Revealed: Final plans for Leonardo DiCaprio’s un-Belize-able eco-resort
Revealed: Final plans for Leonardo DiCaprio’s un-Belize-able eco-resort
“The Beach” actor makes the most of “heaven on earth”
Environmentalists and tourists will not only find common ground in Leonardo DiCaprio’s latest non-film project. They will also find sugary white sand.
New plans and artist renderings for Leo’s mega-luxe eco-resort in Belize have been released this week, and the details are as sustainable as they are aesthetically pleasing.
Situated on a 104-acre island off the coast of Belize, Blackadore Caye will feature 36 resort bungalows and 36 estate homes (not 68 resort villas and 48 private houses as originally planned) that will be powered solely by solar energy and offer filtered rainwater on tap. It will also have a waste treatment facility on-site.
Designed by Denniston International Architects & Planners Ltd, the structures will source local construction materials where possible and feature décor inspired by Belize’s ancient Mayan heritage.
The architects will employ circadian lighting, allowing the fixtures to change tone and colour throughout the day.
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DiCaprio described Blackadore Caye, located behind the world’s second largest coral reef, as “heaven on earth” to The New York Times last year. The Academy Award-winning actor bought the island with hotelier Jeff Gram for USD1.75 million in 2005.
However, the island suffers from an eroding shoreline and mangrove deforestation, phenomena which DiCaprio intends to reverse with ambitious tree-planting efforts and the strategic placement of rocks and sand along the coast. Blackadore Caye is jockeying to be the first luxury resort that will meet the Living Building Challenge.
Guests will get to feast on organic food, including fresh catch from local fishermen and greens grown by hydroponic farmers.
However, guests will need to do their part too. Fossil-fueled cars will be banned from the island; so will non-reusable plastic bottles.
Blackadore Caye is coming soon in 2018.
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Source: Property Report