Architecture: AHA Universo, Arturo Hernández (Principal)
Architecture team: Héctor Martínez (Director), Jaime Güemez, Hugo Villalobos, Arturo Martín del Campo
Interiors: Joaquín Homs (Director), Mayela Mere, Cristian González, Lydia Cruz
Graphic Design: Alejandro Villegas (Director), Jessica González, Lorena Escamilla, Loretta Gutiérrez
Supervision: Norberto Figueroa (Director), Ricardo Cerezo, Moisés Cortés (on-site), Fernando González (lighting)
Mechanics and electricity: Nicolás García (Director), Cruz Cardona, Francisco Quiñones, Pedro Chávez, Julio Mercado, Milton Navarro, Juan Barba
Structural engineer: Andrés Acosta (Director)
Engineering consultants: Ginsatec, Roberto Dávalos-Cautin S.A., Raúl Izquierdo-Izquierdo Engineering Associates
Management: Jaime Rojas, Esperanza Olavarria
Geology consultant: Ingeniería Geotecnológica de México, S.A.
Construction: Grupo Vidanta
Program: 168 keys (84 master suites, 84 suites), lobby, lobby bar, sales office
Client: Grupo Vidanta
Location: Nuevo Vallarta, Nayarit, Mexico
Construction area: 357, 082 sq. ft.
Project completion and public opening: November 2010
Photographs: Rigoberto Moreno
Front and rear views of the façade.
Bliss n. Superlative happiness; heavenly joy; A cause of delight.
The name of the latest product in Grupo Vidanta’s resort portfolio says it all: The Grand Bliss. The challenge presented to architecture firm AHA Universo was to create a place where bliss could happen naturally; where guests could reconnect with a simpler, more natural state of mind, while feeling indulged and pampered. The design, therefore, was created with happiness in mind.
The central volume of the building, which holds the guest suites, is a rectangular shape with a slight curve, reminiscent of a sail that has been slightly drafted by the gentle Coromell winds. Floor-to-ceiling windows and thin, metallic tubular banisters give this ten-story building an unexpected feeling of lightness. A second, circular volume on the ground floor and mezzanine level provides ample space for the lobby, lobby bar and a large-scale sales office. The orientation provides two very different but equally impressive views: On the West, the man-made lakes and exuberant vegetation of the resort complex give way to the Pacific Ocean; On the East, the sun rises above the mountains of the Sierra Madre, which overlook an 18-hole Jack Nicklaus-designed golf course.
Lobby and ground floor hallway to elevators.
As you enter the lobby of The Grand Bliss, you are immediately transported to an exotic land. A set of wicker seating areas invites you to take a moment before heading to the check-in desk. Behind the desk, a striking wall design portraying a red macaw in a green and gold environment brings a sense of adventure to an otherwise sober space. Raw silk and cotton, in nude colors, were selected as upholstery fabrics, bringing elegance and tranquility to this large, open area.
All columns are enveloped in a woven covering that resembles traditional Mexican baskets and keeps them in harmony with the natural theme. A subtle orange accent emanates from the recessed lighting in the ceiling, providing a modern balance to a series of crystal chandeliers. Signaling the path towards the elevators are parallel rows of irregularly shaped red planters that remind us of lit tiki torches. To give a visual break between the path and the actual elevators, an original room divider was created from untreated tree branches.
Lobby Bar.
The woven theme and nude colors continue into the Lobby Bar, this time with plush armchairs and elegant side tables in Sonoran Ironwood. The pièce de résistance in this environment is a custom hand-painted panoramic paper by British firm de Gournay, depicting a tropical Garden of Eden in black, white and shades of grey. The bar itself is quite spectacular, made of granite atop a base of backlit stained-glass squares in yellows and greens. The pattern continues into a ceiling-height stained-glass window to one side of the bar. As the sun begins to set, multicolor luminosity filters into the room in a graceful, modern interpretation of light in a Cathedral.
Guest suites and balconies.
Inside the guest suites, you will find a welcoming environment where the predominant textures are wood and natural fabrics in white. In the bedrooms, plush bedding is accented by orange pillows and oil paintings of rural landscapes bring light and color into the room. The living areas are equipped with a fully-functioning kitchen in Ironwood veneer with stainless steel appliances. Ash wood dining room tables and chairs with the understated charm of 20th Century Scandinavian design, were toned down with a white-wash, giving them a definite ocean feel. Spacious living rooms give way to a balcony equipped with lounge furniture and a plunge pool where you can relax and watch the waves break on the sandy beach.
