Boutique Design - November/December 2012 - 72

S E C T O R

S P O T L I G H T:

R E S O R T S

Originally planned as tree houses, Playa Viva’s casitas came down to earth when tests found old palm trees couldn’t be transplanted and young ones couldn’t support the load.

Going to Extremes: Black Holes

he biggest bang is coming from properties that enable tech addicts to go cold turkey—giving up the Internet, cell phones and even TV. No wonder they’re called black holes. At the hardcore end, architects are shaping buildings that are impervious to wireless signals. But the bulk of the commissions will be for resorts such as Playa Viva in Zihuatanejo, Mexico, which offer minimal connectivity (checking emails is possible, downloading isn’t) and maximum interconnectedness with their surroundings. Designers need to be prepared to drop off the grid of plunge-pools and ve- gure sofas and learn to live off the land. “All the wood [for Playa Viva’s three new Eco Casitas] was chosen, harvested, dried, treated and manufactured [sustainably] on site, as was the thatch used for the roofs,” says Michel Lewis, architect, A+S Arquitectura Sustentable. Because these properties are breaking new aesthetic ground, both the designers and architects have to be prepared to recalibrate more than they would on a standard deluxe resort. For example, the casitas’ original design called for a 180-degree panorama of the ocean. But guests wanted more privacy. “I went a step further by

designing two walls of sliding doors, so half of the space can open up to the terrace or be closed to create an intimate enclave,” says Lewis. Keeping design earth-friendly isn’t just about provenance. Creative teams are expanding their spec sheets as they learn to deal with unusual construction techniques. The daub and wattle walls of Playa Viva’s 30 guest rooms and casitas include a straw nish in the common areas; turtle

eggshells from the sanctuary in the common area bathrooms; and for the kitchen (gulp), manure (used in the mixture that forms the mortar that lls the gaps in the woven twigs, or wattle). Showers had to be situated so they could access sun-heated water but drain out into the ornamental gardens. Guest accommodations have a different ow without the clutter of desks, atscreen television, dataports or the ubiquitous bedside clock radio. Locally inspired colors and textures are the focal points. If there’s a big statement, it’s the bed— whether a four-poster crafted from local wood or a platform draped with 100 percent organic cotton linens. Common areas are becoming equally uncommon. There’s no need to position seating near outlets or layer in task lighting; nor is the primary sightline from eye level to an iPad screen. Even chair height/depth and table sizes are changing in gathering spaces dominated by the hum of conversation rather than the click of keystrokes. “If someone’s de nition of luxury is heated oors in the bathroom and a personal pillow butler, Playa Viva is not for them,” says David Leventhal, who co-owns this ve-star with his wife, Sandra Kahn. “But ‘eco’ doesn’t mean the guest has to settle for dirt oors and a cold shower. Resorts can nd that ne balance between eco and luxury.”

Both wood and bamboo samples were subjected to three-month tests in termite nests to ensure resistance to this local pest.

Boutique Design | November+December 2012

Courtesy of Playa Viva

Boutique Design - November/December 2012

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