Edmonds International
 | |
| Founder | Michael Edmonds |
|---|---|
| Headquarters |
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| Website | edmondsinternational |
Edmonds International is an architectural firm based in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, and Mexico City, Mexico. The firm specializes in residential and commercial projects, with a focus on environmental integration and natural preservation.
History and overview
[edit]Edmonds International is an architectural firm based in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, and Mexico City, Mexico.[1] Their founder is Michael Edmonds.[2]
Residential projects
[edit]In 2022, the firm designed Reflections Villa, a modernist residence in West Vancouver. The V-shaped structure features two glazed wings with a central pond connected to a pool. The site presented several design challenges, including an eastward slope on forested hillside terrain and creeks. The building's orientation was determined by seasonal lighting conditions, maximizing southern light exposure in winter while limiting solar heat gain in summer. The structure was made using a concrete foundation with a dark metal roof, and its exterior walls are largely glazed with reflective glass to expand the sense of space.[1]
The western wing is accessed via a bridge entrance and encompasses the kitchen, dining area, living room, and an office. The eastern wing houses the private quarters, including the primary suite, three bedrooms, a gym, and a sauna. A lower level contains a media room, garage, and wine cellar. Interior finishes include concrete flooring, white oak, and elm carpentry. Reflections Villa was Edmonds International's first single-family residential project.[1]
Commercial projects
[edit]In 2011, Starwood Hotels and Resorts announce that they were opening a Westin Hotel in Santa Fe, Mexico City. The staircase, which would be at the center of the hotel's multi-story lobby, was to be designed by Edmonds International and New York-based firm KrauseSawyer.[3]
In 2023, Edmonds International designed the St. Regis Kanai Resort Riviera Maya, a 124-room hotel in Sian Kaʼan Biosphere Reserve, a biosphere reserve in Playa del Carmen, Quintana Roo, Mexico.[4] The structure comprises circular and semi-circular pavilions situated above a mangrove forest and adjacent to the ocean, with residential areas occupying the semi-circular pavilions and public areas the circular ones. According to Edmonds International, the design references the Pleiades star cluster, which holds significance in Mayan cosmology. Construction was undertaken in coordination with Mexican environmental protection authorities to preserve the surrounding natural landscape, with precast concrete and prefabricated materials used to minimize on-site concrete casting.[2]
Elevated walkways connect the resort's various areas, forming geometric patterns that complement the semi-circular residential structures when viewed from above. Courtyards and walkways incorporate gardens, pools, and water features interspersed with lounge areas and other amenity areas. A cantilevered terrace marks the entrance, leading into a three-story lobby with partially open air ceilings.[2]
In 2024, Edmonds International designed The Riviera Maya EDITION at Kanai, a 182-room resort in Playa del Carmen, also located within the Kanai nature preserve.[5] The project took seven years to complete.[6] Like the St. Regis Kanai Resort, the structure was built above a mangrove forest using foundational stilts to allow water circulation beneath the building, reflecting the same approach to environmental conservation.[2][7]
Amenities include a sculptural bamboo deck used for yoga, hydrotherapy pools, an oceanside infinity pool, a lagoon-style swimming pool, and a hammam. Two resident biologists are employed at the property to monitor and preserve the surrounding wildlife and natural habitat.[7] The resort's kitchen entrance features a wall displaying film stills from Mexico's Golden Age of cinema, while other areas incorporate Mayan sculptures and ceramics.[8] The interiors were designed in collaboration with Rockwell Group and Ian Schrager Group.[7] The resort includes a 27,000 sq ft (2,500 m2) penthouse called Sky Rooftop Villa. According to Travel + Leisure magazine, this is the largest penthouse suite in North America.[9]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ a b c McKnight, Jenna (8 November 2022). "Edmonds International creates V-shaped home on a Vancouver hillside". Dezeen. Archived from the original on 21 February 2023. Retrieved 7 December 2025.
- ^ a b c d Dreith, Ben (27 March 2023). "Constellations and mangroves inform design of St. Regis Resort Kanai". Dezeen. Archived from the original on 1 June 2026. Retrieved 7 December 2025.
- ^ Caswell, Mark (1 April 2011). "W to open second property in Mexico City". Business Traveller.
- ^ Suqi, Rima (2024). "The St. Regis Kanai Resort, Riviera Maya". Condé Nast Traveller. Archived from the original on 3 June 2026. Retrieved 6 June 2026.
- ^ Lekka Angelopoulou, Sofia (6 April 2024). "The Riviera Maya EDITION at Kanai opens within a 620-acre nature reserve in Mexico". Designboom. Archived from the original on 7 April 2024.
- ^ Howarth, Dan (19 May 2024). "The Riviera Maya Edition at Kanai hotel sits over mangrove reserve in Mexico". Dezeen. Archived from the original on 1 June 2026. Retrieved 7 December 2025.
- ^ a b c Schmidt, Ingrid (2 March 2024). "The Buzzy New Riviera Maya Edition at Kanai Boasts the Largest Penthouse Suite in North America". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on 5 April 2026. Retrieved 7 December 2025.
- ^ Montes, Geoffrey (14 April 2024). "Hotel of the Week: The Riviera Maya Edition Is a Minimalist Paradise". Galerie Magazine.
- ^ Gifford, Jacqui (25 June 2025). "This Resort in Mexico Is One of the Best New Hotels in the World—With North America's Largest Penthouse Suite and Overwater Hammocks". Travel + Leisure. Archived from the original on 27 March 2025. Retrieved 7 December 2025.