Resurrection of M Residence: A Decade-Long Vision Realized on the Cliffs of Serifos

SERIFOS, GREECE — Perched dramatically on a rugged precipice overlooking the azure expanse of the Aegean Sea, the newly completed M Residence cuts an arresting silhouette. From an aerial perspective, the structure appears almost extraterrestrial: a geometric, monolithic volume whose upper storey juts defiantly into the salt-laden coastal breeze, while its base is deeply and seamlessly anchored into the rocky terrain.

Designed by Mold Architects—a dynamic, female-founded, Athens-based practice celebrated for its site-sensitive contextualism—the home is defined by a distinct "pizza-box" architectural profile. This flat, crisp outline is punctuated by a series of precise cut-outs and apertures, evoking the organic shapes of eroded coastal rocks that slowly reveal themselves as the tide recedes.

Yet, beyond its striking visual grammar, M Residence represents an extraordinary architectural anomaly: a contemporary masterpiece that was conceptualized in 2011 as one of the firm’s inaugural projects, only to lie dormant on paper for over a decade before finally being brought to life for a new generation of clients.

Main Facts: Architecture, Engineering, and Context

M Residence is located in Lia, a serene and secluded pocket on the island of Serifos—a rugged, less-commercialized jewel situated between Kithnos and Sifnos in the Western Cyclades. The property bridges the gap between raw, wild nature and refined contemporary habitation.

Key Architectural Specifications:

• The Form: A compact, monolithic square volume inspired by the stoic geometry of traditional local monasteries.
• The Siting: Raised deliberately upon a subtle plinth, creating a profound shadow line that gives the optical illusion that the heavy structure is effortlessly hovering above the ground.
• The Courtyard Sequence: Within its singular geometric boundary, the home transitions through a sequence of seven distinct courtyards, utilizing curved internal walls to soften the otherwise strict exterior footprint.
• Materiality: Warm-toned colored plaster, tactile earth-toned finishes, and carefully curated local planting that softens the boundary between building and landscape.
• Water Feature: A sharply geometric swimming pool positioned thoughtfully outside the main architectural volume, serving as a reflective threshold toward the horizon.
• Photography: All architectural imagery captured by renowned photographer Giorgos Sfakianakis.

Chronology: From a 2011 Blueprint to Reality

The biography of M Residence is defined by time, patience, and a rare dialogue between an architectural firm’s past self and its present maturity.

2011: The Conception

When Mold Architects was first establishing its footprint in the Greek design scene, founder Iliana Kerestetzi and her team drafted the initial concepts for a private home on the cliffs of Serifos. At the time, the project captured the studio’s early ambitions regarding landscape integration and monolithic volumes. However, due to shifting circumstances, the clients at the time chose not to proceed, and the comprehensive blueprints were filed away, remaining an unbuilt conceptual exercise.

2021–2022: The Revival

More than a decade later, a new set of prospective owners acquired the land and approached Mold Architects, specifically expressing interest in realizing the long-dormant 2011 design. What began as a routine dust-off of old archives quickly evolved into a deeply reflective exercise in architectural evolution.

2023–2024: Construction and Refinement

With the core geometry intact, the architects revisited the layout through the lens of ten years of built experience. The rooms were recalibrated to open more generously toward the courtyards, materials were shifted toward warmer, more tactile applications, and details were streamlined to prioritize experiential quietness over loud statements. Construction on the harsh cliffside required delicate logistical engineering to preserve the surrounding topography, culminating in the final execution seen today.

Supporting Data and Spatial Dynamics

The spatial journey of M Residence is characterized by a deliberate choreography of contrasts. While the exterior presents a stark, almost fortress-like defense against the fierce Cycladic winds, the interior unfolds as a fluid, organic sanctuary.

Rejecting Harsh Angles

Internally, the architects deliberately rejected rigid, sharp angles in favor of smooth, flowing curves. This subtle interior topography encourages fluid movement, allowing visitors to drift effortlessly between private domestic quarters and sheltered outdoor rooms.

"We combined this with two other local architectural languages: the crisp, cubic rooms of the villages and the softer contours of rural buildings and dry-stone walls," notes Kerestetzi. "Within a square outline, rooms turn gently towards different views, while curved walls connect them and draw out a sequence of seven courtyards."

The Play of Light and Shadow

The home’s raised plinth not only creates a floating aesthetic but also manages solar heat gain and air circulation across the cliffside terrain. Overhead, strategic roof cut-outs puncture the flat planes, bathing the interior corridors in shifting shafts of natural light.

Demonstrating the home’s organic integration into the lives of its inhabitants, the residents have already introduced personalized adaptations—such as suspending a delicate white fabric beneath one of the overhead apertures. This impromptu addition filters the harsh Mediterranean sun into gentle, rippling shadows, adding an ephemeral layer of softness that the architects had not originally drafted, yet deeply appreciate.

Official Responses and Designer Insights

The revival of M Residence offered Iliana Kerestetzi a rare philosophical challenge: confronting an unbuilt ghost of her professional past and giving it physical breath.

"When the client expressed an interest in building it more than a decade later, I was thrilled," reflects Iliana Kerestetzi, founder of Mold Architects. "I still loved the idea, but opening that folder also meant confronting an earlier version of ourselves. The challenge was to look at the work critically while committing to its future. Our thinking had changed, and a design that had remained on paper was about to become someone’s home. That gave every decision a different weight. What still felt essential? What needed to evolve?"

Kerestetzi notes that while the foundational integrity of the 2011 concept remained unshakable, the execution benefited immensely from the firm’s intervening years of practice.

"The rooms opened more generously onto the courtyards, the materials became warmer and the details quieter," she explains. "The house took shape through that exchange between our earlier intentions, our present perspective, and the people who would inhabit it."

Discussing the sensory experience of the finished home, Kerestetzi emphasizes psychological comfort above all else:

"A room opens into a garden, a courtyard offers shelter, a shaded corner invites a pause. The warmth of the coloured plaster and the closeness of the planting make these spaces feel intimate. We hope people move through them intuitively, finding the spot that feels right for a particular moment. My favourite aspect is that the house reveals multiple facets and identities over time; the same spot easily evokes an entirely different vibe depending on light and seasons. A detail that recedes in the morning can become the most compelling thing in the afternoon."

Implications: Redefining Modern Cycladic Architecture

The successful realization of M Residence carries significant implications for contemporary residential architecture within the Greek islands and beyond.

1. Archival Resilience in Design

The project challenges the fast-paced nature of modern architecture, where unbuilt plans are frequently discarded. By proving that a thoughtful concept can transcend a ten-year hiatus and still feel avant-garde, M Residence demonstrates the timelessness of site-responsive design rooted in vernacular traditions rather than fleeting aesthetic trends.

2. Balancing Monumentality with Intimacy

Island architecture often struggles with the dichotomy between massive defensive structures (built to withstand fierce regional winds and historical threats) and human-scale domestic comfort. Mold Architects successfully resolves this tension by marrying the monolithic presence of local monasteries with the fluid, protective intimacy of nested courtyards.

3. The Co-Creation of Space

By allowing room for the inhabitants to organically alter their environment—exemplified by the drifting fabric shades and evolving seasonal shadows—M Residence signals a shift away from static, museum-like architectural finishes. It champions a living, breathing architecture that continues to write its own narrative long after the contractors have left the site.