The Hidden Lagoon

The Hidden Lagoon is the landscape of Naithonburi Beach Resort on the edge of the SriNath National Park range in Phuket, Thailand, overlooking the Andaman Sea. The site was once a rice paddy where farmers grew sugar palms; those palms still stand. Although Naithonburi Beach lies only thirty metres away, the resort cannot directly see the shore, so the design provides instead a large green open space and an artificial lagoon set within the grounds, ringed by guest rooms. The goal is to let guests enjoy the lagoon and greenery in a relaxed, quiet setting while framing the dramatic mountain and palm landscape for which the area is known. The lagoon sits beneath the sugar palms with the mountain range as backdrop. Approaching along the main drive, a green screen conceals the water; first one discovers a children's sand-beach pool, then a gentle sandy slope leading up to a Jacuzzi tucked among palms with the best mountain view, before the main lagoon and its pool bar with seating come into view. The existing palms and their root zones naturally shaped the curving lagoon edge; every tree was preserved to avoid disturbing the existing ecosystem. Strict analysis of the resort's character and constraints guided a calm, balanced design without forcing a new concept. Completed in 2016 at 8,900 square metres, the project is by Landscape Architects 49 Limited for developer Naithonburi Beach Resort, photographed by Krisada Boonchaleow.