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JOYFUL EXPLORATION I PAROS

Stamos
Hondrodimos,
with his
Designing Exceptional Empiria Group's
distinctive
aesthetic, has
transformed
hotels, creating
a tranquil yet
Spaces contemporary
environment.

Stamos Hondrodimos, the creative force behind the

comprehensive design of Empiria, shares the essential values
and philosophy of his work.

Stamos Hondrodimos, the Head of Design and Founder of Contemporary
Interior Design Laboratorium, is the mastermind behind the
holistic design of Empiria Group's hotels. He discusses the elements
core principles and ethos that connect him with the Empiria
Group.
Your designs often blend a destination’s tradition with with traditional
modern aesthetics. Can you share the primary sources
of inspiration that drive your creative process, especially Cycladic charm
when working on hospitality projects like Mystique in
Santorini or Cosme in Paros? offer guests
At Interior Design Laboratorium, our philosophy is to draw
inspiration from the environment surrounding each project. an immersive
For us, this is the beginning, middle, and end. We analyze
and explore the history of each place—its social, folkloric, and experience.
architectural elements—and what each location represents.
Essentially, we want a visitor from the other side of the world
to immediately understand that they are in that specific place,
for example, the Cyclades. We aim for every visitor to feel every project we design. From our side, we prioritize the For Interior Design Laboratorium, the biggest challenge is to
that they are on a particular island without any confusion. functionality of the spaces before the design. We consider create something that is an aesthetic benchmark, at least for
This is why our projects are characterized by simplicity. Our how people will work, what they will need to operate efficiently. Greek standards. That is, not to copy something that already
office’s motto is ‘studied simplicity,’ which is intrinsically Interior Design Laboratorium is known for its attention to exists but to be a model to emulate.
linked to the DNA of the Cyclades, where simplicity is a detail and use of natural materials. How does your design How do you envision the evolution of your collaboration
fundamental characteristic of the architecture. These islands philosophy manifest in your projects with Empiria Group? with Empiria Group, and what new directions are you
have produced unique architecture that is a global reference Due to our DNA as interior architects, we have learned to preparing to explore in future projects?
point. Thus, we strive to combine and take references from the work with even the smallest detail. In our collaboration with We are already working on new projects on new islands. Since
past, from traditional architecture, and bring them translated Empiria, something unusual and unique has happened. Istoria, our collaboration spans almost 15 years, the partnership has
into today and tomorrow. Parilio, and Cosme are examples where we have designed become almost emotional. We know each other, we have common
When starting a new hospitality project, what is your general everything—the architecture, the landscape, and the master elements, common visions. Empiria is always looking far ahead,
vision for the guest? How do you balance the functional plan. In these three examples, one can perceive a holistic progressing step by step, continuously, without stopping, and
requirements of a luxury hotel with the desire to create a aesthetic identity, and the guest can experience the same we have learned to follow this rhythm. We love creating in places
unique and unforgettable experience? feeling from beginning to end. that have inspiration and history behind them, like the Cyclades.
Our overall vision is to create a feeling for the guest. We don’t What are some of the biggest challenges you face when Discovering pure islands by hotel industry standards, we aim
just want to design a space; we want there to be a story behind designing for high-end hospitality environments? Can you to uncover their stories and explore what to do in a new place
it that ultimately makes the guest feel something beautiful. provide an example of a particularly demanding project together with the group.Therefore, there is a shared vision, and
This is paramount: the guest should feel experiences within and how did you overcome these difficulties? both sides are very excited about this. •

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