Interview about Belmondo Suites Stay and Savor, winner of the A' Hospitality, Recreation, Travel and Tourism Design Award 2025
This design seamlessly blends past and present, preserving historical elements while introducing modern functionality. It respects original architecture while integrating contemporary needs. Meticulous craftsmanship, thoughtful materials, and an intuitive layout emphasize comfort and aesthetic harmony. Interiors reflect neo-classical elegance, modern rustic warmth, and Scandinavian simplicity, with handcrafted furnishings and natural materials enhancing tactile depth. This approach creates a timeless, practical, and elegant space that honors heritage through refined design.
View detailed images, specifications, and award details on A' Design Award & Competition website.
View Design DetailsAt Belmondo Suites, the core idea was never to compete with history, but to listen to it. We approached the building with great respect—studying its existing textures, proportions, and structural logic before any intervention. Instead of erasing what was there, we revealed and celebrated it.Modern functionality—lighting, infrastructure, climate control—was carefully embedded, almost invisibly, so as not to interrupt the spatial narrative. Every intervention was designed to feel quiet, timeless, and context-aware. The result is not a clash between eras, but a dialogue—where the soul of the place is intact, and the present respectfully integrates itself into the story.
Kaleici is a palimpsest of civilizations—Ottoman, Roman, Hellenistic—and each layer leaves a subtle trace. In designing Belmondo Suites, we treated each of the four mansions as individuals with distinct personalities shaped by their location, orientation, and original structure. Instead of forcing a uniform style, we created a shared atmosphere—a silent harmony through materials, natural light, and honest details.Cultural diversity was not masked but embraced. Local textures, aged wood, natural stone, and handcrafted elements anchored the project in its place, while bespoke design solutions ensured visual coherence without flattening the narrative. The result is an experience that feels layered, rooted, and yet gently unified.
The most significant challenge was reconciling the spatial limitations of centuries-old mansions with the expectations of today’s hospitality experience. Ceiling heights, uneven floor levels, limited natural light, and thick structural walls demanded creative yet respectful solutions.We designed each intervention with restraint—integrating modern comforts like climate control, acoustic insulation, and bathrooms without disrupting the architectural integrity. Materials were carefully chosen to echo the original textures, and wherever possible, existing elements were restored rather than replaced.Every solution was a negotiation—between old and new, visible and hidden, comfort and memory. This balance ensured that the building’s story remained legible, even as it evolved to serve a new generation of travelers.
We wanted guests to not just see the design—but to feel it. The selection of natural materials such as aged wood, handmade tiles, and local stone was driven by a desire to create spaces that evoke memory, warmth, and authenticity.Many furnishings were custom-designed and produced by local artisans, reflecting both the scale of the rooms and the spirit of the region. Every touchpoint—whether a textured wall, a carved headboard, or a linen curtain—was an invitation to slow down and connect.In an age of visual overload, tactility becomes a form of storytelling. These materials were chosen not just for their beauty, but for their ability to ground the guest in the present moment—gently reminding them they are somewhere meaningful.
At Belmondo Suites, spatial flow was conceived as a journey—one that unfolds gradually, just like the layered history of the site. Open courtyards invite daylight and breeze, semi-open galleries guide movement and offer glimpses, and enclosed rooms provide intimacy and pause.Some of these open and semi-open spaces were transformed into dining and social areas—honoring the building’s past function as a place of gathering. This reinterpretation bridges memory with modern use, encouraging guests to experience the spirit of communal living in a historical setting.The result is an immersive experience that doesn’t just reference history, but quietly allows guests to inhabit it—through movement, light, and spatial transitions that feel natural, yet deeply rooted.
The decision to preserve specific historical elements was guided by respect—for the memory of the place and the silent craftsmanship embedded within it. We listened to the building; original wooden floors with their natural patina, stone walls that had weathered time, and slatted ceilings that shaped the rhythm of the rooms all had a voice we didn’t want to silence.Modern amenities were integrated with extreme care, always secondary to the existing character. Where we added, we whispered—never shouted. Custom lighting, hidden systems, and restrained material choices helped bridge the past and present. The goal was not contrast, but quiet continuity.
Designing 30 unique rooms across four heritage mansions was both a creative challenge and a responsibility. Rather than forcing uniformity, we embraced the irregularities, traces, and asymmetries of the existing architecture as a guide.Each room was treated like an individual character—with its own rhythm, proportions, and light. We let the structure speak to us: a slanted ceiling became a reading nook, a narrow window turned into a focal point.Architectural authenticity was preserved by building around what was already there—not despite it. This approach allowed every room to feel distinct yet part of a greater narrative—one that respects the past while offering a fresh, lived experience.
Researching historical archives and listening to past residents were crucial in understanding not just the structure, but its soul. These narratives revealed how the spaces were lived in, what memories were attached, and how people used and related to them.Interestingly, each mansion once belonged to owners of different origins and cultural backgrounds—people who were not native to this land, but who had called it home. Their layered stories shaped our design intent: not to favor a single aesthetic, but to celebrate diversity.Rather than imposing one unified style, we allowed each space to reflect its past occupants’ spirit—sometimes subtly, sometimes boldly. In doing so, we preserved not just space, but memory, plurality, and identity.
Belforno was designed as a respectful reinterpretation of the traditional Turkish house’s connection with privacy, landscape, and material honesty. The restaurant’s architecture blends historical preservation with contemporary Mediterranean character.Natural stone and terracotta were used on the floors to evoke warmth and timelessness. Stone walls and decorative plasters were preserved and enhanced with elements that respect natural aging. Shading structures—functional yet delicate—helped reinforce a Mediterranean identity.One highlight of the space is the handmade ceramic tiles at the bar, especially the custom-designed leaf-shaped ones that flow toward the floor, creating a sense of fluidity and craftsmanship. Bold colors like glazed green and red reflect the Italian spirit.During landscape works, a Roman-era altar discovered in the courtyard was preserved with the Antalya Museum’s collaboration and thoughtfully integrated into the interior. Above it, a custom-designed slanted mirror was placed. The mirror added depth to the interior space of the restaurant and invited visitors to perhaps view the union of past and future through its reflection.Belforno is not just a restaurant; it’s a dialogue between heritage and today, crafted through materials, texture, and story.
Belmondo Suites Stay and Savor demonstrates that restoring heritage buildings does not mean freezing them in time, but rather letting them evolve while staying truthful to their character. I believe it will encourage future designers to treat history as a living narrative—one that can be reinterpreted with empathy, creativity, and boldness.One of the key takeaways from this project is the importance of listening to the building. Every layer, every material, and every scar has something to say. Instead of imposing a single vision, designers should reveal what is already present and amplify it with care.This project also showed us how handcrafted details and sensory elements can create a powerful emotional connection. Designers working on adaptive reuse should remember that heritage is not just physical—it’s also deeply emotional.
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