The Hills Clubhouse | PEOPLE

The Hills Clubhouse is the architectural epicenter at Navarino Hills, the new area of Costa Navarino, home to two signature golf courses. It was recognized as the “World’s Best New Golf Development” by World Golf Awards 2020. PEOPLE and LZAtelier collaborated closely on the design, along with REDEX on the construction to complete this unique architectural project for PANORAMA S.A. The building lies in a majestic area of Messinia, Greece, of approximately 125 hectares which combines plains with olive groves, hills and dramatic slopes, offering unique views to the Bay of Navarino, the town of Pylos and the mountainous areas of Peloponnese. 

Navarino Hills is home to two 18-hole golf courses, The International Olympic Academy Golf Course and The Hills Course, designed by Olazabal Design. Their clubhouse lies in a strategic location between the golf routing, offering easy access to all golfers and visitors. Located on one of the highest points of the site, on a 215m altitude from sea level, in a 34,670sqm area, the building complex of approximately 2,630sqm includes ground and first floors as well as a basement.

The biggest challenge, yet the greatest opportunity of the project was to design a world-class golf club that respects the site’s unique nature and its scarce built form. The building’s location which is not only strategic, but most importantly hidden in the inner part of Navarino Hills tackles the challenge from a masterplan perspective. The design team’s architectural approach aimed to create discrete volumes that are connected with each other to form indoor and outdoor spaces into a unique building complex.

The 3 floors of the building prioritise and accommodate the club’s functions. The lobby, equipment rental spaces as well as offices lie on the ground floor, while secondary functions, such as locker rooms, storage and MEP are located in the basement. The first floor accommodates the F&B facilities of the complex. Its design makes the most out of the views towards the Bay of Navarino and the golf courses, as it includes both covered and open-air terraces in its 3 sides. This level’s outdoor spaces are directly connected with the ground level outdoor space through external staircases. The parking space is located in front of the building, to allow easy and peaceful movement for pedestrians and golf carts.

The building’s MEP design includes high energy efficiency systems with automations that enable their best performance depending on use and capacity levels. The building is A+ rated for its energy efficiency.

The main building materials are stone and timber that respect and enhance the local character and architecture. Masonry walls are combined with glass parapets and limestone slabs to complete the built form. The landscape design similarly draws inspiration from its majestic surroundings and smoothly connects the complex with the entire development and site.