Belgian-based Polo Architects and Going East have designed a low-key and elegant Barefoot Luxury Hotel, a 30-home serviced hotel in Cabo Verde, on the coast of West Africa. The team collectively considered the natural character of the island, thus respecting the arid, rocky terrain in architecture, interior design and landscape design.

Only four storeys high at most, the villa is constructed from an original concrete frame, then piled with basalt excavated directly from the surrounding valley. In addition to keeping with Cabo Verde's traditional method of building walls, the ochre and brown stones harmonized with the color of the land. Basalt Rock Road connects the villa. Polo Architects, co-founder of Patrick Lootens, noted that for this labour-intensive approach, they relied on the expertise of local experts in Santo Antao, proving that it is possible to create modern structures using local techniques and typologies.

The island is exposed to harsh winds, so each building is arranged around a central outdoor courtyard with a swimming pool and kitchen. Large Kotibe wood panels surround the patio space and can be rotated to block the wind. The vines cover the tall pergola and extend eastward, creating an "inside and out" effect.

Anais Torfs and Michiel Mertens designed much of the furniture in collaboration with local artisans, and searched Mindelo's market for objects that would connect the homes to their location. From shark teeth to the local Awale game board, wicker baskets and cassava mortar, the room is filled with delights that remind guests that they are on African soil. The interior is made of wood-panelled concrete surfaces, with full-height Windows facing the sea. In an area largely untouched by tourism, Polo Architects and Going East have managed to achieve a standard of luxury while maintaining an authentic connection to island life.