Design team of award-winning culturalists, storytellers and community-first advocates collaborate to place “adaptive reuse” at the guts of the brand new Accor hotel on the island of Bohol, Philippines
Bohol, Philippines, 16 May 2023: With craft, community, and a deeply held intrinsic value for the cultural mores and history of the island, South Palms Resort Panglao Bohol – MGallery is shaping as much as be anything but a cookie-cutter hotel.
Six world-class innovation and sustainability leaders in architecture, interior design and green development have gathered to create a hotel like no other – weaving the folklore of the destination into the material of the project and into the hearts of the community of artisans proudly crafting a living history for guests when the hotel opens as a part of the Panglao Shores masterplan in Q4 2024.
Take Patrick Keane, founding father of Enter Projects, an artist and master of “native material” design who’s working with Boholano craftsmen to create spaces of celebration. “Here’s a community deeply entrenched in generations of arts and crafts,” he said. “We’re using local materials reminiscent of recycled woods, weaving basketry and weaving fabrics, plus traditional techniques passed down through generations and incorporating performance-based materials reminiscent of solar and sustainably engineered materials. As a project it’s breaking latest ground.”
The concept of “adaptive reuse”, which extends the lifecycle of architecture through creative upcycling, ensuring history lives on and folklore traditions are maintained, courses through the project. Hazel Wu of White Jacket has been on the forefront of the reuse of materials from former ancestral homes to make sure materials are utilized and cherished.
“A chunk of Bohol can be featured in every room, including picket partitions that previously formed a part of village dwellings and natural materials that tell the story of local artists and artisans. It is a tale of culture and folk tales. Stories that can be told throughout the hotel,” said Wu.
Situated on a 6.4-hectare site, the hotel is a story of collaboration and re-discovery of the roots of Bohol’s cultural heritage led by the owners’ passion and love of the destination. The private journey of Hope Uy, daughter of the founding father of owning company, Alturas Group of Corporations (AGC), is on the core of the creation of the 188-key resort.
Developed by AGC, with the support of renowned Asian hospitality consultancy C9 Hotelworks, led by industry icon Bill Barnett, the design of South Palms Resort Panglao Bohol – MGallery instils the timeless tales of family into every aspect of the hotel, says Uy.
“Ensuring that this DNA was on the centre of the hotel was the whole lot for me,” she said. “That is the guts of the project. I used to be born in Bohol and it’s critical for me that the spirit of our history, culture and sense of family comes through all facets of the design creation. I hope it is going to also encourage others. I feel that we now have a responsibility to respect our land and our heritage and make it everlasting and relevant to latest generations.”
Chris Singer, Founder & Managing Director of SCSY Studio calls upon his 25 years of master-planning, architecture and design expertise to offer conceptual and technical recommendations for South Palms Resort Panglao Bohol – MGallery. Phillip Pond, Founder & Director of Atelier Pond is developing the concept, planning, and detailed design for the 4 restaurants and bars on site, comprising an array of F&B experiences for guests. Phillip believes in aesthetics informed by cultural heritage and environment; an idea he brings to life through natural materials.
Every aspect of the project can be developed in keeping with eco-building standards and materials, reminiscent of high-performance glass, natural ventilation and solar harvesting, together with smart technologies, electric transport, water treatment and waste reduction. John Farrell, Founder & Director of XCO2 Energy is a specialist in low-carbon projects and his input is instrumental in helping South Palms Resort Panglao Bohol – MGallery to be operationally eco-friendly.
Destination landscape and sustainability specialist, Drew Anderson, Managing Director of TOPO Design Studio Singapore has been drafted in on account of his vast experience in working in among the most eco-sensitive resort locations globally reminiscent of Fiji and the Maldives. He brings a long time of experience in agricultural tourism and developing sustainable food resources reminiscent of hydroponics and farm-to-table farming for hotels and helps AGC harness natural resources and integrate community communities into the project.
Construction of South Palms Resort Panglao Bohol – MGallery is currently underway in Phase 1 of Panglao Shores with completion scheduled in Q4 2024.
Bohol is one of the crucial exciting destinations for investment and tourism within the Philippines. The island is served by the brand new Bohol-Panglao International Airport, the primary eco-airport within the Philippines, with the constructing orientated specifically to benefit from natural light and ventilation, complemented by extensive solar energy implementation, utilization of a photovoltaic power generation system and state-of-the-art waste disposal and waterworks systems – further adding to the credentials of Bohol as a very sustainable destination.
For more details about Panglao Shores, please visit https://www.panglaoshores.com
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