Travel: the Masterpiece
Big names from the world of design and art successfully collaborate in an exotic destination in Phuket, Thailand
Enjoy an exotic haven at Anantara’s latest luxurious pad in Phuket, Thailand
nantara is no stranger to luxury projects, but there is something different about Villa Similan at Layan Residences by Anantara. Located right in the middle of the beauty of the Layan Bay area of Phuket, the residences are the latest masterpiece by Indonesian design guru Jaya Ibrahim. The last masterpiece of the master successfully transports guests to a different world.
William E. Heinecke, a locally renowned hotelier and the owner of the property, instructed Jaya to ensure that the views of the lush jungle and ocean panoramas take centre stage. The son of a Sumatran diplomat and a Javanese princess, Jaya successfully made the wishes of Heinecke become a reality. “I saw the angel in the marble and carved until I set him free,” he explained.
The biggest challenge in dealing with this project was to get out of the image that has been embedded in most Anantara projects. Unlike their first project in Phuket, Amanpuri villas built in 1988, Villa Similan features more of a contemporary feel. The rooftops are designed with flat lines for a start, and the scenery around is more exposed with a larger lounge space in each unit.
Located on one level below the rooftop is a 350-square-metre carved main deck and a 22-metre swimming pool with the application of Indonesian Sukabumi stone as the main material. Each villa unit measures 3,600 square metres and houses eight bedrooms divided into two different levels. For landscape design, Heinecke entrusted Karl Princic of Intaran Design.
Adding to the luxury, Heinecke also appointed several other big names to handle the project, among them Hans and Farida Brouwer, the husband-and-wife team from Hans Brouwer Design. Both were entrusted to design a spa room that features surreal paintings by Thai artists. In addition to the imaginative yet fantastic design, the most interesting part is the “emotional sensory shower” in which guests will experience maximum relaxation with massaging water jets, lighting changes, and fragrances.
In addition to the spa, Hans Brouwer also handled the designs for the games room, an adjacent gym, and a private cinema. With its main concept of “Toys for Boys”, these three areas feature masculine elements as well as artsy accents popping up everywhere. These include indigenous sculptural pieces from Papua New Guinea and South America, artworks by aristocratic artjewellers Lotus Arts de Vivre, and a Zenexpressionist painting by Thawan Duchanee, one of Thailand’s most revered artists.
Comprising a total of 15 villas, Layan Residences by Anantara is the first branded residential development by Heinecke’s luxury hotel and resort brand Anantara. The destination presents a spectacular collaboration between the great names in their respective fields.