Architecture

A line that began in its simplest form but then evolved and flowed through curvilinear forms – this was the concept adopted by the firm of architects Foster & Partners in creating the eye-catching architectural project that was to become the Banyan Tree Corniche Bay hotel complex, in the Indian Ocean Islands of Mauritius.

The end result is a grouping of villas that appear to be organic creations, which blend in to their natural surroundings in a perfect interaction with the tropical forest and blue ocean that surround them. This is why its designers based their concept on the curved lines mentioned above, which are evidenced in the roofs of the properties, as these forms pay tribute to the undulating geography of the location.

It is to say the least rather exotic, to find an architectural development of this type coming from the studios of Foster & Partners. After all, the firm has traditionally focused on large concrete structures in major cities such as Beijing, China. Against this background, the Banyan Tree Corniche Bay almost seems like a whim, an opportunity for the firm’s architects to put aside their traditional materials and explore different concepts.

The Islands of Mauritius certainly provide a unique opportunity to turn this whim into a reality. All the materials used in the structure of the villas, beginning with wood and volcanic rock, come from the site itself, covered as it is with rich tropical vegetation. The characteristics of the local area also provide inspiration for the layout of the site and its buildings.

This is why tropical vegetation plays a leading role in the design of the villas, each one of which has an individually and perfectly designed garden of dense tropical species, so that visitors do not forget that they are no longer in the middle of the asphalt jungle, but in the middle of the real jungle itself. The climate also influenced the design of the comforting, high roofed houses where guests can shelter from the heat of the sun. And water, represented by the turquoise colored ocean surrounding the island, was a reference point in distributing the villas on the site: every single one of them without exception, has a view of the sea through their enormous picture windows providing endless enjoyment for the senses.

And best of all is that on top of all this, the facilities also comply with the standards of projects designed to meet the needs of the most demanding first class traveler: to be the last word in luxury. The only difference is that here, the exquisite is blended with the very essence of nature, for which reason Foster & Partners decided to describe their project embodying “discretion with environmental intelligence.”

This definition also embraces the objective of making the Banyan Tree Corniche Bay an environmentally responsible development, where rain water is collected for re-cycling, solar energy is used to power services such as the electric cars used by guests to move around the property, and highly efficient systems to help recover area devastated by man’s intervention.

All of this happens outside the villas. Inside, they are designed to provide maximum possible comfort, whether considering a standard 540 m² villa or one of the largest ones at 930 m². Of course, the basic element featured in them all is the wood which frames the bedrooms, the drawing room, the yoga deck, Jacuzzi, outside home theater, the private pool which resembles a mirror of water stretching to the horizon, the reading room, meditation room, bathroom and spa.

While the villas are some of the most important aspects of the project, they are not the only ones. They are complemented by a hotel and spa - the Banyan Tree Hotel – as well as with a spectacular nine holes golf course designed by Gary Player, winner of 163 professional golf tournaments around the world and responsible for designing more than 250 other internationally acclaimed golf courses.

So all of this formed part of the architect’s master plan. The bonus is the hand of God that gave life to the Islands of Mauritius and provided not only the ocean and exuberant vegetation, but also natural treasures for the guests to enjoy such as Morne Brabant Mountain, selected by UNESCO for recognition as a world heritage site, and hidden corals under the Indian Ocean waters. All of these elements come together to give life to an architectural project that is certain to redefine luxury accommodation.

www.cornichebay.com