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Right in the heart of Thessaloniki, where traces of Byzantine history still shape the city, Monasty Hotel offers both a peaceful escape and a thoughtful nod to its past. Designed by Not a Number Architects for Marriott’s Autograph Collection, the 100-room hotel blends the quiet, reverent feel of a religious space with the warmth and comfort of modern luxury. This one-of-a-kind design wowed judges in Architizer’s 12th Annual A+Awards, winning the Jury Vote in the Commercial Interiors (>25,000 sq ft) category.
Thessaloniki was once the second most important city in the Byzantine Empire, and its surviving Orthodox churches such as the Church of Saint Demetrios and the Church of Agia Sophia, are architectural relics of that time. Monasty stands in a location rich with history and even sits next to the only monastry still active in the city center — The Monastery of Agia Theodora. The monastry was rebuilt after the great fire of 1917 on the foundations of an older Byzantine structure. This unique setting inspired a design that combines the simple monastic life with the sophisticated modern hospitality.
So how does a 5-star hotel resurrect centuries of history? From hidden symbolism to heavenly lighting, here are seven ways the hotel brings the past to life:
1. Symmetry and Order
Monasty by Not a Number Architects, Thessaloniki, Greece | Jury Winner, Commercial Interiors (>25,000 sq ft), 12th Annual A+Awards
The hotel’s ground floor follows a clear, church-like symmetry. Guests enter through doors that act like a Western church door, drawing the eye straight down a central axis to a hidden courtyard. At the center, the bar stands like an altar opposite the entry way. Above it all, a grand wooden ceiling stretches across the space further mirroring the naves of Byzantine churches, creating a calm, almost sacred atmosphere.
2. Monastic Material Palette
Monasty by Not a Number Architects, Thessaloniki, Greece | Jury Winner, Commercial Interiors (>25,000 sq ft), 12th Annual A+Awards
Byzantine architecture often paired modest structures with richly detailed interiors. Walls were lined with thin sheets of marble or patterned stone, while bricks, stone, and mosaics added depth and texture. Fine wood furniture, from stools to shelves, brought warmth and refinement into these sacred spaces.
Monasty continues this tradition with its thoughtful material palette of brick, stone, wood, and marble. The stone flooring flows seamlessly from the hotel’s covered entrance into the lobby, echoing the cool, durable floors of Byzantine churches. At the reception, a black marble desk stands before a monochrome brick wall, softened by wood-framed shelving that brings balance and warmth.
Throughout the hotel, furniture in richly grained wood adds texture and tactility, reinforcing the sense of crafted elegance that defines both the monastic and the modern.
3. Chapel-Inspired Lighting
Monasty by Not a Number Architects, Thessaloniki, Greece | Jury Winner, Commercial Interiors (>25,000 sq ft), 12th Annual A+Awards
Lighting in Byzantine churches was designed to feel spiritual — dim, diffused, and often flickering from oil lamps or candles. This gentle illumination gave interiors a sense of mystery, slowing time and encouraging reflection.
Monasty channels that same mood with layered lighting. Brass chandeliers which were modeled after traditional hanging candlesticks line the hotel’s main axis, casting a warm, inviting glow toward the bar. Elsewhere, low-hanging pendants and gently lit alcoves create pockets of intimacy. Shadows which are part of the design help to create a quietly dramatic aura about the hotel.
4. Icon-inspired Colors
Monasty by Not a Number Architects, Thessaloniki, Greece | Jury Winner, Commercial Interiors (>25,000 sq ft), 12th Annual A+Awards
Byzantine art was full of rich, earthy tones that came in deep reds, ochres, olive greens and soft golds. These colors weren’t just beautiful; they helped create a calm, reverent mood in churches and icons.
Monasty brings that same feeling into its interiors. The color palette is warm and muted, filled with terracotta brick, dark woods, and black marble. Even the textiles and furniture like the pale red banquettes and stone-colored walls, feel pulled from an icon’s background. Everywhere you look, the tones are soft, grounded and emotionally rich.
This thoughtful use of color creates an atmosphere that feels sacred but not cold. It’s quiet and elegant, rooted in Byzantine tradition, but still completely modern.
5. Arches and Alcoves
Monasty by Not a Number Architects, Thessaloniki, Greece | Jury Winner, Commercial Interiors (>25,000 sq ft), 12th Annual A+Awards
Arches were central to Byzantine architecture. They held up walls and marked the line between the earthly and the divine. The designers spoke that language in the interior of this hotel with rounded forms at every turn.
You’ll see it in the restaurant’s curved alcove seating, in the bedroom headboards shaped by rows of repeating arches and in the gentle curves of the hallway ceilings. Even the wooden display shelves are topped with rounded edges. They nod to ancient basilicas but still feel right at home in a modern hotel.
6. Art as Storytelling
Monasty by Not a Number Architects, Thessaloniki, Greece | Jury Winner, Commercial Interiors (>25,000 sq ft), 12th Annual A+Awards
Byzantine interiors weren’t just about beauty. They were meant to teach. Through detailed mosaics and paintings, churches shared stories of faith and history with anyone who entered.
Monasty brings that same idea into its design. Greek artist Fikos created murals in a modern Byzantine style. His work tells the story of Thessaloniki in a way that feels both ancient and fresh. These paintings do more than decorate. They root the space in local culture and invite guests to pause and reflect. Just like in old churches, the art here is meant to be seen, remembered and felt.
7. A Garden of Stillness
Monasty by Not a Number Architects, Thessaloniki, Greece | Jury Winner, Commercial Interiors (>25,000 sq ft), 12th Annual A+Awards
Byzantine monasteries were places of quiet. They often had small gardens or courtyards for reflection. These spaces helped monks disconnect from the outside world and connect with something deeper.
Monasty brings that same idea into the city. At the back of the hotel, a secret garden waits. It’s filled with soft greenery, water, and calm light. It feels hidden, like a breath held in. The noise of the city disappears. In its place is quiet, stillness, and a sense that time has slowed. Just like in a monastery.
Monasty by Not a Number Architects, Thessaloniki, Greece | Jury Winner, Commercial Interiors (>25,000 sq ft), 12th Annual A+Awards
Monasty doesn’t just take cues from Byzantine architecture. It brings the style and the spirit back to life. Each of the seven design moves explored here reveals a clear connection to the past, from symmetry and arches to lighting, materials, and atmosphere. But none of it feels dated. Instead, the hotel offers a calm and luxurious experience rooted in its surroundings. In a city shaped by centuries of faith and design, Monasty quietly resurrects Byzantine heritage in a way that feels both timeless and new.
Got a project that’s too wild for this world? Submit your conceptual works, images and ideas for global recognition and print publication in the 2025 Vision Awards, The Early Entry period is underway — start your entry today.
