We are doing a series of blog posts that explain our thoughts and opinions on specialized types of residential architecture common in our portfolio.

Today’s post about regional architecture is brought to you by: The Mediterranean

Before I start wandering off getting lost in the Mediterranean I should start by saying that these are only OUR ideas and opinions about what Mediterranean architecture is and isn’t. Definitively defining any specialized type of architecture can be limiting and subject to evolving opinions. We feel it is important to explain our thoughts and opinions to help us and you educate and explain architecture and get us all on the same page. So while some might say “potato, puhtahto” let’s call the whole thing Mediterranean, let us help explain how we define and design Mediterranean homes.

So, what makes a home “Mediterranean”?

I find it easiest to start off by defining what + where.

The Mediterranean Region and Sea is vast and is located between Europe, Africa, and Asia, but is most commonly associated with European coasts.

Map of the Mediterranean Sea

Mediterranean Architecture draws from a broad range and scale of influences from different European countries such as Spain, Italy, Greece and France. We like to think of Mediterranean architecture as an all-encompassing catch phrase for Western European Architecture. Future posts will include a breakdown of European Architecture, such as Tuscan Home Design, French Home Design, and Spanish Home Design.

Most iconic and for that matter still standing Mediterranean buildings were built centuries ago and were designed and built to stand the test of time – or, hundreds of years. Mediterranean homes were built for multiple generations of single families to occupy and oftentimes the same home would be passed down from generation to generation and as many as three and four generations would all be living together…under one roof…ALL sharing the same bathroom….together…four generations…ALL together.  This seems very “un-American”, but why?  Different times? Different culture? Now don’t get me wrong, I love each and every one of my family members, but I have zero desire to move back in with my folks or my folk’s folks or my in-laws or my in-law’s folks (I could go on), but buildings were not temporary structures.  Buildings were family homes and treasures passed down and impressively cared for, for centuries.  Talk about sustainable design.

Environmental principles employed hundreds of years ago are still relevant today.  Back then there were no heating and air conditioning units inserted into walls.  Heck, there wasn’t even indoor plumbing.  Yet, from our history, research, and what we have studied as architects, the homes were comfortable because of the passive response to the home’s environment.  When we say ‘passive response‘ we are not talking about passive in the marital sense that homes were not working with and were ignoring the environment; conversely, when we talk about passive responses to the environment we mean to say that structures were active participants with the environment while doing nothing at all because architects, ahem, we, use sunlight and principles of air flow to create and indoor environment capable of heating a structure on cool days and cooling itself on warm days without the use of climate control systems.  This is achieved by placement of windows and placement of the structure on its lot relative to the native environment, the sun, and micro climate.

Since Mediterranean homes were built ±400 years ago, limited materials were available.  For example, timber was a commodity, more precious in Europe than masonry and stone.   Available materials influenced things like the size and placement of window and door openings.   In view of that, materials we use today are influenced by what was available then. Additionally, shallow roof pitches were common and small openings with slight rectangular windows with metal casements were chosen, which is primarily what we still see and implement today.

This Mediterranean Home is inspired by the local landscape, homes, and native environmental colors, much like what our architecture ancestors did centuries before us. Drawing from these sources not only pays homage to Mediterranean architecture generally speaking, but also intensifies the connection between indoors and outdoors.

Mediterranean Coastal Village

The clay-tiled roofs, textured exterior elevations, also called facades, and small narrow windows help define the Mediterranean style of a home, but so do other factors.

It’s hard to talk about Mediterranean homes without acknowledging the importance of garden spaces and making sure homes are well sited in their landscape. Gardens in Mediterranean homes should act as an active extension of the life inside and the home itself should reinforce the garden spaces around them.

Ripple Design Studio: Mediterranean Front Facade

Mediterranean Rear Facade

In the Mediterranean home shown above, the lot size afforded opportunities for us to use passive heating and cooling and design for natural day lighting and created a lower level courtyard, which created an extension of the home to the outside while emphasizing and highlighting natural beauty of the garden space.

Designing a Mediterranean home means to us that it is designed and constructed to be timeless and stand for hundreds of years, has a European feel and appearance by way of material selection, window placement, and roof pitches, and is deeply connected to its setting and natural environment. It is not enough for a Mediterranean home just to ‘look’ like the part. It also ought to act the part of a true Mediterranean home and take a passive response to its environment and be sustainable.

We could go on and on talking about Mediterranean architecture and the principles behind it, but you’ll need to at least bring us your best kalamata olives and cheese plate to discuss further…