A design team of award-winning culturalists, storytellers and community-first advocates collaborate on ‘adaptive reuse’ at the heart of a new Accor hotel on the island of Bohol in the Philippines.
Bohol, Philippines, May 16, 2023With craft, community, and a deeply held value for the island’s cultural customs and history, South Palms Resort Panglao Bohol – MGallery becomes anything but a cookie-cutter hotel.
Six world-class innovations and sustainability in architecture, interior design and green development have come together to create a hotel unlike any other; living history for guests when the hotel opens under the Panglao Shores master plan in Q4 2024.
Take for example Patrick Keane, founder of Enter Projects, an artist and master of ‘native material’ design who works with Boholano artisans to create festive spaces. “There’s a community here that’s deeply rooted in generations of arts and crafts,” he said. “We use local materials such as reclaimed woods, weaving and fabrics, as well as traditional techniques that have been passed down through generations and include performance-based materials such as solar and sustainably designed materials. As a project, it breaks new ground.”
The concept of “adaptive reuse”, which extends the life cycle of architecture through creative recycling, ensuring the life of history and the preservation of folk traditions, courses through the program. Hazel Wu of White Jacket has been at the forefront of reusing materials from former ancestral homes to ensure the materials are used and respected.
“A piece of Bohol will be displayed in each room, including wooden walls that were once part of rural dwellings and natural materials that tell the story of local artists and artisans. This is a tale of culture and folklore. Stories that will be told throughout the hotel,” Wu said.
The hotel, located on 6.4 hectares, is a story of collaboration and rediscovering the roots of Bohol’s cultural heritage, led by the owners’ passion and love for the destination. The creation of the 188-key resort is based on the personal journey of Hope Uy, daughter of the founder of the owner company, Alturas Group of Companies (AGC).
Developed by AGC with support from renowned Asian hospitality consultancy C9 Hotelworks, led by industry icon Bill Barnett, the design of South Palms Resort Panglao Bohol – MGallery infuses the family’s timeless tales into all areas of the hotel, says Uy.
“Having this DNA at the heart of the hotel was everything to me,” he said. “This is the basis of the project. I was born in Bohol, and it is vital to me that the spirit of our history, culture and sense of family come from every aspect of creating a design. I hope it inspires others too. I feel we have an obligation to respect our land and heritage and make it timeless and relevant for new generations.”
SCSY Studio Founder and CEO Chris Singer calls on his 25 years of master planning, architecture and design experience to provide conceptual and technical proposals for South Palms Resort Panglao Bohol – MGallery. Philip Pond, founder and director of Atelier Pond, is developing the concept, planning and detailed design for the four restaurants and bars, which include a range of F&B experiences for guests. Philip believes in aesthetics informed by cultural heritage and environment; a concept he brings to life through natural materials.
All aspects of the project will be designed in accordance with eco-building standards and materials, such as high-performance glass, natural ventilation and solar collection, as well as smart technologies, electric transport, water treatment and waste reduction. John Farrell, Founder and Director of XCO2 Energy is an expert in low carbon projects and his contribution is essential in helping South Palms Resort Panglao Bohol – MGallery to be environmentally friendly.
Destination landscape and sustainability specialist Drew Anderson, managing director of Singapore’s TOPO Design Studio, was hired due to his extensive experience working in environmentally sensitive resorts around the world, such as Fiji and the Maldives. He brings decades of experience in agritourism and sustainable food resource development, such as hydroponics and farm-to-table agriculture for hotels, and helps AGC harness natural resources and integrate community communities into the program.
South Palms Resort Panglao Bohol – MGallery is currently under construction at Panglao Shores Phase 1, scheduled for completion in Q4 2024.
Bohol is one of the most exciting investment and tourism destinations in the Philippines. The island is served by the new Bohol-Panglao International Airport, the first eco-airport in the Philippines, with a building specifically designed to make the most of natural light and ventilation, complemented by extensive solar energy installation, photovoltaic power generation. State-of-the-art waste disposal and water supply systems further add to Bohol’s credentials as a truly sustainable destination.
For more information about Panglao Shores, visit https://www.panglaoshores.com
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