- Interior
- Architecture & development
Previously, you could admire Villa Mandra and Vora Villa on Imagicasa, both beautiful projects by the Greek design studio K-studio. Now, we would like to show you around Casa Cook hotel resort in Chania, one of their most recent projects. It was important to give the resort a village look, with the emphasis on the cosy outdoor areas.
K-Studio, based in Athens, was called in to design the third branch of hotel resort Casa Cook, this time in Chania, on the Greek island of Crete. The current establishment had to continue the image of the resort: a comfort enriched with textures within a relaxed luxury concept. To achieve this, Berlin-based design studio Lambs and Lions, which helped with the art direction, and interior stylist Annabell Kutucu, also chipped in. Both were already involved in the realisation of other Casa Cook branches.
The hotel design was created according to two main guidelines. On the one hand, modernist-inspired architecture was used as an elegant and dynamic solution to create several ground-level spaces on the sloping terrain. On the other hand, the resort was to have a village look. The emphasis would be on the outdoor space, combining larger open meeting areas with smaller and quieter spots, all with unique views.
The modernist influence is clearly visible throughout the project.
The modernist influence is clearly visible throughout the project, starting from the entrance building, which is located at the highest point of the site. This allows hotel guests to enjoy the expansive views of the grounds and sea from their arrival. The rooms, in clusters of smooth concrete and wood-clad cabins, hang, as it were, from the floating walls of local stone. They act as retreats, carefully positioned to create a double view: on one side to their private terrace by the pool, on the other to the sea and the lush interior gardens.
The path to the beach is characterised by an interplay of light, shadow and texture. The landscaping is authentic and based on a semi-tropical influence, which adds contrast. Following the path, the concrete rooms gradually separate from each other and turn into rougher and more brutalist structures that seem to rise out of the sand. Their positioning creates large inviting outdoor spaces, which are fully attuned to the requirements of the resort's communal areas. 
This 'piazza' arrangement houses the hotel restaurant, bar, boutique and art house alongside the pool and lounge area. The playful Kids Club is located on an elevated level, so it is protected from the sun. This allows most of the activities to take place outside. Further back, the yoga and wellness area make the most of the greenest part of the property for outdoor spa treatments and early morning yoga sessions. 
Images courtesy of K-Studio
Header image by Georg Roske