A white stone lighthouse hotel on a cliff at sunset, with a woman in a white dress walking along a gravel path through lavender and wild flowers, a terrace with a parasol and sun loungers, a sailing boat on the sea and gulls in the sky

Competition Project

Sensoryscape

Year: August 2024
Classification: Competition Project
Status: Competition entry
Location: San Domino, Isole Tremiti, Italy
Team: Ofisvesaire (opens in a new tab)
Organizer: Terraviva, Lighthouse Hotel Competition

The design process of the project begins by questioning the fundamental reason why a visitor would want to come here. Why would someone dream of such an off-grid vacation, distancing themselves so much from the crowd and technology?

The design, at its core, is centered around emotions, creating a space where these emotions are allowed to come to the forefront, something that can only be shaped through the visitor's experience. The continuity of this experience, which begins with the journey to the island, is at the very heart of the design.

The Journey

The journey begins by boat and continues on the island with off-road vehicles. As visitors approach the lighthouse, they leave the vehicle and walk through a fragrance garden, harmonizing with the island's nature, leading to the hotel. The sensory garden serves as a transitional space offering different sensory experiences: visual, olfactory, and tactile. As the visitor walks through the garden, which blends with the island's natural vegetation, they are immersed in the scents of the plants. Throughout the walk, the lighthouse remains somewhat hidden. As one approaches the lighthouse, or the hotel, via an angled path, the elegant white structure emerges in a natural landscape with an endless sea backdrop, welcoming the visitor.

Experience Above and Below Ground

The landscape continues towards the sea through vertical circulation, with various wooden platforms integrated into the steep terrain to harmonize with the topography. These platforms also play a key role in incorporating the inner layers of the topography, such as caves, into the overall experience, emphasizing the design's holistic approach. Considering the spatial potential of these areas, it was discovered that the caves naturally align with practices like yoga and sound healing. With the continuity of vertical movement, visitors can reach the sea, where they can access platforms at sea level. These platforms, which can accommodate sailing boats, also allow visitors to participate in activities like diving in the sea caves clustered around the lighthouse, which include 6 main dive sites and 28 additional underwater caves. The integration of activities above and below ground is centered around maximizing the visitor's experience.

Materiality & Sensory Contrast

In a design crafted through experience, interior decisions are shaped by the sensory experiences intended to be created. Sensory contrast refers to how the perception of a sensory stimulus is influenced by preceding or contrasting stimuli. This principle is fundamental to human perception and can be experienced across different senses. For instance, visual contrast involves differences in light, color, and patterns that make objects stand out more prominently: a bright object appears even brighter against a dark background. Similarly, tactile contrast is evident when touching a soft object after a rough one, which heightens the perception of texture. This project explores the use of contrasting materials and textures to enhance the overall sensory experience.

Tasting Experience

As a program element, a Tasting experience has been added to enhance the overall experience. Various activities centered around tasting, such as winery, mixology, and gastronomy, have been distributed across the site, each offering unique spatial experiences.

The Journey

01 / 04

Hand-drawn map of San Domino island, with the dock, beach, town, hills and the lighthouse, an orange route from the boat landing through the town to the lighthouse, Isola Il Cretaccio and the Padre Pio statue offshore, and a compass rose. — 01San Domino: the route from the dock, through the town and hills, to the lighthouse.

Line drawing of a woman with a hat and suitcase walking up a path through flowering fields towards the white lighthouse, saying "Finally, silence…", with a sailing boat at sunset on the left. — 02The last stretch on foot, through the sensory garden to the lighthouse.

Line drawing of an off-road vehicle with a family driving along an island road among trees, passing a goat, a horse, a couple, a cyclist and a woman walking, each with a speech bubble. — 03Crossing the island by off-road vehicle.

Line drawing of passengers on a boat deck approaching the islands, with the captain at the wheel saying "Direction, Lighthouse!", a dolphin, a paddle boarder, a sailing boat and a family looking at the islands. — 04Arriving by boat.

Plans

01 / 03

Site plan at 1/500 with the lighthouse at the centre, stairs and platforms descending the cliff to the sea, and circles marking the sunset terrace, glass pool, mixology atelier, vineyard, chef's table and sensory garden. — 01Site plan, 1/500: the lighthouse, the cliff stairs and the tasting and garden spaces around it.

Ground level plan at 1/100 with numbered rooms, the lobby, spiral staircase and elevator hall, lounge, reception, back office, kitchen, guest WC, dining area and a separate pavilion. — 02Ground level plan, 1/100: lobby, reception, lounge, kitchen and dining.

First level plan at 1/50 with the staircase and elevator hall, the atrium and two identical suites, each with a lounge area, bathroom and sleeping area. — 03First level plan, 1/50: the atrium and two identical suites.

Experiences

01 / 04

Isometric drawing of the lighthouse on its cliff, with numbered spots for the chef's table among the trees, meditation and swimming terraces reached by zigzag wooden stairs down to the sea, the pool beside the lighthouse and the sensory garden path. — 01Above and below ground: chef's table, meditation, pool, swimming terraces, sensory garden and the lighthouse.

Line drawing of four friends with wine at a long table on a stone terrace, under pergolas heavy with grapes, with stairs leading up the terraced vineyard. — 02Tasting among the terraced vines.

Line drawing of a woman meditating cross-legged at the mouth of a sea cave, looking out to a sailing boat, a windsurfer, birds and a green headland. — 03Healing in the sea cave.

Line drawing of the pool terrace by the sea, with a bar and stools, a swimmer in the pool, sun loungers under a large parasol, a sailing boat and people walking with drinks. — 04Resting on the pool terrace.

Visualisations

01 / 04

Split view of the lighthouse on its green cliff with wooden stairs zigzagging down to the sea, a swimmer at the surface and, below the waterline, a sea turtle, fish and coral. — 01The cliff stairs down to the sea, and the dive sites below.

Suite bedroom with timber ceiling beams, a low plastered bed, copper wall lights, a perforated arched screen, a freestanding bath beside a rough stone wall and glowing globe lamps on pebbles. — 02Suite bedroom, with the bath beside the original stone wall.

Suite lounge with a built-in sofa under a shuttered window to the sea, cacti, a glass coffee table, a sculptural armchair, a curved timber wall with a perforated screen and a rough stone wall. — 03Suite lounge looking out to the sea.

The double-height atrium under an oval skylight, with a cascade of glass pendant lights, a perforated arched niche, a gallery above and an arched opening to the stone-walled lounge. — 04The atrium under the skylight, with the lounge beyond.