Set along the rugged coastline of Folegandros, Gundari Resort occupies a cliffside defined by rocky terrain, low Mediterranean vegetation, and open views across the Aegean Sea.
Designed by architecture studio Block722, the resort is arranged as a series of low structures embedded into the land, following the natural contours of the site to maintain a close relationship with the surrounding terrain.
From the outset, the project reads less as an object placed on the site and more as a layout shaped by it.
Photography above by Ana Santl.
Composed as a dispersed collection of volumes, the project is arranged across the site rather than consolidated into a single form. This distribution breaks down the overall mass into smaller elements, allowing the layout to follow the slope while maintaining gaps between structures for light, air, and views to pass through.
Those gaps begin to do more than separate buildings. They create space for movement.
Circulation does not happen around the architecture, but between it, setting up a pattern where the landscape becomes the primary connective layer.
By separating the built form, the architecture avoids a continuous visual edge, instead aligning with the scale and rhythm of the landscape and allowing circulation to move between volumes as part of the site experience.
The project avoids a singular form, instead relying on separation to let the landscape do the work of organizing space.
Organized into two primary zones, the layout separates volumes embedded within the terrain from those positioned above ground with a restrained, low profile.
This distinction allows portions of the project to recede into the landscape while others remain legible across the site.
A central building, slightly taller than the surrounding volumes, contains the main communal functions and establishes a point of reference within the overall composition.
Within a dispersed plan like this, that vertical difference becomes important. It gives orientation without disrupting the overall low horizon.
Circulation through the resort is structured by a network of paths connecting the individual buildings.
Rather than directing movement in a straight line, the layout creates a sequence of shifts between built edges, open space, and framed views.
As you move through the site, the arrangement of volumes consistently pulls attention outward.
Sightlines are aligned toward the horizon, allowing the sea to remain present even as the architecture unfolds in layers.
Material selection reinforces this relationship to the site.
Stone and gravel sourced directly from the land are used throughout the project, forming walls, surfaces, and pathways.
This continuity reduces contrast between what is built and what already exists.
Marble, wood, and clay are introduced in a restrained palette, keeping the focus on texture and tone rather than contrast.
The result is a material language that reads as an extension of the terrain rather than a separate system applied to it.
Planting follows the same approach, less about introduction and more about continuation.
Existing low Mediterranean vegetation is preserved across the site, maintaining the scale and density of the landscape.
Green roofs extend this strategy onto the architecture itself, allowing planted surfaces to align with the terrain when viewed from above.
At ground level, olive trees and gravel are arranged within stone-defined areas, reinforcing a consistent relationship between planting, material, and enclosure.
Outdoor space is not an extension of the project. It is the project.
Communal areas are located externally, with activity distributed across open-air environments rather than contained within enclosed interiors.
This shifts how the project is experienced. Movement, gathering, and rest all occur within the same continuous outdoor framework, rather than being separated into interior and exterior zones.
Wooden structures are introduced along primary circulation routes, providing shade while also marking transitions between spaces.
These elements repeat across the site, creating a rhythm that connects the dispersed volumes.
At the same time, they establish moments of pause. These are places where movement slows, and the relationship between structure, ground, and horizon becomes more apparent.
Suites are oriented toward the sea, with terraces and seating areas positioned along stepped stone platforms.
Changes in elevation separate these spaces without introducing visual barriers, maintaining unobstructed views across the horizon.
This use of level change in place of walls allows privacy and openness to exist at the same time, reinforcing the project’s reliance on the terrain as an organizing tool.
The project was developed over a five-year period, with materials, labor, and equipment transported from neighboring islands and the mainland.
Construction was carried out with attention to existing ground conditions, limiting disruption to the site.
That restraint is evident in the final composition.
The resort does not rely on a single defining gesture, but on a series of decisions including placement, separation, and alignment that allow the landscape to remain the dominant presence throughout.
Block722 is an Athens-based architecture studio founded in 2009 by architect Sotiris Tsergas and interior designer Katja Margaritoglou. The practice works across residential and hospitality projects, with a focus on how architecture, interiors, and site conditions are developed as a cohesive whole.
Their work is defined by a restrained approach to form and material, where buildings are shaped through proportion, placement, and a limited palette. Architecture and interior design are developed in parallel, allowing spatial planning, material selection, and built elements to align from concept through completion.
Credits:
Architecture & Interior Design: Block722
Landscape Design: Block722
Planting Design: Outside Landscape Architecture
Photography by: Ana Santl & Martha Vosdou
Lighting Design: L+DG Lighting Architects
Structural & MEP Engineering: Vangelis Georgostathis, Agapakis Consultants
Brand Identity: AG Design Agency
Graphic Design & Visual Identity: K2 Design
Sourced from: v2com
