Centara Grand Lagoon Maldives Centara Grand Lagoon Maldives Centara Grand Lagoon Maldives Centara Grand Lagoon Maldives Centara Grand Lagoon Maldives Centara Grand Lagoon Maldives
Embracing Nature with Architecture as a Canvas
"The architecture of the island was conceived as a harmonious stage for nature. Rather than imposing form upon the environment, the buildings serve to elevate the Maldivian landscape—framing the sea, the skies, and the palms as living art. The design intent was to embrace the island’s raw beauty and amplify it, ensuring every guest interaction is punctuated by a sense of place, openness, and intimacy with the natural world. From layout to materials, every decision was guided by this ethos: nature as the hero.
Throughout the island, design details act as quiet enablers of this narrative. Privacy walls gently shape each villa into its own sanctuary, creating a sense of refuge that doesn't obstruct the views, but instead guides attention outward—towards the ocean, the sky, and the horizon. Textured paint on exterior walls picks up on the color and feel of sand, softening boundaries between built and natural. Skylights draw sunlight into interior spaces, creating gentle rhythms of light and shadow. Timber elements—tropical, tactile—add warmth without excess, and work in concert with natural breezes and filtered light to keep interiors inviting.
Each building expresses its own character while sharing the same design language. The villas, whether on land or overwater, are iconic in form and function. Their sculpted curves and clever spatial arrangements create moments of both openness and shelter. The spatial framing—carefully arranged pools, shaded decks, and semi-enclosed courtyards—directs attention to the sea or sky while offering privacy. These aren't just rooms—they're observatories, sanctuaries, and platforms for quiet contemplation.
Across the island, recurring architectural gestures reinforce the theme of immersive connection. Walls tilt and soften, roof edges blur with tree lines, and windows become lenses for nature’s theatre. Whether standing on the C-Bridge at sunset, soaking in a treatment room that opens onto a private garden, or walking through a breezy open-air corridor lit from above, the design invites stillness and awe. Even the spaces in between—the transitions, thresholds, and paths—are given equal care, ensuring that the entire island feels like one continuous, evolving experience.
Ultimately, the island is not defined by its buildings, but by the way those buildings disappear into the experience of place. The architecture, like a canvas, holds space for what matters most: the sound of waves, the touch of breeze, the warmth of sun, and the vast openness of the horizon. This is a place where luxury is measured not by opulence, but by how deeply one is allowed to feel the presence of nature."
Location
North Malé Atoll, Maldives
ClientsCENTARA HOTELS AND RESORTS
Gross Floor Area21,234 Sq.m.
Outdoor Area70,783 Sq.m.
Design Date2022
Completion Date2025
ArchitectIF (Integrated Field)
Interior DesignerSTUDIO FREEHAND
SSAA STUDIO
TASTE OF ART
P LANDSCAPE
Lighting DesignerMEINHARDT LIGHTING STUDIO
Environmental graphicbe>our>friend
Structural EngineerGEDOR CONSULTING
MEP EngineerYONSAN ENGINEERING
