Oreno Mountain Retreat Otèl by Giannis Efthymiadis - G2Lab

Oreno Mountain Retreat Otèl by Giannis Efthymiadis - G2Lab is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2026 A' Design Award Bwonz in Ospitalite Competition Category.

BwonzOspitalite· 2026

Oreno Mountain Retreat Otèl

by Giannis Efthymiadis - G2Lab

Client: Oreno Retreat

A' Design Award Bwonz Winner in Ospitalite Category

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Verified Award Winner

Verify Award Status for #183604

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Colors

The Design

About Oreno Mountain Retreat Otèl

Oreno Mountain Retreat se yon otèl ki sitiye nan Tsepelovo, Zagori. Bilding lan kontinye peyizaj ki antoure l la lè li reentèprete prensip lokal yo sou pwopòsyon, materyèl, ak yerachi espasyal. Mi wòch ki pote chay ak sistèm twati an bwa aplike teknik tradisyonèl yo selon estanda kontanporen. Gwo mas tèmik la amelyore efikasite enèjetik, pandan ouvèti kontwole yo gide limyè solèy ak vantilasyon. Entegrasyon nan pant lan redui eskavasyon. Konsepsyon an kreye yon atmosfè trankil e rafine ki gen rasin li nan memwa ak atizana lokal.

The Recognition

About the A' Design Award Bwonz

Oreno Mountain Retreat Otèl se yon ganyan A' Design Award Bwonz, yon rekonesans ki gen anpil prestij yo bay design ekselan ki make pa kreyativite, enjenyozite ak finès. Ganyan Bwonz yo se objè ki abil anpil e ki kreyatif nan fason ki frape, ki otantifye gwo eksperyans, imajinasyon ak debouyaj designer yo. Yo atann Oreno Mountain Retreat Otèl pou se yon objè anpil moun estime, admire e renmen, ki pwofesyonèl e inovatè nan fason remakab. Design sa a ki ganyen A' Design Award Bwonz enkòpore pi bon pratik nan atizay, syans, design ak teknoloji, e li ekselan pou atansyon li bay detay. Oreno Mountain Retreat Otèl satisfè bezwen yon fason espledid, li touche dezi, li chame santiman e li atire kiryozite.

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