HV Hospitality unveils plans for new Comino Hotel & Villas
Friday 18th September 2020
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HV Hospitality unveils plans for new
Comino Hotel & Villas
HV Hospitality, a subsidiary of Hili Ventures, has unveiled its plans for the new Comino Hotel and Villas on the island of Comino off Malta. With a focus on sustainability, the total investment is projected to reach €110 million – €120 million.
The new project, entirely held by HV Hospitality, will introduce a higher tier of hospitality than is currently on offer across the Maltese islands. The hotel will feature a central foyer and restaurant, with an underlying basement for an electro-mechanical plant, a spa and 70 hotel rooms with swimming pools at ground floor level and terraces on the upper floors, all laid out on a building gross floor area of circa 6,488m2 and an external area of circa 8,064m2. The new villas will consist of a cluster of 21 residences, on a building gross floor area of circa 5,211m2.
The design team for this project is led by world-renowned architect Antonio Belvedere (former partner of the Renzo Piano Building Workshop) who is committed to deliver a project that blends with the natural environment.
Hotel waterfront looking south
HV Hospitality has also engaged ARUP, one of the world’s leading engineering practices, with a brief to capture sustainable design strategies. The development aims to be ‘Zero-Net-Carbon’ with a focus on two major actions: develop a passive building and use the local forces to produce energy. As a self-sustainable, carbon neutral, LEED-certified building, the hotel is set to increase the economic benefits of tourism for the local community and aims to encourage socially- and environmentally-responsible travel-buying decisions on a wider level.
“We have set out to respect all aspects of the Natura 2000 Management Plan and any other plans that are relevant to Comino,” lead architect Antonio Belvedere said. “A holistic design strategy, in response to every issue raised by the Management Plan, starts from a careful dismantling process of the existing structures. It continues with the least impacting prefabricated timber construction and ends with the regeneration of important portions of disturbed land restored to its original condition. This will be framed by LEED certification. The skyline will also improve in some areas. The new villas will be one storey high whereas the current properties are two storeys high. The hotel will rise to a similar height as the existing property.”
As part of the design process, HV Hospitality is carefully looking at the external lighting design. The dark sky will be preserved thanks to a minimal external lighting strategy. In the meantime, an ensemble of overhanging terraces/canopies will prevent interior light from spilling out and from polluting the night sky.
An Environmental Impact Assessment will be carried out which will highlight any specific areas to protect. In any event, the team behind this project will ensure that it engages eco and marine consultants throughout the entire process to ensure protection. An appropriate dismantling/demolition process followed by a prefabricated timber construction technique will minimize the impact of construction on, and not only, the marine life.
HV Hospitality’s aim is to reuse construction waste from the existing hotel as much as is practically possible. Furthermore, in line with the project objectives of minimising waste disposal, prefabricated construction methods will be adopted. The restoration of areas (such as the tennis courts) to their original natural state will be implemented with recycled material. Any other construction waste will be disposed of in line with all Maltese environmental legislation.
Once planning permission is obtained work on demolition and construction will commence. During this period, the property will only be accessible to site personnel. Public access to the hotel, its perimeter and its shoreline will be prohibited in the interest of health and safety. Public areas on Comino will remain entirely public and subject to regulation by national authorities.
From this point, the project will take approximately two years to complete. The new Comino Hotel & Villas will occupy the same square meterage as the current properties and disturbed land will be reduced by at least 5,000 square metres. There will be no land reclamation and the original concession will be respected.
World-renowned architect Antonio Belvedere shares his vision for this stunning net zero carbon project!