WAIKIKI WETLAND RESORT
Waikiki in Hawaiian means spouting fresh water, which refers to the springs and streams that feed into the wetlands. Drawing from that name, Waikiki Wetland Resort is situated in a distinctive and sensitive ecosystem along the Konkan coast in India, somewhere along the borders of the state of Maharashtra and Goa.
It is developed on a 6-hectare site on the southern bank of a tidal creek with seawater flowing through it at high and low tides. Conceived as an ecological restoration project with the idea of promoting ecotourism, the resort has 16 holiday homes and a boat house.
After taking into consideration all the challenges of building on a parcel of land with high biodiversity, the site is understood as a landscape in flux over the centuries, which is eventually converted into an ideal spot for ecotourism by reviving the wetlands surrounding the creek and its diversity. It will promote the riparian habitat for migrating birds and endangered wildlife—this will not only cater to tourists seeking a change from the urban environment but will also build sensitivity towards the landscape.