Luxury resort pays homage to Mallorca’s heritage
The Park Hyatt hotel chain opened its first luxury resort in Europe in May 2016, with landscape architecture designed by AECOM. Set within the beautiful Cap Vermell Estate in Mallorca, Spain, the five-hectare resort includes the first Hyatt Hotel in Mallorca with 142 guest rooms and 16 suites, swimming pool, fitness centre and spa.
The landscape architecture design reflects the traditional Mallorcan hillside villages and farmhouses, drawing on the native landscape to sensitively blend the site with the surrounding mountainous region on the north east coast of the island. Within the resort, a bakery, tapas bar and clocktower are clustered in a piazza creating a village feel. Our team also collaborated on the delivery of the hotel’s masterplan, and provided economic and cost consultancy.
Responding to the architectural vision for the buildings, AECOM’s approach was to marry the built environment with the island’s natural flora and vegetation. Plants including native pines, Holm oaks and vertical Cypress trees have been introduced across the site to blend the development with its surroundings and placing the buildings within the natural terrain. Additional landscape features include a sunken olive grove and a central 300 year-old olive tree, which is located outside the reception building and immediately sets the tone of the hotel’s landscaping.
Authenticity was a driving force behind AECOM’s approach to the design. Locally sourced Spanish stone was used to create low drystone walls reminiscent of tanques, the traditional agricultural terracing found in the region.
AECOM’s Principal Director, Ashley Scott, commented: “By introducing traditional agricultural landscaping, the Park Hyatt Mallorca sensitively reflects an important part of the island’s history. The site successfully recreates the character of charming traditional country houses while incorporating the luxury amenities of the world’s finest hotels.”
The project has been shortlisted for the European Hotel Design Awards 2016 for the new build category, alongside the projects architects, DSA Architects.