Zante Maris Suites | block722

Buildings surface: 2,000 m2

Year: 2016, 2017

Photos: Nick Kontostavlakis

Zante Maris Suites, a Xenos Group Hotel, unfolds over a hill in the Planos area of Zante. The buildings’ spatial disposition begins with the central building, at the foot of the Hill. This was a preexisting building which was appropriately reformed in order to house the reception, lobby, restaurant and the first rooms of the hotel. The core of the hotel was designed at this level: here one can find the central pool, the outdoor bar and the pool bar, all serving as meeting points for the entire hotel.

The other parts of the hotel are disposed gradually in ascending levels on the side of the hill, thus allowing for private pool and sharing pool rooms which boast a clear view of the sea – an element which is intensified through the infinity pool.

The buildings communicate through paths between olive trees and steps alongside running water, thus creating a feeling of small, village-like surroundings. The volumes of the buildings converse harmoniously with the curves of the ground and they are formed in series of rooms. This arrangement creates a balance between the free urban composition of an unofficial settlement and the organization of a modern urban complex, with its high-level installations. Furthermore, the relation between the part and the whole was also studied in a secondary level, in order to achieve privacy in the room’s design, without altering the sense of unity and the qualities inherent in this complex level.

The landscape plays a determining role in the hotel’s composition. The strategy which was followed was a break from the scale of the building program and its harmonization with the natural relief. The basic intended gestures were to highlight the continuity of the Greek landscape within the building, through the careful correlation of colors and textures in interior and exterior spaces. The boundary between man-made and natural environment is approached with extreme care, in order to dissolve this separation and attain an outdoor living experience.

The project’s urban planning and architectural principles were translated into the final project, as it becomes evident in the spaces’ interior design. The materials and textures used aim to unify the environment with the interiors, so that the user can feel familiar without superfluous elements, with furniture guaranteeing comfort and functionality.

The complex includes two suites with larger surfaces that also offer an integral package of services: apart from the sleeping areas, they also boast an office, a living-room, a jacuzzi, a private pool and an outdoor privé shower, where one can see the entire hill while showering.

The first phase of the study for the hotel began in September 2015 and the project was completed in May 2016, while the second phase was concluded in the summer of 2017. The project was executed by local crews and craftsmen, under the supervision of the Block722 architectural practice. The project cost approximately 5,000,000 Euros.

The furniture suppliers were Set (furniture), Domolux Milano (furniture), Vagenas Contract Fabrics (fabrics, pillows), Linea Light (lighting fixtures), Cocomat (beds).