When design meets luxury : the Maldives resorts with masterful architecture.
For design lovers seeking a truly extraordinary experience, these Maldives resorts are a testament to the power of architectural creativity, showcasing the pinnacle of luxury and innovation.
Their architecture is more than just a structural necessity – it is an integral part of the awe-inspiring experience of the Maldives.
Featuring striking innovative designs inspired by the Maldives and nature, each resort featured here is a masterclass in architectural excellence.
Awe-inspiring architectural structures in the Maldives
- Bodumas overwater restaurant at Mövenpick Resort Kuredhivaru Maldives
- The Gate of Zero at JOALI Being
- Baani Spa Wellness Center at Kagi Maldives
- The Retreat at Kudadoo Private Island
- Iridium Spa at The St Regis Maldives Vommuli Resort
- Tavaru Tower at Velaa Private Island
- The Spa at The Ritz-Carlton Maldives
- Madi Hiyaa at Banyan Tree Vabbinfaru
Maldives resorts with inspiring architecture
Whether it’s the 23 meter-high Tavaru Tower at Velaa Private Island, the striking Gate of Zero arrival jetty at JOALI Being or the circular shape of The Ritz-Carlton Spa, each of these architectural wonders will all leave you in awe.
All architects behind these resorts have fully taken full advantage of the Maldives idyllic surroundings, seamlessly integrating nature into their designs.
Bodumas overwater restaurant at Mövenpick Resort Kuredhivaru Maldives
Architect : MOTIV Studio. Poland
Bodumas restaurant architecture is inspired by a shell.
“We wanted to make sure we did not damage the island or the marine environment, so we followed nature.”
Pawel Podwojewski, founder of MOTIV.
Bodumas, Kuredhivaru’s seafood restaurant, boasts a roof design that’s inspired by seashells.
The graphic structure has been crafted using natural elements whenever possible like coconut wood for instance, which was skillfully employed in crafting both the furniture and the structural elements.
Bodumas features a whale skeleton at its entrance.
Mövenpick Resort Kuredhivaru Maldives was designed by the renowned architects at MOTIV, a Poland-based company, drawing inspiration from the breathtaking natural beauty of the Maldives that seamlessly integrates with the island’s surroundings.
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The Gate of Zero at JOALI Being
Artist : Seckin Pirim & Architecture : PIN Architects + Autoban. Turkey
The Gate of Zero architecture is inspired by the whirling dervishes of Turkey and mimics the waves of the ocean.
“The experiential design narrative was constructed around a combination of the identity of the island, the resort’s philosophy of weightlessness and a seamless integration of architecture and interior design.”
– Autoban
The Gate of Zero is the arrival lounge of JOALI Being, the Maldives most exclusive resort spa retreat. Designed and built as a permanent sculpture inspired by the whirling dervishes of Turkey, the striking pavilion was visualized by Seckin Pirim, a World-renowned Turkish artist, to mimic the waves of the ocean. Seçkim Pirim’s work evokes the vision of a post-futurist, post-constructivist, and post-minimal world – he is also the artist behind Pearl Installation JOALI Maldives villas.
This architectural masterpiece with modern technology using advanced algorithms and parametric design to craft the pavilion’s intricate geometry. JOALI BEING describes the installation as “a space to converse with the self. A quest that takes you from being to becoming.”
Gate of Zero strikes us just as much as the architectural arrival jetty of JOALI Maldives, its sister island.
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Baani Spa Wellness Center at Kagi Maldives
Architect : Yuji Yamazaki Architecture (YYA). New York
The circular-shaped architecture of Baani Spa Wellness Center allows for the natural flow of energy.
“Baani circular shaped spa is designed to allow the natural flow of energy to pass through via its open-air, teardrop-shaped sky roof .”
– Yuji Yamazaki
The resort consists of organic lines with sweeping shingled-roofs in order to blend traditional design languages with modern ones.
Baani Spa Wellness Centre covers 1,500sq m with a central suspended space at its heart.
Its name takes its inspiration from the ocean, with its name ‘Baani’, translating to ‘The Ocean Swell’ in Dhivehi, the Maldivian language.
Baani Spa features four treatment rooms with outdoor bathing facilities, steamrooms, a yoga and sound-healing studio, relaxation lounge, beauty salon and spa wellness boutique as well as its own Spa Corner, which serves simple and healthy food.
Yuji Yamazaki is also the architect behind the world’s first underwater villa The Muraka.
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The Retreat at Kudadoo Private Island
Architect : Yuji Yamazaki Architecture (YYA). New York
The Retreat is an architectural masterpiece covered by 984 solar panels on its roof
Traditionally, solar panels are hidden in discreet areas in the Maldives and it does not have any other function, but in Kudadoo, the photovoltaic roof is decidedly visible and becomes the icon of the place.
