Built on a plot of land at the port of Ios Island and overlooking Sikinos across the sea, the Hotel Relux Ios Island was redesigned by A31 Architecture in a way that blends it with its surrounding natural setting, creating rooms with unique morphological properties.
The landscape design takes advantage of site-specific features such as microclimatic and topographical conditions, as well as the existing vegetation. The uneven shape of the plot, which seems to be “embracing” the complex, forms private gardens as well as adds outdoor spaces for the hotel’s function. The gentle slope that can be easily detected in the surrounding space was utilized as the ideal environment for the addition of build-in sitting rooms or elevated planted areas. The plant selection includes Mediterranean species, with rich aromas and flowering, selected on the basis of their low maintenance requirements and their ability to fit in the architectural unity.
Designed in a subtractive manner, this project is defined by the sleekness of its surfaces. A31 also established flow and movement to the project by securing the organic integration of the water element in the surrounding space. The rooms were treated as individual spaces of island architecture, with unique morphological properties, and not as typical hotel rooms. Therefore, they were all redesigned and new rooms were created with brand new layout and access, in order to meet the 4-star classification requirements. Furthermore, additional establishments of common areas were constructed, including an open bar, restaurant and wine bar, swimming pool, outdoor revitalization spa and a contemporary orthodox chapel.
