Cocoon Greece, Costa Navarino, Messinia Building, Greek Islands, Peloponnese Design, Architect

Cocoon, Greece : Costa Navarino Building

Cocoon Building, Costa Navarino – design by polyanna paraskeva & associates

1 Sep 2011

Cocoon Costa Navarino

Location: Messinia, southwest Peloponnese, Greece

Design: polyanna paraskeva & associates

The Cocoon is inspired by the memory of the cocoon, as the space that carries life, with soft shapes that surround, contain and protect life.

Fluid forms and carved underground spaces with green roofs surround a basin, from which organic forms emerge.

It is a centre for babies and toddlers from 8 months up to 4 years, where they are creatively engaged and develop their skills in a soft and secure environment. The buildings include accommodation, space for the activities and outdoor play areas.

Cocoon & SandCastle at Costa Navarino

The unique design approach at Costa Navarino runs throughout the destination, even into the innovative childcare centres, reflecting high quality and aesthetics. Bioclimatic architecture, award-winning interior design and high-quality facilities for children are all part of the unique approach at Costa Navarino, the prime sustainable destination located in the Greek region of Messinia in the southwest Peloponnese.

Another new building at Costa Navarino:

SandCastle, Messinia, Greece

Polyanna Paraskeva & Associates, Greece

The SandCastle offers recreational and educational activities for children between the ages of 5-7 and 8-12 years with different activities for every age group, as well as overnight stay options.

The building draws from the concept of a castle built in the sand, inspired from the bay of Navarino and its dunes. At the SandCastle, a child’s gestures while playing with sand, such as sculpting and mixing, are translated into architectural forms. Through the interplay of spaces, materials and colours, the building acts as a field of experience and exploration.

With the support of specialised associates and staff, children broaden their knowledge and skills, discovering the ancient world of legends and Greek mythology as they become archaeologists and find their own treasures, sportsmen as they enjoy team games and familiarise themselves with the flora and fauna of the region through programmes developed in collaboration with National Geographic.

Both the Cocoon and the SandCastle have been designed by Polyanna Paraskeva & Associates Architects, a company that has been extensively involved and recognised for the design and construction of spaces of creative and educational activities for children and infants.

Bioclimatic architecture at Navarino Dunes

Navarino Dunes extends over 130 hectares of gently sloping hillside in a beautiful west-facing location, overlooking a magnificent sandy beach. At the first area of Costa Navarino, low-rise villas have been built using native stone and local design elements, which blend harmoniously into the natural landscape, safeguarding its integrity.

Based on the principles of bioclimatic architecture, the design is fully aligned with the region’s traditional architectural patterns in terms of form, volume and scale. Special design features include over 5,000 m² of planted roofs and artificial ponds to improve the local micro-climate, optimal use of sunlight through the orientation of buildings, landscaping, artificial and natural shading. The company responsible for the architecture at Navarino Dunes is Alexandros N. Tombazis & Associates Architects, the awarded firm specialising in low-energy and bioclimatic design. Interior design

The interior design at Navarino Dunes combines the rich heritage of the Peloponnese region with timeless architectural design and contemporary furniture and fittings. The aesthetic is a response to the location and is also inspired by the history and architectural inheritance of Messinia, while the interior environments correspond to today’s lifestyle. The two luxury hotels, The Romanos, a Luxury Collection Resort and The Westin Resort, The Dunes Club House, the 4,000m² Anazoe Spa and the Agora reflect the vision of MKV Design, one of the most respected providers of world-class interior design to the international hospitality sector.

The interior design is already gaining recognition by internationally-acclaimed organisations. Back in November 2010, The Romanos, a Luxury Collection Resort, was awarded “Best Suite, Interior Design of the Year” at the European Hotel Design Awards, an entry submitted by MKV Design.

The judges of these prestigious awards, that recognise the outstanding achievements of architects, designers and developers of hotels, referred to Royal Villa Koroni -the winning project- as “the epitome of understated elegance with its beautiful original interiors and continuity of design”, and that “the indoor-to-outdoor experience making the most of the location, particularly caught the judges’ eyes.” The award ceremony is held annually in the UK and considered amongst the most important for new hotel design in the world.

Cocoon + SandCastle images from FD

Location:Messinia, Peloponnese, Greece