UNNA: An Island Retreat Shaped by Nature
On a quiet island in the Philippines, UNNA rises from the land as a retreat shaped by nature and family. We spoke with the family behind UNNA about the vision that shaped their retreat on a triangular plot between the sea and a mangrove forest in Puro. Built by local hands with natural materials and inspired by the Filipino island way of life, UNNA is a family-run home where simplicity, comfort, community, and creativity meet. Opening summer 2025 for private stays, with a shop and artist residency to follow.
Photography by UNNA
unna.ph / unna___________
The sea wraps around Puro in shifting shades of blue, its edges softened by mangroves and pale sand. Here, mornings arrive slowly, the air still, the light gentle, the sound of waves folding into the shore. On this small island in the southern Romblon province, UNNA rises quietly from the land, its whitewashed forms and thatched roofs blending into the landscape as if they had always been there.
What began as a family retreat grew into something more. The design, imagined before the land was even found, took shape when the founders arrived on Puro after weeks of searching. The connection was immediate, a recognition of a place that felt destined.
Architecture here follows the rhythm of the Philippines’ vernacular traditions. Spaces are open, shaped by climate and culture: living and dining, bedrooms, kitchen, library, studio. Each stands apart, yet all are tied together by air and pathways. Wide openings frame sea, sky, and shifting island greens. The structures are simple and raw, almost childlike in their purity.
Materials were sourced entirely from the province, from local wood and thatched grass to palm and marble from a neighbouring island. Inside, rooms are pared back to what matters: salvaged timber, primitive antiques, empty space. The design directs attention outward to the sound of palms in the wind, the light falling across the water, the steady rhythm of tides.
UNNA moves with the island’s life. Its team is local, its food grown and caught nearby. Every two months, the UNNA Art Club gathers children for drawing, games, and films. Medical missions bring care to the community. “This is the main reason we decided to open for private stays,” says Vianca Soleil, one of the founders. “To support the island in the ways that matter most.”
Guided by what they call a freeing way of life, the family works intuitively, balancing tradition with change, simplicity with comfort. “We wanted UNNA to feel like it has always belonged to the island,” says Vianca.
This October, UNNA will host its first Artist Residency, welcoming creators from around the world. Guests take no souvenirs when they leave, except what lingers within them: the feel of warm marble beneath bare feet, the scent of salt in the air, the sense of belonging to a slower, truer rhythm.
“A freeing way of life, this line really sums up our values. As a family, the amount of trust and support we have for each other frees up a lot of space for exploration and experimentation.
Our work approach is very flexible and collaborative. ”
Vianca Soleil, Founder of UNNA
“Like nature, it follows a raw and unpremeditated approach. I’m interested in finding abstract shapes and sequences in nature then translating them into a structure. The architecture looks quite primitive, almost like a child drew it... This open plan layout encourages movement and makes the outside part of moving around one’s home.”
Vianca Soleil, Founder of UNNA
