Secluded in the picturesque city Cox’s Bazar; home with the extraordinary marine life and lush natural surroundings, the newly built Moon Nest resort mimics the rich cultural and ecological landscape of the region through the use of traditional building forms and locally-sourced materials and indigenous planting.
Every aspect of the resort’s impact on the natural environment has been carefully considered with sustainability in mind. Set on a 20,000 square-feet nature reserve, the Moon Nest resort is set to become a destination where guests can slow down, reconnect and immerse themselves in nature.
The project involves four independent villas and an outdoor café- all raised on stilts. The structures are envisioned as light floating volumes in order to not disturb the natural harmony.
Each villa is designed based on a simple wooden structure, reticulated in modules of 12ft x 12ft.
The roofs are pitched and built with thick thatch that is considered to be a good solution to prevent the sunlight as well as a good blend with the surrounding landscape. In detail, the roof structure is layered with a waterproof membrane and coconut leaves supported by wood panels; which give an aesthetic look to the ceiling and links all beams together.
All these parts are connected by using indigenous building technique, mortise and tenon joints.
Each villa opens out to the generous decks to embrace and experience the feeling of belonging to the surrounding plantation.
The interiors are minimal yet sophisticated, keeping the focus on the dramatic setting of nature. The walls are crafted out of rich local pinewood sourced from sustainably managed plantations, where handcrafted goods and simple wooden furnishings with turquoise coloured decor complements the rich paneled wood surfaces of the villas. The ensuite bathroom is compact and raw, with locally sourced tiled counters and a shower area featuring a linear window framing the views beyond.
Everything of the resort is inspired by the calming beach waves, the surrounding peaks and the exuberant landscape. “Growing up beside the beach, I cherish nature. The love for the nature inspired me to come up with the idea of the resort. My family has been involved in the resort business so I was acquainted with resort designs and structure.
I have incorporated my ideas and experiences to build this resort where my family and my wife have been my biggest support to have encouraged me to flourish in the resort business. We wanted to create an environment that encourages residents and guests to turn off their phones, disconnect from the daily chaos and fully immerse themselves with the simplest pleasures of life”, says Jahirul Hoque Chowdhury, owner and managing director of Moon Nest resort.
Adjacent to the villas, the resort has an organic restaurant that coexists in harmony with the surrounding lush pinewood and mangrove forest. The development of the resort seeks to offer the guests the space and amenities to connect with their inner self and disconnect from the hustle and bustle of city life.
It is very often seen that people come out to the decks to feel the quietness of the mountains or leading the walk-way to simply relax amidst the panoramic water and awe-inspiring sunsets. Many guests in the resort spend hours reading books in the serene while enjoying the exotic sea-food platters and cocktails, and many enjoy the late-night barbeques while turning up some music. Each amenity has been thoughtfully created to inspire the guests to experience living in the moment. At night, the resort turns into a glowing lantern using multiple low-fractional rating lights with warm colour and refract it inside out; making the space livelier and easier to be recognized in the dark.
The environmentally conscious approach and the sustainable vernacular architecture all combined with the natural landscape strategies place the Moon Nest resort as a benchmark development for the future.
