The Villas at The Grand del Mar

This is a continuation of Susan Kime's article 'Vacation Visions: Exceptional Exterior and Interior Designs of Residence and Destination Clubs'. The first part is available here or you can skip directly to a specific company by clicking on their name below:

Quintess
Ultimate Resort
Calistoga Ranch
The Weybridge Collection
The Solstice Collection

Another vision of vacation happiness created by exceptional architecture and interior design is that at the Villas at the Grand Del Mar. This is a high end Private Residence Club, conceptualized by the visionary “ Papa”Doug Manchester, a renowned Southern California land and hotel developer. Situated on 380 lush acres amid the fairways of Tom Fazio designed Grand Golf Club, The Grand Del Mar features 261guestrooms and 39 ownership villas, available as fully owned and fractional residences.

The architectural vision for this project is, in part, homage to the great 1920’s visionary American architect, Addison Mizner. Featuring an exotic mix of Spanish, Portuguese, Moroccan and Venetian design elements, the resort, which is slated to open this Fall, reminiscent of the distinctive style of Mizner, an architectural icon whose design approach once defined the well-heeled Florida resort communities of Boca Raton and Palm Beach.
Chief design architect Robert Altevers, principal of San Diego-based Altevers Associates, has architected Misner’s designs into a contemporary, California style.

“When we set out to create this project, we wanted a fresh, exciting and above all, romantic theme – something completely unexpected for the area,” Altevers explains. “We exhaustively researched resort architecture throughout history, and ultimately, came across the style of Addison Mizner, studying just how he arrived at his style – retracing his steps to borrow bits and pieces of Spanish and Moorish influences.” Mizner’s sophisticated yet fanciful approach is apparent throughout this lavishly appointed resort – replete with rich, colorful hues; graceful arched doorways; classic rotundas; vibrant tile; rustic wood-beamed ceilings; twisted columns and other ornate stone details and striking wrought iron accents.

Mizner viewed architecture as a seamless blend of buildings, décor and landscaping, an approach that prevails at The Grand Del Mar. “This is the common thread of our and Mizner’s work – architecture that is respectful of the land, designed to harmonize with the natural environment and appropriate to the climate,” says Altevers.

In this spirit, Mizner designed on a very human scale, with rooms that were meant for moving gracefully from one space to another – and from inside out. With this emphasis in mind, Altevers says the key to capturing the essence
Mizner’s designs is in the details. “What really set him apart was his use of these distinctive fine architectural accents and finishes --ironwork, stained glass, carved stone and glazed tile. And we have used these ideas in our California context, allowing the villas and the resort to evoke the ambiance of a large, masterfully designed custom home.”

The Villas at the Grand del Mar will open its Villas to members in October of this year.

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