Τhe first resort outside of Athens by YES! Hotels Group has opened in Santorini. Adjoining the Messaria district and within short driving distance from the airport, the luxury estate bridges past and present seamlessly. With a total of 121 rooms and suites, the scope encloses the renovation of existing hotel units and the extension of additional buildings.
A JOURNEY OF DISCOVERY
Upon arrival, visitors can reach the central reception desk through a lush garden of climbing Ivy, bordered by streams of water offering shades and refreshment.
Set inside a transparent and welcoming building, with floor-to-ceiling views to the outdoor pool, the reception blurs the thresholds between the inside and the outside.
Along the overflow of the central pool, a glimpse of the oleanders ridge reveals the lower-level garden, which is expanding below the water body and connects visitors to the spa. The latter has been designed as a secluded building that unfolds around a linear patio, thus reflecting the sculptural ravines of the island. Perforated walls made of brick modules, generate an everlasting interplay between light and shadow – a replica of the traditional architectural idioms which started to emerge in Santorini after the 1956 earthquake.
MATERIAL & COLOUR PALETTE
Inspired by the traditional island vernacular, the surrounding landscape informs the colour palette and materiality. Bridging together the serenity and purity of the white Cycladic palette with more earthy red and anthracite tones from the island’s volcanic topography.
Natural and bold materials are enhanced into sophisticated design elements. The “makuti” leaves are offering shade under the organically shaped pergola while the ceiling of the restaurant is reimagined with backlit woven wicker baskets. An assembly of marble pieces blended with terrazzo, is creating dynamic flooring for the bar and the staircase, showcasing a multitude of colour shades and fragments, a remembrance of the island’s volcanic morphology.
THE PRIVATE SUITES EXPERIENCE
Conceived as an addition to the existing buildings, the suites are developed in different levels divided into five plots which manifests the natural morphology of the island’s traditional villages nested against the rocky slopes. Τhe typical Cycladic geometries, are being reinterpreted as curvilinear gestures and generates a dynamic architectural landscape which is gradually revealed to the visitor.
Lighting being paramount to the design, the bespoke suite shutters draw inspiration from ‘‘kouloura’’, a local weaving method of folded vine branches, which are carefully unfolded to create semi perforated shutters. Thus, generating an alteration of light and shadow, which convey a sense of being underneath a grapevine canopy.
The interior of the rooms overlays an assembly of terrazzo, with smoked timber cladding and lighting elements made of volcanic stones. The fabric partitions are composed of a rich earthly palette -an endless reference to the geological section of the island.
Suppliers & Contributors:
Client: Donkey Hotels and Resorts S.A. operating by YES! Hotels
Architect: Divercity Architects and MplusM Architects
Project Management: AVAX
Contractors: Εrmon construction company and APAX constructions
Structural Engineer: Evdokia Kakava and Christos Telionis
Services Engineer: ARGYROS P&X EE MELCON ENGINEERING
Landscape Designer: Doxiadis +
Interior Designer: Divercity Architects and MplusM Architects
Lighting Designer: Eleftheria Deko & Associates Lighting Design
Art Curator: Nadia Argyropoulou
Acoustic Consultant: Timagenis Acoustics - Architects
Signage Consultant: Bratti Hotel Signage
