Xylo is a gallery that pays tribute to the art and craft of wood carving. Located on the island of Santorini, this interior space, designed by Dashing architects, draws inspiration from the historic cultural landscape of the Cyclades, while serving as a white canvas for artists’ creations.
Xylo is a carving gallery situated in one of Santorini’s villages, Megalochori.
Santorini is an island whose beauty and spirit still capture the essence of Cycladic culture. Xylo is the Greek word for “wood”.
The gallery is a paean to modern Cycladic minimalism, a place destined to express the essence of Xylo, communicate the craft of wood carving and showcase the artist’s creations.
Starting point for the project’s concept was the naturalistic and simple beauty of Greek tradition. More specifically, our studio draw inspiration from Greek arts and crafts.
Metallic and wooden panels recreate, in a contemporary manner, details of traditional embroideries and are used as semi-transparent partitions or shelving systems to display the artist’s sculptures. Another key aspect is the meticulously preserved carpenter’s workbenches placed in the gallery.
The gallery’s layout is an open-plan space with display spots on each wall.
A central display unit creates a discrete division while maintaining the openness of the space, thanks to its thin structure.
The selected colors and materials, inspired by traditional Cycladic architecture, aim to highlight the gallery’s wooden sculptures.
The final composition is a serene and subdued environment, acting as a cool white canvas for the exhibits.
Facts & Credits
Title Xylo
Typology Interior Design, Concept
Location Megalochori, Santorini. Greece
Area 90.1 m2
Status Completed, 2025
Architecture & Interior Design Dashing architects
Lead Architect Katerina Kladi
Photography Costas Mitropoulos
Text by the authors
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