Tella Thera Hotel

Tella Thera Hotel — IADA 2026 award

Tella Thera Hotel received Platinum Winner recognition at the International Architecture & Design Awards 2026 in Hospitality & Hotel Design. Project status, design team and credits are listed alongside the presentation.

About the project

Location: Kissamos, Crete
Year: 2025
Area: 3,200 sq.m.

Tella Thera is conceived as a contemporary retreat rooted in the architectural heritage of Crete, blending tradition with refined modernity. Set within the natural landscape, the project prioritises sustainability and eco-conscious tourism, integrating green roofs planted with olive and Mediterranean trees across all buildings. This approach enhances thermal performance while supporting local biodiversity.

The design draws from the Venetian arches of Chania and the island’s historic cave dwellings, translating these references into a rhythmic façade of full and half arches. These forms guide the spatial experience, leading into interiors shaped by continuous microcement surfaces that create a cohesive and sculptural environment.

Rather than imposing itself on the site, the architecture emerges from it, establishing a strong connection between built form and landscape. Tella Thera offers a quiet and immersive experience, where luxury is defined through authenticity, material simplicity, and a close relationship with Crete’s enduring natural character.

Pieris.Architects

Pieris.Architects is an award-winning multidisciplinary practice based in Athens, active across Greece, Cyprus, and the United Kingdom. The studio delivers projects of varying scales, each carefully attuned to its urban, natural, and cultural context.

Guided by a strong sustainable ethos, the practice embraces eco-emotional intelligence, approaching architecture as an intellectual, sensory, and physical experience. This perspective informs both its aesthetic language and functional solutions.

Building on the legacy of founder Constantinos Pieris, the studio is led by Stella Pieri and Pieros Pieris, who expanded its international presence and research-driven approach. Together with their team, they create thoughtful, context-responsive architecture that carries clarity, purpose, and lasting value.