05 04 Exterior of a
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DESIGN : VIVANTA BY TAJ – BEKAL
02 The entrance to the lobby features a handwoven bamboo roof .
05 04 Exterior of a
Premium Indulgence Room
03 The Ivory Bar features a water garden moat .
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01 EXTERIOR OF LATITUDE , THE ALL-DAY RESTAURANT FEATURING REGIONAL MOPLAH SPECIALTIES
05 Candles adorn the wall of a guestroom bathroom .
THE DESIGN of the new 73-room Vivanta by Taj – Bekal , spread across 26 acres ( 10.5 hectares ), has a unique inspiration : the Kettuvallam house boat , native to the relatively remote part of India ’ s Kerala state where the resort is located . This reflects the approach the hotel ’ s designer , Grounds Kent Architects , Fremantle , Australia , typically takes .
“ When we visit a new site , we always heavily research local customers , cultures , building traditions and materials ,” says Nick Juniper , partner at Grounds Kent Architects . “ We visited Kerala in 2005 and discovered the Kettuvallam water houses and were struck by their unique forms and ideas . They are an iconic part of the region , and we knew we needed to somehow use their forms and materials in the hotel . We developed the forms from the boats into the roof forms of the pavilions and structures of the hotel . Local craftsmen were employed to build the structures , so there is a high degree of regional authenticity in the construction .”
The central facilities building , which includes the entrance and hotel lobby , is arranged in an axis through the middle of the property , terminating with a walking bridge that leads over the river to the 165,000-sq-ft ( 15,329-sq-m ) Jiva Grande Spa .
The guestrooms are arranged in villa structures or small , two-story blocks on either side of the central
www . hotelsmag . com May 2012 HOTELS 35