– Yuji Yamazaki Architecture
Spanning 1,643 square meters over the Retreat’s roof the solar panels produce 575MWh of power annually and generate a peak power of 320kWp, enabling Kudadoo to be purely powered by the sun.
The roof has 3º slope, which is optimal for solar absorption and shedding the tropical rainfall. The system is capable of running the entire island without fossil fuel all time.
Its geometrical design is a marvel in itself, strategically minimizing electricity consumption throughout the day with natural air cooling system.
Brainchild of the visionary team at Yuji Yamazaki Architecture, Kudadoo Private Island is a masterpiece of eco-conscious design.
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Iridium Spa at The St Regis Maldives Vommuli Resort
Architect : WOW Architects Studio. Singapore
IRIDIUM spa design is inspired by a lobster
“The St Regis Vommuli Resort is inspired from the forms and colors of the natural and traditional elements of the Maldives.”
– WOW studio
The St. Regis Maldives Vommuli was designed by the Singapore-based architectural firms WOW Architects and Warner Wong Design. The resort is known for its innovative and contemporary design that seamlessly blends with the stunning natural environment of the Maldives.
Iridium Spa is one of the St Regis Vommuli’s most iconic architectural structure. The impressive lobster shaped overwater spa spans over 1,850sqm / 19900ft and boasts several treatment rooms and suites, private steam rooms, several saunas and a large hydrotherapy pool at the head of the creature – known as the Blue Hole – that imitates the natural pools found along the reef.
IRIDUM Spa innovative architecture won multiple design awards, including the World’s Best Resort Spa in 2018.
The St Regis Maldives Vommuli Resort holds multiple iconic and award winning architectural venues.
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Tavaru Tower at Velaa Private Island
Architect : ADR Studio. Czech Republic
The Tavaru Tower is an architectural masterpiece measuring 23 meters in height
The Tavaru Tower was designed to be one of a kind in the Maldives – innovative, combining traditional and local building methods with techniques and materials which are typical of modern European construction
– ADR Studio
The Tavaru Tower is an architectural masterpiece. Built with reinforced concrete monolith, its tubular structure is entirely surrounded by a semi-transparent grey curtain that serves as shading. This one-of-a-kind tower is one of the tallest structures on any resort in the Maldives.
The top of the tower has 360-degree views of the island and ocean. It took three years to build this masterpiece of architecture.
Designed to awe the resort’s visitors and blend seamlessly into the island’s natural beauty, it houses some of the Indian Ocean’s finest wines, including rarities like a 1956 Domaine de la Romanée Conti.
Tavaru also features a Teppanyaki Restaurant, an amazing spiral staircase, and a viewing platform accessible by lift.
Velaa Private Island was designed by Czech architect Petr Kolar, ADR Studio. The exclusive resort is a superb fusion of Maldivian culture and contemporary luxury.
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The Spa at The Ritz-Carlton Maldives
Architect : Kerry Hill Architects. Singapore.
The circular shape of the spa’s architecture is inspired by the Beru, the Maldivian drum
“Modern architecture meets the Maldives, inspired by the water and circular movement.”
– Kerry Hill Architects
The spa of The Ritz-Carlton Maldives is designed with a minimalist approach by the renowned Kerry Hill Architects.
Its circular shape is inspired by the Beru, the Maldivian drum, which can be seen throughout the resort like the water villas and the kids playground. The overwater spa sanctuary is nestled in the center of the Ritz-Carlton lagoon water villas, whose design also represents a perfect circle.
The spa features nine treatment rooms, a spa suite with a relaxation lounge, a salon and retail boutique.
The architecture and design of the resort are rooted in the philosophy of The Ritz-Carlton Maldives, called The Circle of Life, a conceptual idea applied throughout the entire resort.
The Ritz-Carlton Maldives is one the most striking design resorts in the destination. Besides its remarkable architectural concept, It also features a curated contemporary artwork collection.
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Madi Hiyaa at Banyan Tree Vabbinfaru
Architect : Nomadic Resorts. The Netherlands
Madi Hiyaa is solely built in bamboo and designed in a shape of a stingray.
“Madi Hiyaa is Inspired by the Stingray that has just jumped out of the sea.”
– Nomadic Resorts
Located overwater at Banyan Tree Vabbinfaru, Madi Hiyaa boasts a Yakitori restaurant and a bar. The structure is designed in a shape of a stingray and solely built with bamboo, one of the world’s most sustainable building materials.
This amazing overwater structure is the brainchild of Nomadic Resorts, a team of architects and designers specialized in biophilic architecture, with a focus on designing innovative bamboo buildings.
The name “Madi Hiyaa” is a heartfelt tribute to the graceful rays of the ocean. In Dhivehi, the language of the Maldives, “Madi” translates to “ray,” while “Hiyaa” symbolizes “shelter.”
Recently opened, Madi Hyaa is one of the Maldives’ latest architectural gems.
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