Eleni Kytoudi

Art de Vivre is an exploration of the people, ideas, and craftsmanship behind Greece’s most inspiring stories of luxury living. Each edition brings together conversations with visionaries whose work shapes the country’s cultural and creative identity.

In this third Spotlight feature, we revisit our conversation with Aristides Dallas, Greek architect and founder of Aristides Dallas Architects, a practice known for its context-driven approach to contemporary design. From architectural identity and the role of landscape to simplicity, longevity and the growing international interest in Greek architecture, he reflects on a design philosophy that begins with the place itself.

In contemporary architecture, a tendency toward uniformity is often observed. How do you preserve your own architectural identity while avoiding the notion of a “global style”?

We don’t believe in architectural identity as a fixed style. We believe in method. Each project begins with the place itself: the landscape and the person who will live in it. When architecture is approached as a response to specific conditions rather than as a reproduction of images, the logic of a “global style” is naturally avoided. In my view, it’s the consistency of our thinking and process that creates a recognizable identity—not the repetition of forms.

Projects such as Petra Mare and Cascadia demonstrate a strong, meaningful relationship with their natural environment. How do factors such as topography, light, and materials inform your architectural decisions?

For us, the design process begins with the landscape as a guiding framework—not as a mere backdrop. Topography shapes the overall spatial strategy, light is treated as a key driver of composition and experience, and materials are chosen based on durability as well as their relationship to place and time. Our aim is not to impose on the environment, but to integrate seamlessly within it, in a manner that feels both coherent and inevitable. When a project is perceived to genuinely “belong” to its setting, we consider it to have fulfilled its intent.

Your work is marked by restraint and a quiet sense of confidence. How central is simplicity to your work, and how does it shape the experience of living in these spaces?

For us, simplicity is fundamental—and in daily living, it translates directly into quality of life. It creates environments that feel immediately welcoming, without visual noise or unnecessary complexity, allowing residents to settle in naturally. We design homes that perform effortlessly in everyday use, where light, proportion, and materiality are carefully calibrated to foster comfort, familiarity, and a sense of ease.

Architecture is not meant to impress in a single moment, but to grow better over time—through use, repetition, and the relationship that develops between people and space. This sense of discreet, understated luxury is, in our view, the most meaningful form of comfort.

Are there architects or artists who have influenced the way you perceive space, light, or materials?

Our work is shaped through constant engagement with the international architectural discourse, as well as with broader cultural practices beyond architecture itself. We are particularly interested in the global shift from architecture as an object to architecture as an experience and a way of living.

Within this context, influences arise equally from other disciplines, such as the visual arts, photography, and cinema, where light, time, and atmosphere are handled with precision and restraint. We are not guided by specific individuals, but by practices that prioritize silence, duration, and the essential relationship between people and space.

We see our architecture as an active contribution to this international dialogue, aiming to offer projects that are deeply rooted in their place while, at the same time, engaging with a contemporary, global understanding of how we inhabit space.

As international interest in Greek architecture continues to grow, what do you see as the most significant challenge—or opportunity—for architects working in Greece today?

Greece stands at a pivotal moment. Increased attention is creating substantial opportunities, but it also brings the risk of superficial, short-term development. The essential challenge is to produce architecture with depth—work that endures over time and delivers genuine, lasting value to both place and property.

For us, the future lies in quality and longevity, not in volume or the pursuit of quick visual impact.

This interview is just one of the many conversations featured in Art de Vivre | 10-Year Anniversary Edition, a celebration of the people, places, and ideas shaping exceptional living in Greece. The complete digital edition can be accessed via this link.

Alternatively, contact our team at [email protected] to arrange a private consultation with one of our advisors and receive a complimentary printed copy of the publication.