NEW YORK—Restorative Hospitality, a subsidiary of the wellness real estate firm Delos, and Leonardo DiCaprio have announced plans to create the world’s most sustainable island resort at Blackadore Caye, Belize. Upon its completion in 2018, Blackadore Caye will be the greenest island resort ever built, the business partners say, and the world’s first “Restorative Island” project designed with sustainable building techniques that restore and regenerate the surrounding ecosystem and reverse the effects of climate change. The project is being developed by Restorative Islands, LLC, designed by McLennan Design and operated by Restorative Hospitality, which will also manage the wellness programming offered at the resort.
“Islands and coastal areas all over the world are being threatened by climate change due to rising sea levels, ocean acidification and habitat pressures,” said Leonardo DiCaprio. “This project is leading a new way in eco-tourism, development and green building and demonstrates that human development can be truly restorative and beneficial for the environment.”
The resort’s design will restore and reinforce Blackadore Caye by replanting mangrove, replacing invasive species with native species, enhancing soil and habitat and creating additional armature for reef and fish breeding. Additionally, over half of the island has been set aside as a protected wildlife preserve.
A ‘Deep Green’ Resort
Belize Prime Minister Dean Barrow commented, “Although there are many ‘green resorts’ around the world, Blackadore Caye will be ‘deep green.’ Belize is proud to have been chosen for what will be a highly recognizable and beautiful landmark property. We welcome the benefits that come with the development of Blackadore Caye, including the commitment to enhance local employment, the positive international exposure for Belize and the economic impact of a project of this magnitude.”
Set to begin development in 2015, Blackadore Caye will feature 68 villas, 48 estate homes and a private clubhouse. Luxurious amenities will be centered on The Blackadore Village, which will be comprised of three world class restaurants, a spa and wellness center, and the Deepak Chopra Center for Renewal and Anti-Aging. The island’s infrastructure has been designed under a unique conservation framework, developed by top biologists and ecologists who have studied ways to support and preserve the island’s habitat and biodiversity during construction.
Blackadore Caye is being developed to meet the standards of the Living Building Challenge, the world’s most stringent and progressive green building certification. The resort will be Triple Net Zero (energy, water, and waste) and free of toxic chemicals. Additionally, all buildings will promote the health and well-being of guests and residents through evidence-based wellness features and technologies curated by Delos, which will be built into the architecture of the buildings. These features will include amenities such as water purification systems, which ensure only the highest quality of water is consumed, advanced lighting systems that use state-of-the-art LED circadian lighting and controls to support healthy sleep cycles, and advanced air filtration systems which minimize allergens and deliver purified air.
‘New Model for Green Building’
“Blackadore Caye will push the boundaries of green design, architecture and sustainability,” said Paul Scialla, founder & CEO of Delos. “We are honored to work with an exceptional team of the world’s leading sustainability experts and advocates to create a new model for green building and eco-tourism that will elevate Belize’s profile on the world stage.”
The architecture of Blackadore Caye will be based on the concept of sacred geometry, where the proportions of buildings are derived from the Fibonacci Sequence and mathematical proportions found in nature. In addition, the proportional relationship of the sun, earth and moon will drive the design in order to introduce further meaning to guests and visitors.
Jason F. McLennan, CEO and founder of McLennan Design added, “Our goal is to produce something that changes perception around what is possible with sustainable design. To use development to heal a threatened environment and to influence the world’s most influential citizens to think very differently about resource use and their ecological footprint on the planet—all within architecture that we hope inspires and captures the imagination.”
Go to Delos, McLennan Design and Restorative Islands, LLC.
