Resort in the Cayman Islands achieves Silver LEED certification

730 565 Hamish Kilburn
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Resort in the Cayman Islands achieves Silver LEED certification

Developed by Dart and designed by SB Architects, Kimpton Seafire Resort + Spa and The Residences at Seafire in the Cayman Islands have achieved LEED Silver sustainability certification…

Following a rigorous certification process, Kimpton Seafire Resort + Spa and The Residences at Seafire have achieved LEED Silver certification, becoming the first resort in the Cayman Islands to be awarded the sustainability certification.

“LEED certification provides a thorough framework to create environmentally responsible, resource-efficient and cost-saving green buildings,” said Cameron Graham, Dart President of Development Delivery. “As testament to Dart’s commitment to sustainable development in the Cayman Islands, both the resort and residences feature best-in-class green design and construction.”

Image credit: Kimpton Hotels/SB Architects

Maintained by the U.S. Green Building Council, LEED is a globally recognised green building rating system that provides third-party verification for sustainable design, building practices and operations.

As one of less than 200 LEED Silver certified resort-residential properties worldwide, Seafire conserves natural resources through the use of geothermal air conditioning, sustainable LED lighting, a 170 kilowatt solar array, rainwater harvesting and extensive native landscaping.

The goal for SB Architects when they first received the architecture brief in 2012 was to craft a modern Caribbean aesthetic that sets the tone for future development along Seven-Mile Beach and across Grand Cayman. As the designers of the tallest structure on the island to date, the team mindful of our responsibility to create an authentic architectural language that responds to the site, light, views and water, while setting an appropriate tone as the island looks to its future.

The 10-story structures were designed in a contemporary architectural language, with an emphasis on clean lines, simple massing, horizontal design elements and expanses of glass. Angled balconies along the long wing of the hotel building capture views and ocean breezes. Horizontal roofs are true to the contemporary aesthetic, yet sculptural elements that pop upward and outward break up the roof plane and soften the rooflines as they touch the sky. A multitude of details – trellises, angled balconies, structural elements that form a series of frames – create an intricate interplay of light and shadow across the facades that will change constantly throughout the day so that no single view the hotel looks exactly the same. In harmony with the ethos of the hotel’s sustainable aims, natural wood and stone soften the angles, bring warmth to the structures and ground the resort in the natural environment.

bar designed in natural wood overlooking the sea

Image credit: Kimpton Hotels/SB Architects

As Kimpton Hotels’ first resort property, the resort was designed to reflect the playful spirit and welcoming atmosphere of the brand. The landscape design, which fills the void between the architectural masses, is inspired by the flow of water and natural island breezes that flow through the property. Pathways, retaining walls, plantings and pool edges follow undulating lines as they make their way from the hotel entry to the sea.

Image credit: Kimpton Hotels/SB Architects

“In addition, the project features several examples of recycled materials,” Graham added. “Concrete from the demolition of the former Courtyard Marriott hotel was recycled into fill material for the new site, and the Community Bike and Walking Trail uses pavers made with recycled glass produced at Dart’s glass crushing facility.”

The more than 32,000 plants featured in the landscaping around the resort were sourced from Dart’s nursery and include a number of indigenous and native plants.

Dart’s growing hotel portfolio also includes The Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman, Comfort Suites and Le Soleil d’Or in Cayman Brac.

Main image credit: Kimpton Hotels/SB Architects

Hamish Kilburn / 18.12.2019

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