Urban Soul Project on Redefining Santorini Hospitality with Neema Maison Finikia’s Fashion-Forward Architecture

3 Questions for Urban Soul Project Team

Q: How does your design integrate architecture, fashion, and nature to create a unique hospitality experience?​

A: At Neema Maison, our guiding principle was to merge the disciplines of architecture, fashion, and nature into a complete sensory narrative. We approached the project as if we were designing a performative space — one that unfolds like a curated fashion collection rather than a static hotel. The sculptural metal “thread” became our conceptual backbone, a continuous gesture weaving through the building to connect spaces and experiences. It references both the line of a sketch and the thread of a garment, tying the architectural structure to the language of fashion design.

Nature enters through materiality and texture: plaster, wood, stone, and fabric interact with the intense Cycladic light, creating shifting dialogues between shadow and surface. Rather than mimicking the island’s traditional minimalism, we allowed natural elements to perform alongside fashion-driven details, creating a hospitality experience that feels both grounded and expressive — a living runway within the raw Santorini landscape.

We approached the project as if we were designing a performative space — one that unfolds like a curated fashion collection rather than a static hotel.

Red is the heartbeat of Neema Maison — a confident protagonist that defines the brand’s identity. Our approach was to treat it not as decoration but as structure.

Q:​ Can you describe your approach to using the signature red color and how this influences the mood and identity of the space?​

A: Red is the heartbeat of Neema Maison — a confident protagonist that defines the brand’s identity. Our approach was to treat it not as decoration but as structure. At reception, it frames the space, forming a visual rhythm across joinery, furniture, and built-in details. In the guest rooms, it softens into accents — subtly woven into headboards, bathroom fixtures, and textile details — creating continuity without overwhelming the senses.

The red introduces warmth and intensity into Santorini’s typically cool, whitewashed palette. It evokes the feeling of creative energy and passion that drives both fashion and performance. Psychologically, it elevates the mood, while symbolically, it embodies the brand’s boldness and individuality. It allows guests to feel immersed in an experience that’s both vibrant and refined — unmistakably Neema.

The result is a dialogue between heritage and innovation: organic curves coexist with bold lines, raw textures meet polished metal, and traditional restraint gives way to editorial drama.

Q:​ What challenges and opportunities did you find in reinterpreting typical Cycladic accommodation with a contemporary expressive aesthetic?​

A: The greatest challenge — and opportunity — lay in breaking away from the island’s dominant visual clichés. Santorini is known for its white minimalism, but our client’s brief was clear: “Design something that stands out.” That directive gave us freedom to reinterpret Cycladic architecture through a new lens — one that celebrates contrast rather than conformity.

We retained the essence of the Cycladic experience — the intimacy of scale, the relationship between inside and outside, the tactile use of natural materials — but infused it with fashion-inspired expression and sculptural form. The result is a dialogue between heritage and innovation: organic curves coexist with bold lines, raw textures meet polished metal, and traditional restraint gives way to editorial drama.

This balance between authenticity and boldness became the project’s defining opportunity — to create a hospitality space that feels distinctly rooted in Santorini, yet refreshingly unafraid to challenge what “island design” can mean today.

About Neema Maison Finikia Santorini

The vision for this Santorini hotel was anything but conventional. The brief from Neema – Domes Resorts was clear: create a destination that breaks away from the predictable. Not another whitewashed Cycladic retreat, but a statement — rooted in nature yet confidently expressive. Fashion-forward, vibrant, and unexpected. 

Our design merges architecture, art, and identity into an immersive experience defined by a single sculptural gesture: a metal “thread” that winds through the interiors like a continuous line drawing. Beginning at reception, it weaves through joinery and outlines architectural details, culminating in a wall installation inspired by fashion illustration and textile techniques. This “thread” becomes a visual signature — fluid, dynamic, and unapologetically bold. 

Color plays a starring role. Red — Neema’s brand color — is not an accent but a protagonist. It cuts through textured neutrals with precision, framing rather than fading, and setting a tone of quiet confidence from the moment guests arrive. 

Toward the pool area, the story relaxes but never loses its rhythm. Neema’s signature woven pattern reappears as custom tiling along the pool’s edge, subtle yet distinctive. Sculptural sunbeds, a sinuous communal table, and a bar shaped as a centerpiece continue the dialogue between organic form and crafted design. Materials — wood, stone, fabric, tile — interact with light and shadow, creating a tactile narrative. 

Guest rooms translate the concept through the lens of a fashion shoot. Vanity lights evoke backstage glamour; tiled headboards recall fabric swatches; bold upholstered furniture balances comfort with couture. Red threads through each space, linking the rooms back to the brand’s pulse. 

The pattern isn’t decoration — it’s language. Translated into wardrobe panels, custom tiles, and layered materials, it creates a sensory experience that feels designed, not styled — distinctly Neema.