The post Les Terres Blanches Winery by JSPA Design was originally published on ek magazine | Architectural Publications | ek magazine – Architectural Publications.

The project involves the design of a new summer resort in a Mediterranean scenery, consistent with the contemporary way of living, where simple building volumes merge into the landscape and everyday living takes place between indoors and outdoors.

The main objective of the design was maintaining a low energy footprint and the adaptation into the environment, by using small openings to the north, proper shading and ventilation as well as simple shapes with variety in spaces, from closed to semi-open and open areas, including patios, arcades and pergolas.

The HO is organized in three units: The center, with all shared functions, outdoor sport facilities and parking spaces; the blocks of rooms around the central pool and the blocks of bungalows isolated from the center. The building units are connected through a network of pathways and green spaces adapting to the terrain and changing their materials and shapes passing through the different units.

Two massive volumes covered in wooden louvers and the transparent space of the reception in-between, compose the center of the hotel. The design is sustainable, with the solid façade to the North preventing overheating and the skin of wooden louvers protecting the building from the sun and allowing cross-ventilation. In addition, a central patio is placed in the Spa & Gym building, equipped with a pool-hydro massage and wild flora, offering a cool relaxing area. The Café –Restaurant provides an outdoor space covered with a pergola for shade, while an arcade leads from the reception tothe main pool area and rooms, passing by the Café –Restaurant with shops along the way.

The variety of outdoor spaces is important, providing at once planting, shade, sociability and privacy. Sunbathing and tranquility areas around the pool are equipped with a small bar for refreshments, free spaces with sparse high planting for play and relaxation and rooms with outdoor open corridors, private gardens and balconies.

The block of rooms is organized in a simple way, offering a broad selection of shapes that adapt to different terrains. All rooms are planned in a grid and are arranged in a linear sequence, with large rooms in the basement and smaller ones on the upper floors. Open, outdoor staircases with corridors connect the buildings and their clusters of rooms, following the elevation lines of the plot and the preferred orientation.

The block of bungalows also follows a simple logic of organization, with the rooms placed in a row forming arched units, achieving better integration in the terrain and a wide range of unobstructed views from their private courtyards and pools. They are placed freely on the site, benefitting from different outdoor spaces, which may extend to the sandy beach, follow the rocks with steps or end on a platform on the waterfront.

The landscaping is lush with native plants for shade and privacy and vegetation recedes in places that need free space for activities. Every roof is planted with local bushes and plants creating a microclimate that prevents overheating and allows the continuity of the natural site for birds and insects.

The ability of adjusting the size of this hotel is a key parameter in this design process; the hotel can begin to operate with few rooms and grow later by adding more room blocks and bungalows or by creating larger blocks. This growth strategy, combined with the flexible adaptation to different locations and sites, makes this a prototype to be emulated.

alias architects – Liakopoulos I Buchholz I Associates 

Aris P. Liakopoulos, Edith Liakopoulos-Buchholz, Maria Kalogeraki

alias architects

The post Hotel HO! was originally published on ek magazine | Architectural Publications | ek magazine – Architectural Publications.