BENITO JUAREZ JR
INTRO
Context
The Park Hyatt Resort at St. Thomas was a group-collaborated studio project administered by prof. Gary Gilbert of Coleman Partners Architects. The group members of this studio project included me (architecture), Jacob Salm (architecture), Arzu Sevinc (architecture), and Chelsey Collins (interior design).
Together, we took on the assigned challenge of designing a luxury resort that is in relationship to its natural and cultural context.
LUXURY IS PERSONAL
Our overarching theme is deeply tied to the Park Hyatt's brand slogan: Luxury is Personal. So we've designed our resort in relation to the personal experience. Our guest experience follows a chronology:
First you escape & retreat, then you ground & connect, and last you cleanse & refresh.
This personal experience is linked through time, space, and the physical as well as the metaphysical.
ESCAPE & RETREAT
leave the past behind,
escape to the mountains,
retreat the mind
GROUND & CONNECT
enter the present moment,
connect with your surroundings,
ground the body
CLEANSE & REFRESH
invest the future,
cleanse with the ocean,
refresh the soul
ST. THOMAS, U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS
St. Thomas is a U.S. Virgin Island right next to Puerto Rico. It was a French colony for 100 years, a Dutch colony for 200 years, and has been an American territory for the past 100 years.
There are 3 main islands of the Virgin Islands, but St. Thomas is the gateway island to the territory. The international airport, as well as the several cruiseliners which dock here, all contribute to the islands' annual 3 million average visitors, with tourism making up 60% of the GDP.
Our resort, the Park Hyatt, is situated on a mountainous peninsula called Cabrita Point.
CABRITA POINT
MANAGING ELEVATION
How we managed our site's topography
EXISTING TOPOGRAPHY
The existing site is currently situated on a mountainous peninsula with a maximum elevation of 90 feet above sea level. At its bottom, sandy terrain meets the ocean.
LANDSCAPING INTERVENTION
In order to accommodate our buildings, we terraced the topography using a cut and fill method, using the cut dirt to level the top for the main building footprint.
ARCHITECTURAL INTERVENTION
Our design strategy for situating our buildings onto the site focused on nesting the interventions into the site, ensuring that every building is privileged with ocean views without vistas being blocked by other buildings. Additionally, all guest-room roofs are covered with green terrain in order to continue the preservation of guest views.
THE PARK HYATT EXPERIENCE
from arrival
to guestroom
THE PLAN
ESCAPE & RETREAT
leave the past behind,
escape to the mountains,
retreat the mind
THE ARRIVAL EXPERIENCE
The guest experience begins at the moment of arrival. Welcomed by rows of palms and a lush front garden, The Park Hyatt's arrival experience aims to create a memorable first impression.
GROUND & CONNECT
enter the present moment,
connect with your surroundings,
ground the body
A UNIQUE DINING EXPERIENCE
Coved into the landscape, the Park Hyatt's premier dining experience features an open-air restaurant with a waterfall that connects guests to its unique landscape. Indoor seating is also an option as it sits guests along the perimeter of the center of the restaurant.
CLEANSE & REFRESH
invest in the future,
cleanse with the ocean,
refresh the soul
A ST. THOMAS OUTDOOR EXPERIENCE
St Thomas is an island with a mountainous terrain and breathtaking, ocean vistas. The Park Hyatt's outdoor experience embraces the topography of St. Thomas by descending the guests down to the beach level through sets of steps that additionally pay homage to the historic, Dutch-era, 99 Steps located elsewhere on St. Thomas. In theme with the rest of the resort, all outdoor experiences maintain clear, ocean views.
Water features include a descending river-fountain which cascades into the central restaurant. Additionally, a double-decked, infinity pool showcases a waterfall on its lower deck, leading down to the beach level.
RESTFUL GUEST ROOMS
Each guest room is privileged with ocean views and private infinity pools & balconies. 2nd floor guest rooms and balconies are recessed back to provide privacy for both bottom and top floor guests.
OTHER ST. THOMAS ACTIVITIES
Whether it be a classic beach experience or a boat ride around the bay, there are many activities to enjoy nearby the Park Hyatt St Thomas location.