A Sustainable Approach to Design, Community Development and Tourism – In September, Weller Development Partners and Pegasus Capital Advisors unveiled the resort renderings and plans for the Six Senses Grand Bahama, a new $250 million development,
BETHESDA, Md., Sept. 12, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Weller Development Partners and Pegasus Capital Advisors, developers of Six Senses Grand Bahama, today unveiled the resort renderings and masterplan for the $250M+ development. The 50-acre resort community with 70 resort villas and 28 branded residences will focus on sustainability, resilience, and wellness and will immediately establish a vibrant community and hospitality offering that will redefine luxury living and tourism in The Bahamas and the Caribbean.
Designed by award-winning architecture firm Gensler, the resort features an array of amenities, including a signature Six Senses Spa, multiple restaurants, event spaces, beach club, destination dining, and a panoramic oceanfront pool. The resort has been designed to blend with the lush, native landscape and flora and to take full advantage of uninterrupted ocean and canal views, waterfront access, pristine sandy white beaches, and turquoise seas. The seamless pairing of raised structures within the natural environment will create an unparalleled experience for residents and resort guests.
“We are excited to reveal the Six Senses Grand Bahama resort designs and masterplan,” commented Marc Weller, Founding Partner and President of Weller Development Partners. “We have assembled a world-class design team, with Olson Kundig working on the residences and Gensler on the resort. The architectural design and the overall masterplan reflect the core values of our partnership with Six Senses and shared focus on wellness, sustainable design and a connection with nature and the community. We believe Six Senses Grand Bahama has the potential to set a new benchmark for sustainable living and ecotourism models in The Bahamas and the Caribbean, not only through its design, but also through its operations and programming.”
Neil Jacobs, Six Senses CEO, said: “The Six Senses Grand Bahama masterplan demonstrates our commitment to creating a vibrant, year-round community, with the canals and waterway providing a unique version of the front porch. Integrating intentionally designed and efficiently built structures within the majestic natural landscape establishes a framework for guests to connect or disconnect, explore or escape, allow a sun-soaked lunch to tumble into dinner, and access a whole range of crafted experiences and wellness programming. Sustainability and resiliency measures reinforce the plan, ensuring its viability for years to come.”
With careful reverence for the natural landscape, the resort masterplan honors the Grand Bahamian culture, carefully marrying the island’s Lucayan heritage and embracing the local community’s approach to living lightly on the land.
“The Six Senses Grand Bahama resort achieves a complex balance of many critical elements,” stated David Darlington, Principal, Regional Hospitality Leader at Gensler. “Weaving sustainable, performance-driven, efficient architecture together with the natural environment allows us to deliver a new standard of luxury, one that both heightens the experience for the guest, while minimizing the lasting impact on the environment.”
Sustainability and resiliency measures include targeting LEED Silver certification by using locally sourced construction materials where possible, replacing invasive species with native flora, and installing energy conservation efforts such as passive shading, high-efficiency MEP systems, and renewable energy use. Resiliency efforts include significant beach restoration and replenishment, a reinforced dune system along the property’s sea-side coastline, filling upland areas to increase site elevation, and building foundations that raise the Finished Floor Elevation (FFE) substantially above finished grade.
These measures to minimize environmental impact will set the bar for future sustainable tourism models on Grand Bahama and across the Caribbean. The development will also create hundreds of employment opportunities for the local community, contributing to the region’s long-term economic growth trajectory.
Construction is slated to begin at the end of 2024, with an anticipated opening in 2026.
For more information on Six Senses Residences Grand Bahama visit: grandbahamaresidences.com
