Landscape–Roidis Studio participated in a multidisciplinary design team responsible for the development of the master plan for a 250-hectare tourism destination in St. John, Elounda, one of Crete’s most renowned coastal landscapes. Conceived as an integrated resort community of international standards, the project sought to establish a distinctive destination that combines hospitality, leisure, and residential experiences within a carefully orchestrated landscape framework.

The master plan organized a diverse program of uses across the extensive site, including a 9-hole golf course, two five-star hotels, one six-star luxury hotel, private villas, a holiday village, retail and commercial facilities, and a marina with a small port serving both visitors and residents. A network of public spaces, pedestrian connections, and landscaped routes linked the various components of the development, ensuring continuity between the built environment and the surrounding terrain.

Landscape played a central role in shaping the identity of the resort. Extensive water features, swimming pools, gardens, and recreational open spaces were integrated throughout the development, creating a sequence of outdoor environments that respond to the Mediterranean climate while enhancing the visitor experience. The design approach emphasized visual connections to the sea, the preservation of key landscape characteristics, and the creation of a cohesive spatial structure capable of accommodating a wide range of hospitality and leisure functions.

By combining large-scale planning, environmental sensitivity, and high-end tourism infrastructure, the proposal envisioned a contemporary resort destination that balances luxury, landscape, and place-making within the unique setting of eastern Crete.