The interiors are rustic and considered, featuring tactile leather sofas, oak tables, carved marble, and sisal rugs in earthy tones.
The natural and built environment works in perfect harmony at Gundari, a Greek resort on the breathtaking island of Folegandros.
The product of Australian hotelier Ricardo Larriera’s career pivot, Gundari (meaning ‘rocky place’) comprises a combination of 27 suites and villages—some cavernous, some above ground—spread across 80 acres on the island of Folegandros in Greece. Designed by Athens-based architects Block722, the resort’s materiality and terra firma hues are a departure from the sugar-cube buildings typical of the nearby islands. The architects adopted the same basic design principles, gracefully fusing nature with man-made spaces and optimising the proportions of low profiles and modest scale.
Unlike the upbeat energy of its renowned Cycladic sisters Santorini and Mykonos, Folegandros is a sleepier refuge, with a strong connection to nature rather than nightlife. Bound by arid land, the property exudes a spirit of precious tranquility.
Overlooking the sea, Gundari’s hand-chiselled linear stone walls have been designed to emerge from the earth, echoing the contours of the landscape. “We envisaged [the hotel] to be an organic extension of Folegandros’ rugged cliffs,” Block722 architect and co-founder Sotiris Tsergas says. “It brings the Aegean’s brilliant blue within close reach.” Between the resort’s robust buildings are delicate wooden structures and what the architects refer to as linking “connectors” or “transitional spaces with warmth and lightness.”
Neutral tones and natural materials, from dry stone and timber to lightly veined marble floors, create interiors that harmonise seamlessly with the surrounding landscape.
In addition to guest suites, there are two villas with sunken fire pits, private pools and living areas. Simple but thoughtful, the interiors adopt a rustic meets minimalist aesthetic, with caramel leather sofas, oak tables, carved marble, sisal rugs and decorative ceramics on display. The furniture and finishes are expressed in neutral colours to “reinforce harmony with the landscape,” Block722 interior designer and co-founder Katja Margaritoglou notes. Barely-there shades and rough-hewn materials such as dry stone, timber and willow are juxtaposed with nude, lightly veined marble floors.
Architecturally, the resort’s strategic orientation means that from almost every angle, the horizon and water is within view, framed like a “priceless artwork,” Tsergas says. South-facing courtyards and apertures catch streams of daylight, but infinity pools, shaded sun decks and outdoor rain showers are well-protected.
Every corner of Gundari invites quiet contemplation, where simple, contemporary interiors meet vastly untouched landscapes.
Gundari’s lower complex was designed to integrate with the terrain and blend seamlessly, leaving only a light footprint. “The subterranean positioning enhances privacy and serenity while harmonising with the earth to ensure that the architecture dissolves into the raw landscape,” Tsergas says. “Our approach was guided by natural tones and authentic simplicity,” he adds.
Distanced from the main, pedestrian-only town, Gundari was designed as a refuge for guests who are surrounded by the elements and frequent wild winds. For Larriera, the appeal of his hotel lies in its stillness and purity. “It’s the kind of beauty that hasn’t been, nor needs to be, curated,” he reflects. “Gundari is the crowning jewel of Folegandros—an invitation to experience Greece at its most raw, refined, and unforgettable.”
South-facing courtyards and openings invite natural light in, while infinity pools, shaded sun decks, and outdoor rain showers are thoughtfully protected.
Gundari’s design ensures the Aegean horizon is never out of sight.
Stone, timber, and light converge in harmony, reflecting the island’s raw, tactile beauty.
