Raw Luxury in Harmony: JW Marriott Crete Joins The Wave of Sustainable Design

JW Marriott Crete by Block722 is a regenerative resort that blends Mediterranean simplicity with sustainable luxury, setting a new standard for hospitality on Greece’s wild coastline.

In a bold and poetic statement of harmony between nature and architecture, Block722 unveils the new JW Marriott Crete Resort & Spa a 5-star sanctuary rooted in sustainability, regenerative design, and raw Mediterranean luxury. Located on the rocky slopes of Akra Pelegri, this landmark project redefines what it means to build with the land rather than on it.

A Symphony of Site, Stone, and Sea

Stretching across 59,700 m² of terraced hillside overlooking Souda Bay, the resort delicately unveils itself in layers — like a slow walk through a timeless village. From native plantings and uncut boulders to earthen-toned interiors and hand-built stone walls, every element is designed to dissolve boundaries between built and natural environments.

Each of the 160 rooms and suites features amphitheatrical placement, private pools that float within the landscape, and rooftops planted with native flora, offering a living blueprint for immersive, low-impact hospitality

Built from the Earth, for the Earth

From excavated stone and aggregate sourced on-site to renewable energy systems and deep pergolas inspired by ancient Doric columns, the project is a manifesto in slow, thoughtful architecture. Passive solar orientation, natural cross-ventilation, and photovoltaic panels work in concert with green roofs and drought-tolerant planting schemes to drastically reduce energy and water usage.

This is not merely sustainable design - it’s regenerative design, one that honors the slow-living ethos of Crete and gives back more than it takes.

Rooted in Craft

Led by Sotiris Tsergas and Katja Margaritoglou, Block722’s vision was realized through deep partnerships with local artisans, manufacturers, and builders. This collaboration ensured that the project wasn’t imported, but grown-stone by stone, thread by thread-from the island’s own DNA.

The result is a sensory-rich resort experience where raw linens, terracotta, rattan, and washed woods translate the wild textures of Crete into tactile moments of peace and elegance.

A Living Chapter of The Wave of Sustainable Design

With its deep reverence for the land, regenerative ambition, and meditative spatial language, the JW Marriott Crete Resort & Spa joins The Wave of Sustainable Design as an emblematic force in the new era of quiet, immersive, and ethical luxury. It is more than a destination — it is a model for future hospitality, where architecture becomes ecology, and luxury becomes restoration.