Seamarq Hotel
personally because it is the first project in my home
country. It has been a challenging assignment for us
because of the complexity, the subtlety of the program,
and the sensitive nature of the site but we are very
proud of the excellent result that is far beyond our
expectations.
“In designing a building which is on the water, the
water view takes priority, so that all of the public
spaces, all the living spaces open up to the water. So
there is a relationship between open and closure,
between opacity and transparency. The guest rooms
and the public spaces at the Seamarq Hotel are in
many ways related to some of the early houses that
I have designed, such as the Smith House and the
Douglas House where there is an open living space,
a great deal of transparency and an openness to the
nature around the site,” said Mr. Meier.
The porte-corchere framed by the Hotel building
canopy and entrance to the Banquet Hall opens to a
grand two story lobby lounge and bar facing the sea
at ground level with a wraparound outdoor deck as
an extension of the lobby. The views are unobstructed
and maximized with indoor and outdoor spaces that
flow seamlessly together. The restaurant is nestled
into the existing landscape one level below the lobby
and enjoys immediate and close views of the sea and
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the beachfront. The spa is one more level below, with
spaces open to the dense vegetation and landscape,
with its form following the natural shape of the hill.
A presidential suite is at the tower’s summit with a
generous terrace and courtyard garden with open
views in all directions.
The crisp angular shape of the building contrasts
with the soft shapes of the hill and lower floors of the
restaurant and spa. The building’s changing silhouette
is perceived differently from various vantage points as
floating balconies, articulated planes, varying heights
and the overhung canopy of the top floor Presidential
Suite are characteristic elements of the design. The