Ole Scheeren has a new project coming up and it's at the heart of Cebu! Read on as Tatler gives you a glimpse of the new Abaca Resort inspired by the country's lush natural environment and its rich 16th century traditional vernacular.
At the heart of Cebu, there is a safe haven waiting for lovers of nature—The Abaca Resort by renowned architecture firm Büro Ole Scheeren. The place boasts the picturesque beauty of Philippine nature and spaces that connect visitors to the wonders of the environment through intimate encounters.
German-born architect Ole Scheeren, who worked on award-winning projects such as The Interlace in Singapore and CCTV Headquarters in Beijing, believes that his landmark projects should be able to shape the way cities interact and generate highly integrative environments.
“This project is telling a story," says Ole Scheeren. “A story of discovery and surprise, a story of wonder and curiosity, a story of the language of architecture and the power of tropical nature. It is a journey through the rainforest, the exploration of habitable structures, places of rest and repose; an intimate sensory experience.”
The upcoming resort features the following services and amenities:
A Vertical Village
A gently curved silhouette rises above the tree canopy and the layered topography of pools and waterfalls. The subtly concave volume embraces panoramic sea views, built up from a vertical lattice of arches that stack, recess, and protrude to form shaded balconies and floating pools in the sky. Pockets of greenery punctuate the tower, revealing glimpses of social habitation.
“The architecture echoes memories of past cultures, embeds them in a new setting: Notions of local craftsmanship merge with modern technologies, the façade unfolds a playful three-dimensional grid of arched picture-frames, each containing a personal and intimate view of the ocean… with its vertical colonnades and hanging gardens, the building grows into the sky like a long-lost tropical village,” says Ole Scheeren.
The arched curvatures of the façade extend to the inside of the Suites and Sky Villas, providing a sense of home-like containment and enclosure. With their generous outdoor terraces and private plunge pools, both Suites and Sky Villas attain the notion of individual, floating bungalows with sweeping sea views. The resort is simultaneously expansive and individual, a vertical frame of reference that contains a collection of individual experiences.
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