WATG was founded in 1945 in Honolulu. Ever since then, the practice’s design focus has been on hospitality, tourism and design. Today, it is an international powerhouse with over 430 professionals specialized in looking after every architectural detail. Their decades of experience in innovation is evident in this design for the Nobu Hotel, a reworking of Japanese taste in a Mexican style.
Located on a beautiful beach in Cabo San Lucas, Western Mexico, on the southern tip of the Baja Peninsula facing the Pacific Ocean, this new five-star resort blends local and Asian culture to offer a luxurious wellness and relaxation experience. On the outside, the Mexican identity is highlighted by the stone materials and local plants that maintain continuity with the surrounding territory, while at the same time offering a contemporary interpretation of a Japanese garden for some zen time on the American coast. The infinite expanse of ocean the Nobu Hotel overlooks is mirrored in its water features, pools and spas, allowing guests to dive in and enjoy breathtaking views even when the strong ocean currents rule out the seas.
Entrance to the resort is through a monumental porte-cochère that frames the sea, inviting the visitor to walk the elevated pathway to the interior. The route was specially designed to guide guests along a sensory path. The rocks at the entrance symbolize the mountains and the start of a journey; continuing, one enters an interior zone of hospitality characterized by warm light, representing the heat of fire; ultimately, one reaches the courtyard and the swimming pools, in a refined design that seeks to rebalance the primordial elements of fire and water, yin and yang.
The hotel offers 200 rooms directly overlooking outdoor recreational spaces. In its commission for the interior design, Studio PCH used sophisticated, high visual impact materials like light-colored wood, polished granite, black marble and limestone to achieve elegant interior finishes with clean lines and light tones. Contemporary Japanese minimalism and original Mexican style are evident in the furnishings, from custom-made furniture to teak bathtubs and Shoji-inspired wardrobe doors. The transition from room to outdoor area offers guests breathtaking sunset views and leads out to the swimming pools, which are equipped with floating sunbeds.
Close attention was paid to culinary wellbeing, with as many six bars and several restaurants all on the resort. These include Malibu Farm, which offers healthy and organic cuisine, and Nobu Mexico, whose USP is the use of local, authentic ingredients to make refined dishes.
Location: Cabo San Lucas, Mexico
Client: AIC Hotel Group
Owner: Corporación Inmobiliaria KTRC
Completion Date: 2019
Building Area: 327,500 m2
Architectural and Landscape Design: WATG
Hotel Interior Design, Nobu Restaurant Architecture and Interior Design: Studio PCH
Local Architects: Ares Arquitectos, Idea Asociados
Main Contractor and Construction Project Manager: Hill International
Consultants
Local Landscape Architect: David O. Design
Lighting: Isometrix
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