Design harmony – Studio Go Ibiza
Belgian-born architect and designer Sam De Ridder brings a Mediterranean design language informed by a European sensibility to island homes.
Opening a studio in Ibiza was a breath of fresh air for architect and interior designer Sam De Ridder. After working as an architect designing high-end residential projects in Antwerp, his hometown, he was ready to incorporate something more personal into his project repertoire. Under the banner of his architecture and interior design company Studio Go Ibiza, this talented designer and his team bring a sense of lightness and style to the homes of Ibiza and beyond, melding a European sensibility with the soothing colours, textures and natural light of the island.
De Ridder is continually inspired by the possibilities that emerge when his Northern European design training is set within a Mediterranean context. This balancing has deepened his stylistic insight and sharpened his understanding of the true purpose of his practice, that is to create spaces that make people feel good, championing lifestyle over ostentation, beauty over status. Drawing on the ancient traditions of Ibiza, the architect and designer keeps human scale at the centre of each design. “All of the measurements in the old Ibiza farmhouses were based on the human body,” he says. “It’s like da Vinci’s proportions and the golden ratio. When people and the way they live guide the process, harmony always follows.”
Remaining deeply connected to his Belgian roots, De Ridder wanted his Ibiza studio to reflect a similarly European connection. Establishing the Studio Go Ibiza office in Santa Gertrudis made sense. Centrally located, the town has become a meeting point for the island’s cosmopolitan community. “Our clients and collaborators love to come to the office,” he says. “It’s such a dynamic area. It’s close to everything. People come for a meeting, go have lunch nearby, do a little shopping and then have drinks.” Immersed in the area’s growing creative scene, the Studio Go Ibiza team has made the space a welcoming hub for clients planning their island homes and trusted partners catching up on projects.
Often, it’s here in Santa Gertrudis – whether in local cafés or at the Studio Go Ibiza worktable – where the design process begins. According to De Ridder, it always begins with a paper and pencil. “Paper is forgiving. It gives you more room to dream,” he says. “We always start by hand. It’s such an underestimated tool. There are no limitations, whereas a computer already pushes you in a certain direction.”
This emphasis on tactile and tangible methodology stems from De Ridder’s early years. “I was always interested in creating things,” he says. “Objects you can touch, things that influence your life.” He sees architecture as one of the few disciplines still built by people for people. “I have never once been bored in my work. Not only is each project different, but the act of creating a personal space for someone is very rewarding.” The best reward, however, is given directly to the clients of Studio Go Ibiza, who get to live in these magnificent homes.
At Studio Go Ibiza, there is no prescribed aesthetic, only a clear way of working, where consistency emerges through recurring gestures rather than rigid rules. The Studio Go Ibiza language is classically contemporary, tinged with a Mediterranean nonchalance. “My background is in Northern European, highly detailed design and the Bauhaus school,” De Ridder explains. “It’s very minimalistic, but opening a studio in the Mediterranean has introduced a certain fluidity.” The result is an architecture with an emphasis on understatement, quality and a discreet sense of luxury.
In one project, a low-slung Ligne Roset Togo sofa in buttery cognac leather sits beside a pebble-shaped coffee table in dark wood, its rounded edges and weighty legs offset by the soft contrast of a pure-white sheepskin rug. Translucent curtains temper the caramel palette, while travertine flooring delivers a natural patina underfoot. Elsewhere, textured stone runs the length of kitchen benchtops paired with custom cabinetry for warmth, while not-quite-white walls offer a welcome shift from the island’s usual brightness.
“Our best projects are always like a dance,” De Ridder says. “The client, the designer, the builder and the artisans – we work in symbiosis.” That balance avoids sterile minimalism and rustic cliché, allowing the client’s personality to sit naturally within an intentional architectural framework. This approach has earned Studio Go Ibiza a place in the Timeless Living Yearbook 2026 and recognition abroad, though the firm’s stellar reputation has been mostly built on word of mouth. Collaboration underpins everything, and De Ridder values the support and openness of other professionals in Ibiza. “I love being part of the design community here,” he says. “Everyone really helps each other; it’s so different to London or Brussels.”
Residential projects remain at the core of the practice, though De Ridder has also worked on selected commercial commissions on and off the island. Studio Go Ibiza offers a complete service from spatial planning and interior architecture through to lighting, custom joinery, furnishings and styling. Supported by a close-knit team and a trusted network of collaborators, De Ridder describes the studio’s ethos as: “Small enough to care, big enough to cope”. At its essence, that’s his motivation – to design spaces that are thoughtful, well-made and genuinely good to live in.
Founded by successful Belgian-born, Ibiza-based architect and interior designer Sam De Ridder.
