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Etéreo Riviera Maya
By : Migdal Arquitectos
GRANDS PRIX DU DESIGN – 17th edition
Discipline : Architecture
Categories : Special Award / Sustainable Architecture : Bronze Certification
Categories : Commercial Building / Hotel & Resort : Silver Certification
Etéreo Riviera Maya is a luxury resort located in the Kanai Riviera Maya complex, a 50-hectare plot that includes various hotel infrastructures, golf courses, and offers views of the Caribbean along the Cancún – Playa del Carmen highway, in the state of Quintana Roo, Mexico.
The project is set on a 10-hectare site in a mangrove area and directly on the seafront. The hotel structure is based on three large platforms suspended four meters high, overlooking the mangroves, which creates the impression of floating while respecting nature and minimizing impact on it. These platforms are organized into three usage zones: public (oval), rest (rectangle), and recreation (trapezoid), served by a central main axis that interconnects the different areas for users and services, plus organic connections through wooden pedestrian bridges over the mangrove.
The public area is located on an oval platform, where the entrance plaza, reception, multipurpose room, meeting room, reading lounge, spa, treatment rooms, gym, and yoga are found, all independent buildings connected by walkways over water features that create a special atmosphere.
The rest area is in the middle of the complex on a rectangular platform, with 75 rooms grouped into eight buildings of three and four floors with a residential setting. There are five types of suites, ranging from 60 m² to 240 m² plus terraces and private gardens equipped with outdoor jacuzzis. Each building is inspired by the volumetry of Mayan ruins with staggered volumes vertically and horizontally, creating plazas, pathways, and terraces, offering privacy and shade.
The recreation area is located to the east of the complex on a trapezoidal platform of different levels, close to the beach, incorporating the pool, sunbathing areas, cabanas, a children’s playroom, event garden, and a casual and specialty restaurant, creating an environment conducive to rest and relaxation, with priority views of the sea, surrounded by water mirrors that underline the proximity of the ocean and mangroves.
The complex is equipped with sustainability systems for energy saving, including wastewater treatment, water reuse for irrigation of green roofs and gardens, drinking water filtration, and efficient air conditioning systems.
The materiality of the project pays homage to the Mayan tradition with a contemporary spirit, using materials such as stone, wood, and chukum-type stucco. A distinctive element is the use of a lattice designed by the Mexican visual artist Manuel Felguérez, made of wood and precast concrete.
The interior design was entrusted to the New York-based Meyer Davis Studio, with a design of public spaces inspired by the wild and mystical surrounding landscape, and particular attention to the interaction between natural elements and contemporary Mexican architecture. The spa design visualizes the Mestre concept, emphasizing the Mayan belief in the connection between human beings and the universe, with visual transitions between the different programmatic elements.
The urban and landscape design was carried out by the American company based in Florida, EDSA, enhancing the impressive natural environment and integrating vegetation to merge the complex with its surroundings and highlight the buildings.
Collaboration
Architect : Migdal Arquitectos
Interior Designer : Meyer Davis
Engineering : CTC Ingenieros Civiles
Other : Auberge Resorts Collection
