Location : The Bahamas
Type : Leisure
Project Area : 3500 sqm
The Blue Marina
Project Overview
Set in the untouched natural beauty of The Bahamas, The Blue Marina is a proposal for a sustainable resort masterplan centred around a newly designed marina and its surrounding architecture. In response to the competition brief, the design team extended their focus beyond the marina to envision how the entire resort could function harmoniously with the island’s unique ecology and spirit of place.
Rather than imposing a dramatic intervention, the proposal embraces the site’s intrinsic purity—turquoise waters, white sands, pineapple groves, and coral reefs—offering a vision of low-impact development rooted in elegance, adaptability, and environmental sensitivity.
Design Inspiration
The coral reef—vivid, complex, and naturally ordered—became the conceptual anchor of the design. Its geometric patterns and organic clustering inspired a modular language that guided both spatial arrangement and architectural form. Like coral itself, the buildings grow across the site—sometimes as solitary elements, sometimes in clusters—connected by organically shaded walkways.
One key feature is a sculptural shading structure derived from the coral’s geometry. It functions sustainably—powered by solar energy and capable of harvesting and redistributing rainwater. The architecture, in both material and form, takes cues from natural textures and traditional Bahamian vernacular, avoiding spectacle in favour of serenity and connection
Marina & Resort Programme
The masterplan includes a fully serviced marina capable of accommodating over 300 boats, with a central building that acts as a focal point—part lighthouse, part welcome hub. The building hosts guest facilities including a restaurant, retail spaces, and a spa/fitness centre. Its form echoes the soft curves of coral and the fluidity of the shoreline.
Radiating piers stretch concentrically into the sea, maximising capacity and providing protection from wind and waves. Around the marina and throughout the island, various coral-inspired buildings are introduced with distinct functions:
Resort Villas & Huts
Ferry Pier Welcome Centre
Beach Club & Bars
Water Sports Hub
Service Points for Non-Residents
Utilities Cluster near the Rocky Shore
Each building is designed to be self-sufficient and responsive to its micro-environment—minimising energy use, engaging with local materials, and remaining sensitive to the natural and cultural context.
Sustainable Vision
At its heart, The Blue Marina is a vision for regenerative tourism—where architectural intervention supports the ecosystem rather than disturbs it. Every structure is rooted in place, both physically and culturally. The result is a resort that feels as though it belongs—not as a resort imposed on nature, but as one grown from it.
