kristin green's fortress on the coast: la plage d'hotel du pacifique

‘la plage d’hôtel du pacifique’ by kristin green, vanuatu
image © peter bennetts

photographer peter bennetts has shared with us images of the almost completed ‘la plage d’hôtel du pacifique’ designed by australian architect kristin green along the south-pacific coast of vanuatu. although not completed, the skeletal structure as it exists today already evokes powerful spaces somewhere between ancient ruin and spiritual symbol. the hotel contains 18 villas, a restaurant,and a swimming pool and spa facility located along the coast. using only exposed concrete, wood, and tile, kristin green beautifully composes classical elements with re-envisioned details and an aesthetic that seems to have originated in a civilization from another world. the arched openings that are carved out from a series of intersecting walls and planes make for abstracted colonnades and thresholds that freely ventilate the interiors and allow for a fluid circulation. the use of simple geometries leave kinetic compositions on the sweeping walls. the colosseum-like fortress and the smaller units serve as barriers against strong winds and frequent cyclones.

image © peter bennetts

image © peter bennetts

individual villas
image © peter bennetts

entrance with leaf-like wood framing
image © peter bennetts

shared pool and landscape
image © peter bennetts

upper level deck
image © peter bennetts

image © peter bennetts

the concrete structure exhibits strong bulky forms, delicate cantilevers, and sinuous columns
image © peter bennetts

image © peter bennetts

image © peter bennetts

exterior colonnade
image © peter bennetts

villa interior
image © peter bennetts

image © peter bennetts

bird’s eye view
image © peter bennetts