Oreno Mountain Retreat Hotel by Giannis Efthymiadis - G2Lab is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2026 A' Design Award in Brons in Gasvryheid, Ontspanning, Reis en Toerisme Ontwerp Competition Category.
BronsGasvryheid· 2026
Oreno Mountain Retreat Hotel
by Giannis Efthymiadis - G2Lab
Client: Oreno Retreat
A' Design Award in Brons Winner in Gasvryheid Category
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- Verified Award Winner
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The Design
About Oreno Mountain Retreat Hotel
Oreno Mountain Retreat is 'n hotel geleë in Tsepelovo, Zagori. Die gebou sit die omliggende landskap voort deur plaaslike beginsels van proporsie, materiaal en ruimtelike hiërargie te herinterpreteer. Dradende klipmure en houtdakstelsels pas tradisionele tegnieke op hedendaagse standaarde toe. Hoë termiese massa verbeter energiedoeltreffendheid, terwyl beheerde openinge daglig en ventilasie rig. Integrasie in die helling verminder uitgrawing. Die ontwerp skep 'n stil, verfynde atmosfeer wat gewortel is in plaaslike herinnering en vakmanskap.
The Recognition
About the A' Design Award in Brons
Oreno Mountain Retreat Hotel is 'n wenner van die A' Design Award in Brons, 'n hoogs prestigieuse erkenning wat toegeken word aan uitstaande ontwerpe wat gekenmerk word deur kreatiwiteit, vindingrykheid en skerpsinnigheid. Wenners in Brons is ruimskoots vaardige en opvallend kreatiewe artefakte wat die groot ervaring, verbeelding en vindingrykheid van hul ontwerpers bevestig. Daar word verwag dat Oreno Mountain Retreat Hotel 'n hoog aangeskrewe, bewonderde en gekoesterde voorwerp is wat merkwaardig professioneel en innoverend is. Hierdie ontwerp wat die A' Design Award in Brons gewen het, inkorporeer die beste praktyke in kuns, wetenskap, ontwerp en tegnologie en is uitstekend vanweë sy aandag aan detail. Oreno Mountain Retreat Hotel bevredig behoeftes pragtig, raak aan begeertes, bekoor gevoelens en spreek die nuuskierigheid aan.
Behind the Design
Press Kit
Credits, team members and technical details provided by the designer.
- Unique Properties
- This design explores architecture as an extension of place rather than an imposed object. Oreno continues the Zagori landscape by reinterpreting local principles of proportion, material, and spatial hierarchy. Its strength lies in balancing memory with contemporary living, solidity with openness. Through restraint, material continuity, and controlled light, it creates a quiet, refined atmosphere rooted in authenticity.
- Dimensions & Packaging
- Constructed with load bearing stone walls and timber roof systems, the building employs traditional techniques adapted to contemporary standards. High thermal mass improves energy efficiency, while controlled openings optimize daylight and ventilation. The integration into the slope minimizes excavation and enhances environmental performance, supported by passive design strategies.
- Tags
- stone, wood, heritage, environment, local, fireplace, wellness, interior
- Production Technology
- The design was developed through analysis of Zagori architectural principles proportion, material logic, and spatial hierarchy, rather than formal imitation. Local stone and timber systems informed both structure and envelope. Iterative modeling and section studies ensured integration with the terrain, while light and material continuity were refined to create a cohesive, atmospheric spatial experience.
- Design Challenge
- The main challenge was integrating Zagori historical and social context with modern hospitality standards. Internally, respecting local architectural memory and community traditions guided design decisions. Externally, strict heritage regulations, limited construction technologies, and site constraints demanded careful material selection, precise geometry, and iterative modeling to achieve a balance between authenticity, comfort, and environmental integration.
- Inspiration
- The inspiration for Oreno emerges from the quiet continuity of life in Zagori. It draws from the memory of people and their rhythms. Gatherings in village squares, the echo of music across the mountains, the slow passage of seasons. Tradition is not treated as a fixed image, but as a living presence, embedded in craft, in material, in proportion. Stone and earth become both structure and story, grounding the hotel in its place, while the spirit of local life shapes spaces that feel familiar, warm, and enduring.
- Project Duration
- The project started in September 2023 in Tsepelovo, Zagori and finished in Janaury 2026
- Team Members
- Giannis Efthymiadis
Konstadina Papagianni
Giwrgos Efthymiadis
Maria Kamenou
Dimitra Gakou - Image Credits
- Photographer Dimitris Spyrou
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