Pharrell Williams announced its newest life project: a resort, which will open alongside David Grutman, famous Miami nightlife entrepreneur. Somewhere Else, will be part of the Atlantis Paradise Island, the world-famous destination in the Bahamas and known for its coral-pink buildings and surrounded by the destination’s emerald blue sea.
Scheduled to open in January 2024, Somewhere Else will house approximately 400 rooms and suites, several restaurants and bars, and bungalows with recording studios – and the highlight will be the landscaping, which according to the owners will be exuberant.
In an exclusive interview with CNN alongside Grutman, Williams said the concept of “tropical modernism” is being reimagined for this new space, suggesting a more contemporary feel in the architecture. “Often, when it comes to tropical aesthetics, it’s a throwback to another time,” says Williams. “But now we’re going into the future here.”
With a design team led by Shawn Sullivan, a partner at David Rockwell’s The Rockwell Group, Somewhere Else will feature innovative architecture, complete with waterfall pools overlooking the ocean.
Somewhere Else will replace a building known as The Beach, the first hotel built on Atlantis Paradise Island and designed by the late Morris Lapidus. Lapidus was a popular figure in the mid-20th century and the leader of the exuberant “Miami-Modern” style. The hotel’s beach is in a quiet corner of Atlantis Paradise and is being redone to accommodate the new resort.
“What we did was we took a lot of volume out of the architecture,” Sullivan explained. “We are opening the structure to the landscape and the sea. Resorts used to have ample natural elements, but generally very controlled. We are excited to let nature permeate the space more.”
Sullivan also added that the team is thinking of art and sculpture not as something decorative, but as entities that can – possibly – be incorporated into architecture. Considering the group of friends Williams and Grutman have, which includes artists JR and Speto, it’s an interesting prospect to consider.
Somewhere Else is the third joint venture between Grammy Award-winner Williams and Groot Hospitality founder Grutman. Together, they are also partners at Miami-based restaurant Swan and The Goodtime Hotel, which opened with some “noise” in 2021 – Kim Kardashian and David and Victoria Beckham were present at the opening.
As of now, the Bahamas project is the duo’s largest and most complex development, and it is the first time that the megaresort Atlantis, owned by Brookfield Properties, has failed to extend its brand to a major hotel brand.
Williams and Grutman will retain 100% of Somewhere Else’s intellectual property and have been given carte blanche on how to enforce it.
“We’re really putting an emphasis on the outdoors and the experiences you can have across the property’s grounds, whether it’s a fun attraction or a quiet corner to relax in,” he continued. “What we won’t have is a nightclub”
Somewhere Else won’t fall into the more affordable range of resort prices, but it won’t be priced like luxury hotels in the area either. In fact, according to Sullivan, the resort’s staff is reconsidering what “luxury” really means today.
“The word luxury is evolving, and it’s an interesting expression, because from a development perspective, it used to mean you counted the number of light fixtures, or the square footage, or the marble specs,” Sullivan said.
“We believe that true luxury is now in the experiences. They both know a lot about design, but by combining David’s ability to create memorable, energetic places and Pharrell’s focus on wellness and mindfulness, we’ll strike the perfect balance. And while I say this with caution, I think we’re doing something we’ve never seen before.”
This content was originally created in English.
original version
Reference: CNN Brasil
