Hospitality Atmospheres explores the spatial, material, and sensory qualities that shape experiences of welcome. Through carefully selected projects, the series examines how architecture frames comfort, encounter, and ritual thus revealing hospitality not as a program, but as an atmosphere shaped by light, texture, proportion, and use.

In Santorini, a destination defined by whitewashed minimalism, Neema Maison Finikia offers a distinctly different vision of island hospitality. Designed by Urban Soul Project, the hotel reinterprets Cycladic accommodation through a language borrowed from fashion, shaping a bold, curated spatial experience. USP punctuates the island’s whitewashed palette with Neema’s signature red, using expressive forms, tactile materiality, and choreographed interiors to propose a contemporary interpretation of Santorini living beyond postcard clichés.

The project is shortlisted for GRAIL Awards 2026 – Find ‘The Jury Shortlist’, here!

In a destination long defined by postcard-perfect whitewashed minimalism, Neema Maison Finikia Santorini introduces a markedly different approach to island living.

Designed by Urban Soul Project (USP) for Neema – Domes Resorts, the project positions itself as a fashion-oriented hospitality experience, redefining how architecture, interior design, and landscape can interact on the island.

Rather than referencing traditional Cycladic archetypes, the design brief called for a concept that would deliberately stand apart. The outcome is a hotel conceived as a spatial narrative—expressive, curated, and performative—where fashion becomes both inspiration and organizational framework.

Architecture as Choreography

Central to the design is a continuous sculptural metal “thread” that moves through the property as a unifying gesture.

Beginning at the reception area, it integrates with custom joinery, traces architectural thresholds, and culminates in a striking wall installation informed by fashion illustration and textile craft. This element establishes a sense of movement and continuity, positioning the space as something staged rather than static.

Colour plays a defining role in reinforcing identity.

Neema’s signature red appears as a strong yet controlled accent, framing the reception, punctuating bespoke furniture, and cutting through a palette of textured neutrals. Used rhythmically, it introduces structure and contrast, reinforcing the project’s fashion-driven character.

Fashion Meets Function

As the spatial sequence transitions toward the pool area, the architectural language becomes more fluid. A custom tile pattern derived from Neema’s woven brand motif animates the pool floor, while organic, sculptural forms define sunbeds and seating. The pool bar, conceived as both functional element and visual anchor, acts as a centerpiece within the outdoor setting.

Materiality is treated as a tactile medium: plaster, wood, stone, and fabric respond to the intense Santorini light, creating depth through shadow and texture. 

The result is an exterior environment that feels deliberately composed—less like a resort landscape, more like a scenographic set.

Guest Rooms as Fashion Frames

The fashion-oriented concept extends into the guest rooms, which are designed as intimate, highly curated environments. 

Each room is composed with the logic of a fashion shoot, where lighting, textures, and spatial arrangements frame the guest as the focal point. Dressing-room-inspired vanity lighting, tile patterns reminiscent of fabric samples, and custom-designed furniture contribute to an atmosphere of understated editorial drama.

Here, the signature red is reintroduced with restraint—woven into headboards, bathroom details, and furniture accents—while the brand’s pattern is embedded subtly within surfaces and built-in elements, present as a tactile experience rather than a graphic statement.

A New Design Expression of Island Living

Neema Maison Finikia Santorini proposes an alternative vision of hospitality on the island—one that prioritizes identity, narrative, and spatial experience over familiarity. 

Drawing from the expressive language of fashion and the raw textures of the local environment, the project challenges conventional expectations of Santorini’s architectural image.

More than a departure from whitewashed minimalism, the hotel presents a new model of island living: architecture as experience, interior design as storytelling, and hospitality as a carefully orchestrated performance. 

Designed by Urban Soul Project, Neema Maison marks a confident step toward a more experimental, design-led future for Mediterranean hospitality.

Facts & Credits
Project title Neema Maison Finikia Santorini
Typology Architecture, Hotel
Location Santorini, Cyclades, Greece
Architecture & Interior Design Urban Soul Project (USP)
Partner in Charge Maria Tsaftari
Lead Architects Polina Liarostathi, Nikoletta Daniil, Nikoletta Gkoka
Design Team Mariza Argyrou, Andreas Daniel
Photography Courtesy of Urban Soul Project and Neema Maison Finikia Santorini 
Text by the authors


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