Innovative luxury property developer, Chiodo, has announced the appointment of Jamie Durie OAM and his team at Durie Design, to create the hotel architectural concept and landscape architecture for its new $300 million luxury resort, Fairmont Port Douglas.Nestled in a stunning location on the edge of two UNESCO World Heritage sites the Great Barrier Reef and the Daintree Rainforest – the new Fairmont Port Douglas will be the first of its kind, in that it will be locally focused yet globally artistic, cultivating a celebration of the planet, sustainability and humanity.
The resort at 71-85 Port Douglas Road will be the first new hotel to be built in Port Douglas in 20 years and will offer guests a selection of 253 luxury rooms, several restaurants and bars, a decadent day spa, a treetop walk and panoramic conference and wedding facilities, all designed around resort-style pools and built to blend seamlessly with nature.
From the organic architecture to copious amounts of green spaces and natural light, the resort creates an intimate connection with nature by offering guests private gardens on every level of the hotel. Some suites include daybeds, exclusive plunge pools and private outdoor bathtubs with panoramic views of Port Douglas. The expansive indoor-outdoor lobby, covered with a giant glass dome, also boasts a stunning rainforest featuring a range of local species; a nod to the world
heritage-listed Daintree Rainforest.
Chiodo Principal, Paul Chiodo is thrilled to partner with Jamie Durie and his multi-award-winning architecture, landscape architecture and product design firm, Durie Design. Chiodo selected the international multi-disciplinary design practice for their depth of experience in international hotel and resort design, their deep knowledge of Australian horticulture and Durie’s unwavering commitment to protecting the natural environment.
“We are very excited to partner with Durie Design to deliver this unique tropical luxury experience to Port Douglas locals, domestic and international guests,” said Paul. “The Fairmont Port Douglas pushes the boundaries in the way it captures its natural surroundings and blends seamlessly with the interiors, to deliver a world-class green hotel. Jamie and the team at Durie Design have done an incredible job with both the hotel architectural concepts in partnership with Buchan and its surrounding landscapes with a harmonious, yet sophisticated blend between architecture and
landscape. We can’t wait to invite guests to experience it for themselves.”
Over the last 30 years, Fairmont has established itself as a global leader in sustainability, preserving and protecting the local environments where it operates through its award-winning Fairmont Sustainability Partnership. The brand’s environmental platform, once described by National Geographic Traveler as “the most comprehensive environmental program in the North American hotel industry”, focuses on key areas such as energy and water conservation, waste generation
and carbon emissions, sustainable practices related to design, proactive construction and procurement policies, as well as innovative community outreach programs and partnerships that support local groups and organizations.
Australia’s first Fairmont, the Fairmont Port Douglas is set to deliver a new level of luxury and sophistication to the glamorous resort town. Durie’s team of 17 at Durie Design have spent the last year creating and developing the concept architecture phase and the surrounding landscape architecture for the hotel, including the lush rooftop garden, resort pools and wedding area.
“I have spent 25 years working with nature and so of course when we were approached to design a green hotel in one of Australia’s most renowned destinations, we were very excited,” said Jamie.
“Together with Fairmont, there’s an opportunity to deliver something very unique to Australian tourism with this project, and the timing (post-Covid) has never been so right. On that front our design is strongly influenced by health and well-being to give our guests the peace of mind and the experience they both want and deserve. We approach this through a more hygienic approach to material choices, functionality and internal air quality with a greater connection to nature all
contributing to our guests well-being.
“We responded with a form of biomimicry where the hotel has been inspired by the oceanic forms that play an integral part in the surrounding Great Barrier Reef area.
“We want to ensure that all of the guests have a unique experience and a deep connection with nature from the moment they enter the hotel lobby, through to the surrounding restaurants and rooftop gardens and into their luxury suites, which boast exclusive private gardens on every level. It’s more than luxury, it’s about connecting our guests with nature to deliver a true sense of well-being. This is a concept that no other 5-star hotel has ever offered in Australia before,” said Jamie.
Both Durie Design and Chiodo are enjoying a fruitful collaboration and in partnership with international architecture studio Buchan, look forward to delivering a truly unique and environmentally progressive, luxury hotel for tourists and locals alike.
“We are grateful for Chiodo’s faith in us and Accor’s response to our architectural concept design and landscape architectural design,” said Jamie.
With construction set to commence in Q1 of 2021, Chiodo and Durie Design, in partnership with Accor Fairmont, look forward to bringing to Port Douglas a luxury hotel like no other, that infuses the senses, the surrounding natural elements and the local First Nations Indigenous culture and its talented artists.
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