Located in the village of Koutouloufari in Crete, the Galaxy Suites Boutique Resort transforms an existing hotel complex originally conceived through a postmodern architectural framework. Significant parts of the original structure were preserved and reinterpreted, introducing a renewed spatial organization while maintaining the character of the original building.
Koutouloufari has a long-standing village character shaped by its relationship to the landscape and the sea. Over time, tourism development introduced buildings that often overlooked this identity. The project responds by seeking architectural continuity with the surrounding settlement and its history, combining contemporary hospitality with spatial references to Cretan village patterns and a restrained material palette.
The complex is reorganized as a sequence of clusters, courtyards, and paths that reinterpret the scale and movement of a village settlement. New circulation routes, terraces, and ramps were carefully integrated within the existing topography, ensuring accessibility throughout the resort while remaining visually discreet. Movement through the hotel follows a network of paths that gradually reveal views toward both the sea and the mountains rising behind the village.
Each suite is oriented toward these two directions, establishing visual connections to both landscapes. New typologies were introduced within the existing structure, including suites with private pools, shared pools within clusters, and communal water spaces distributed across the resort.
Material choices emphasize natural textures and subdued tones, allowing both exterior and interior to remain integrated with the landscape. Vegetation and green roofs where strategically placed, while planted courtyards and organically shaped pools soften the strict geometry of the original structures.
The resort unfolds as an architectural environment shaped by Cretan hospitality, where movement, landscape, and architecture combine to evoke the spatial experience of a village.
