St Regis’ New Hotel Is An Enchanting Ode To Mangroves And Mayan Cosmology
Out in a mangrove forest in Playa del Carmen, Mexico, rests the new St. Regis Kanai hotel. The sprawling location consists of circular interlocking buildings that stand in harmony with nature.
St. Regis worked with architectural practice Edmonds International and the local environmental authorities to not disturb the surrounding environment of the Sian Ka’an Reserve on the Yucatán coast where the Kanai is located.
The pavilions now stand in stunning circular and semi-circular formations, allowing nature to flow effortlessly through the structures. According to Dezeen, Michael Edmonds, founder of Edmonds International, noted that the design and shape of the buildings protected the natural water flow to the nearby mangroves. Prefabricated elements and precast concrete foundations are also used to avoid on-site construction.
The Kanai features semi-circular sections that provide its guests with unobstructed vistas of the forest and sea. Meanwhile, communal spaces containing various amenities are housed in the circular sections and hold large courtyards at their center.
This fluid and spherical take on architecture come from Mayan cosmology, claims Edmonds. The Pleiades, a cluster of more than 800 stars in the constellation Taurus some 410 light years away from Earth, stands as the base for many Mayan structures.
The property has gardens, walkways, pools, and water features that tie in nature with luxury.
Large open spaces and floor-to-ceiling windows invite the enchanting nature of the Mayan Riviera right into the hotel’s spaces. Its interior is also punctuated with limestone and walnut accents, carved walls, and a color scheme dedicated to the region’s cenote trees that tie in its surroundings with the flare and opulence of St. Regis hotels.
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[via Dezeen and Travel + Leisure, images via St. Regis/Marriott]
