Sunday, July 26, 2009

Rincon is the highlife



I am Henry Smith, the current intern at Big Prototype. Last week my internship (John Nafziger and Sarah Strauss) brought me to Rincon, in order to work onsite at the Little Malibu home and Dos Ceibas development. I embarked on this trip with little knowledge about puerto rico other than the Dos Ceibas development. Needless to say I was in for a splendid surprise. From the moment I landed, I was surrounded by warm weather and thick lush green tropical scenery. I believe it was at that moment that i said, this is going to be a great week..., and it only got better. Soon I was indulging in some of the most delicious cuisine. I met the locals who were all very friendly and hospitable. There was a just very relaxing laid back aura about this place. Every day, before and after work, I went swimming and snorkeling in the ocean. I experience the most awe inspiring spectacles of coral reef, who's dire fates were reversed and saved by the persistent work of Leon Richter and the Surfrider Foundation. The corals, being the keystone species of that ecosystem, rendered themselves as condominiums of refuge for the other beautiful living organisms that dwelled there. I couldn't get enough of it. 

Work was an amazing experience. I was working on the Little Malibu home. The house itself is a modern marvel. It is not your average home by any means. This house incorporates a beautiful modern aesthetic, prestigious amenities for tropical island functionality, breathtaking captivating views, and cutting edge technologies for environmental responsibility and self-sustainability. Not only is it a beautiful home conducive to never ending great experiences, but it also has a symbiotic harmonious relationship with the environment that it shares space with. It requires far less external resources. Many homes resist, over-consume, and detrimentally impact the land they sit on, but this house embraces the natural flow, in all facets, of the land that it rests upon. So the best part of this trip, for me, wasn't only to be working in perfect conditions with mesmerizing views and easy ocean/pool accessibility. But really it was the feeling of being a part of this new positive green revolution, that is the future, not only of architecture and design, but of every living aspect of society.

So now as I sit in my little space in New York surrounded by noise and concrete, and reflect on my relatively short time in Rincon, I reflect upon one of the greatest relaxing exhilarating experiences of my life. I hope to return very soon to the Highlife of Rincon, Puerto Rico.

Thursday, July 23, 2009

Colors of Lil Bu


Tuesday, July 14, 2009

Coming Soon to Vieques

One of the most interesting and innovative building projects we've encountered in PR is El Blok, a 22 room boutique hotel in enchanting Esperanza, Vieques "that is part sculpture and part contemporary tropical oasis."

This hotel will be LEED certified, features a roof top pool and will include a bar and restaurant serving locally grown food. It will be a while before you can book a reservation (set to open in late 2010), but once you can, be sure you do. Beyond the green design and mission, El Blok will unquestionably feature some of PR's finest hospitality. We should know... The owners are our friends Simon and Marija and we have experienced their special breed of hospitality on many occasions.

Read more about the project as reported in Caribbean Business.