Tropical outlook

Flying off to exotic locations for a summer holiday may hold great appeal. However, it is surprising how many of us want to appreciate the sights, scents and savours of a far-flung land without leaving the comforts of home behind. Today's new breed of tropical island getaway destinations have found a balance between local heritage and 21st-century design efficiency.

This marriage of cultural and contemporary is reflected in the welcoming villas at the new Conrad Koh Samui Resort and Spa. Replete with white sand beaches and lush vegetation, the island of Koh Samui is situated halfway down the Thai peninsula that divides the Bay of Bengal from the South China Sea a remote, beautiful setting. The Conrad resort and spa has been developed by Hillcrest Capital with architecture by Eco-id. As project director, Calvin Sim says he always draws inspiration for his designs from the immediate setting.

"This approach starts with the master plan and is carried on through to the architecture," says Sim. "Situated at the southwestern tip of the island, Conrad Samui has a commanding view of the bay. The villas were positioned to cascade down a 120m stretch of hillside above the beach, with each one perched on the slope to fully appreciate the view of the horizon at sunset.

In responding to the hilly terrain and ground condition of this promontory, four zones of rocks, woods, lawn and water were conceived to link the villa terraces. This approach helped weave the undulating site together thematically.

"At the peak of the site is the lobby and reception building, followed by the specialty restaurant, which together form the rocks zone," says Sim. "Following on, the all-day dining forms part of the lawn and woods zone and the pool bar naturally comprises part of the water zone these descend in order as the resort steps down to the white-sand beach."

Instead of replicating traditional Thai roof forms that the architect felt were over-used in island resorts, Sim designed an asymmetrical shallow pitched roof with large overhangs as a signature roofline for Conrad Samui. The design responds well to the sunny and wet tropical climate the generous overhang effectively shading the upstairs living spaces.

"Essentially, these villas represent a modern abstraction of the traditional Thai residence redefined with the introduction of massive panes of glass and the contemporary roof form. The generous use of glass allows an easy visual interaction between the living spaces that are scattered right through the villas."

Every villa and building responds to the site and the natural landscape as much as possible. Dimensions were pegged out on site to avoid mature trees and to manipulate the terrain to best advantage, without interfering with the fabric of the tropical vegetation.

Wherever possible, the architect allowed the trees to become an integral feature in many cases designing the decks around them.

"For the villas, we designed a lawn roof that doubles as the garden space adjacent to the living room. This was possible because the villas have two storeys and are on a steep slope."

These eco-friendly roofs cover the bedrooms on the lower storey and the flat, manicured expanses of grass offer a juxtaposition with the densely vegetated site. Despite the modern architectural lines of the villas, traditional Thai craftsmanship is seen in the ceiling features, wall treatments and decor.

In total, there are 66 rented resort villas and 32 owned Conrad Residence villas, all featuring the feature lawn, an infinity-edge pool and an unobstructed view of the sparkling sea.

Story by: Charles Moxham