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.
Oreno Mountain Retreat by G2Lab in Tsepelovo reimagines Zagori’s architectural heritage as a contemporary stone sanctuary rooted in landscape and tradition. Conceived as a monolithic, symmetrical volume, the retreat integrates local materials, controlled views, and sensory interiors. It balances cultural continuity with modern hospitality while embedding seamlessly into the mountainous terrain and its UNESCO-protected context.
Oreno Mountain Retreat unfolds in Tsepelovo, in the heart of the Zagori region. It is set within an extraordinary landscape of layered cultural memory and natural beauty, recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Local architecture is reinterpreted through its inherent logic-proportion, geometry, and material expression.
The resulting design feels both grounded and contemporary. The building is conceived as a compact, monolithic stone volume, defined by clear axiality and a disciplined symmetrical order. Its architectural language draws directly from the tectonic vocabulary of the region: locally sourced stone façades, timber roofs clad in slate, and a careful orchestration of recesses, balconies, and calibrated openings. These elements establish a quiet continuity with the surrounding village fabric.
The structure is embedded into the natural slope, minimizing its visual footprint and reinforcing its connection to the terrain.
At ground level, the retreat’s communal functions, lobby, reception, spa, and the restaurant Meratza, are organized as a sequence of interconnected spaces. Named after a native tree, Meratza operates as an autonomous gastronomic destination, deepening the project’s relationship to place.
Throughout, framed views toward the mountainous landscape are carefully controlled, balancing outward orientation with an inward sense of intimacy that echoes the protective character of traditional stone dwellings.
The reception area is anchored by a central fireplace, reinterpreting the archetype of the “hearth” as both a social condenser and spatial focal point. The wellness area is conceived as a continuous, monolithic interior, where subdued lighting and a restrained palette of earthy tones cultivate a contemplative, sensory environment.
Stone, water, and linear geometries converge to produce an atmosphere of elemental calm.
The seven suites on the upper level are articulated through precise geometries and fluid spatial transitions. Sleeping and living zones are subtly distinguished without rigid separation, allowing space to unfold with a sense of quiet continuity.
Materiality remains central: stone and mineral surfaces establish a grounded base, while timber and woven textures introduce warmth and tactile richness.
Carefully integrated indirect lighting accentuates material depth and spatial articulation, reinforcing an understated sense of luxury.
Balancing architectural memory with contemporary hospitality, Oreno Mountain Retreat positions itself as both a continuation and a reinterpretation of the Zagori landscape.
It is conceived not as an object in contrast to its setting, but as an extension of it—a place of retreat that follows the rhythms of the mountain, offering a refined yet deeply rooted spatial experience.
Plans
Facts & Credits
Project title: Oreno Mountain Retreat
Project location: Tsepelovo, Zagori, Greece
Architectural design: G2lab
Interior & Concept design: G2lab
Lighting design: G2lab & Luminart Antoniadis
Construction: ETGroup
Photo credits: Dimitris Spyrou