Reunion Island Eden Resort

The team

This team consists of a unique combination of skills, all from the south of the globe that have developed very specific environmental and landscape awareness and skills to deal with developments that depend on nature as a core part of the product: ap architectures– Reunion based specialists on tropical Architecture and sustainable landscapes and slope management with a highly admired body of work in Reunion’s very specific climate and landscape.

C&C (PlanEco) – architecture without boundaries – South African based specialists in ecotourism and nature based developments in most of Southern Africa’s nature reserves as well as Culture and Nature based advisory services to international tourism destinations.

Their combined proven experience in these tourism-critical aspects has led to specific site based response to the brief. Their hands-on experience in engaging directly with the context, both environmental and cultural as well as the target market has led to the proposed concepts as a first response to the design challenge posed.

The project posed some extreme challenges with a specific list of requirements and high density on a steep “unfriendly” site away from the sea. At the same time the clearly expressed dream and wish of the client to be first whilst being responsible and sustainable, clearly resonated with this teams’ members, who all love working in nature.

Unique experience

This proposal exploits the location to its maximum providing an elevated, unimpeded view to the wide expanse of the ocean with more intimate and detailed glimpses of the village life internally. This will be greatly enhanced with dense re-forestation with the indigenous dry forest vegetation thus returning the slopes to the lush green cirques and ravines Reunion is world famous for.

To achieve this a different approach to vehicular access and zoning was taken:

Safe and secure access directly into the existing village and to the new main boulevard of St Giles.

Cars and main access is hidden from sight under a projecting water boulevard – built as a long “infinity” pool dropping into the ocean.
Vehicles will be hidden from view (and in the shade below)
We propose to remove the dangerous curved road in the south by elevating it over the link to the eco-park and expansion to the south of the road. This will also have the advantage of access to the two hills to the south, which will form a unique and dramatic view point destination overlooking the botanical gardens and eco-park to its north – ideal for sundowners and an outdoor night time entertainment zone.
The accommodation will appear settled in the forest landscape and will be surrounded with greenery.
Variety and cultural diversity is brought in through the different but related modern interpretations of tropical Island veranda houses, all linked via a new access “river boulevard” floating above the new access road
Diverse but sustainable and characteristic materials will be used throughout; wood, stone, cooling, textured surfaces and open decks with shaded pergolas and outdoor patios to ensure a tropical lifestyle is available to the guests.
Even the way tourists travel across the site needs to be diverse, via water channels on tubes, zip-lines and funicular as well as shaded pathways for pedestrians , cyclists and alternative electronic transport like skateboards and Sedgeway two-wheelers.

The project’s wow depends on integration of natural beauty with architectural expertise, the dramatic way you arrive at the resort – from below in a shaded driveway, thus saving the stunning views for their arrival at the centre-ville without any impediment of the ocean view over the infinity edge. Lastly the proposal of the indigenous landscape married to modern climate-responsive tropical structures will complete the dream of promoting a sense of well-being, détente and relaxation combined with healthy activity, both for Reunionnais and foreign visitors

PlanEco and CC Architects