Celebrating excellence in contextual design, Aristides Dallas Architects has been awarded the “Best Local Firm” distinction at the 2025 Architizer A+Awards. This new category honors architectural practices that cultivate a strong connection to place and landscape. The studio was selected by an international jury in recognition of its thoughtful, site-responsive approach across diverse Greek territories - from island terrains to urban environments - and its ability to create deeply contextual, emotionally resonant buildings that celebrate the raw character of the Greek landscape.

 
A practice rooted in place and context
Founded in 2014 on the island of Tinos, Aristides Dallas Architects has evolved through a body of work that includes private residences, boutique hospitality projects, and mixed-use developments. The studio’s design philosophy focuses on creating buildings that emerge naturally from their surroundings. As founder Aristides Dallas notes, "a building should feel like an extension of its environment, rather than a foreign object.”

This approach balances bold architectural clarity with organic integration, achieved through precise spatial placement and material selection.
Operating between Athens and the Cycladic island of Tinos, the studio brings together the energy of the city and the authenticity of the islands. With a 30-person team and a diverse portfolio spanning residential, hospitality, and cultural projects, the studio is known for its balance between precision and poetics — raw materials, clean lines, and atmospheric experience.

 
Inspiration through observation
The studio’s process is grounded in observation and analysis. Design narratives often emerge from primary elements, such as rock formations, light patterns, wind movements, or geological textures. For example, the Tectonic Lodging project drew inspiration from cracked earth topography, while the Monolithic Village in Santorini reinterprets volcanic matter through clustered built volumes.

Rather than imitate nature, the studio interprets it. Each design begins with site analysis, followed by conceptual modeling—both physical and digital—to explore geometry, massing, and atmosphere. Whether embedded in rock, or hovering above a hillside, their buildings reflect a respect for place and a boldness of gesture.

“Reading the landscape as a language allows us to translate its essence into spatial form,” explains Aristides Dallas. “Architecture should feel inevitable — as if it has grown from the land."
 
Balancing form, craft, and materiality
A defining element in the studio’s work is the dialogue between abstraction and tactility. Volumes are articulated with clarity, but rooted in craftsmanship and material depth. Local stone, textured concrete, and natural finishes often serve as the medium, creating continuity with the landscape.

The studio emphasizes hands-on collaboration with local artisans, engineers, and fabricators, integrating traditional techniques into contemporary frameworks. This commitment to process ensures that architecture is not only technically resolved, but also emotionally grounded.

 
Evolving forward
Current projects include private residences, hospitality spaces, and renovation schemes throughout Greece, including the Cyclades and mainland regions. The studio is also exploring new typologies in civic and cultural architecture, with a focus on public engagement and spatial storytelling.

Following this recognition, the studio is opening up to international collaborations, while remaining rooted in its foundational principles: site specificity, material intelligence, and experiential design.

The recognition at the Architizer A+Awards reinforces the studio’s ongoing pursuit of architecture that is specific to place and attuned to human experience.

“We aim to design spaces that feel inevitable, necessary, and grounded,” says Dallas.

“Spaces that serve people and amplify the identity of their setting.”