BY C.S. NATHAN

An aerial view of Lexis Hibiscus Port Dickson. The 639-villa resort has a unique hibiscus-inspired design and features water villas arranged to form the shape of a hibiscus

THE huge size of Lexis Hibiscus Port Dickson has prompted award-winning eco-architect, academic and author Professor Jason Pomeroy to dub the property the largest water home development in the world.

With 522 water villas stretching out to sea in a hibiscus shape, as well as 117 luxurious suites (in its sea-fronting main building), the sprawling resort is without a doubt an architectural masterpiece.

The resort, Lexis Hotel Group’s third property in Port Dickson, was featured in Pomeroy’s latest book, POG (Pod Off-Grid) – Explorations into Low Energy Waterborne Communities.

Published by ORO Editions, the book features waterborne projects around the world with an emphasis on sustainable development and low-energy solutions.

“The Kuala Lumpur Metro Group (the developer of Lexis Hibiscus) had the foresight to see the real potential of water, and I am delighted to have been able to work with them on the project.

The family-friendly resort is also an ideal MICE destination with 10 wellequipped meeting rooms as well as spacious ballrooms.

“The design comprises two key components; a sea reclamation that forms the base housing 117 hotel rooms, as well as a ‘flower’ that extends out to the sea with 522 water villas, a feat which makes it the largest water home development in the world,” said Prof Pomeroy.

In his book, Prof Pomeroy who teaches at the University of Nottingham, Britain; James Cook University, Australia; and the Universita IUAV di Venezia, Italy; illustrated the eco-friendly elements of the featured projects.

“The verandah spaces we designed for Lexis Hibiscus offer environmental benefits when working in unison with the lofty interior of the villas.

“Each water villa comes with a plunge pool on its verandah. The water in the pool helps cool the sea breeze, reducing the need for artificial cooling. Vaulted ceilings and a variety of window opening configurations also optimise ventilation, while shallow floor plates maximise light. These strategies reduce energy consumption,” he said.

Prof Pomeroy also shared his views on low-energy waterborne communities that offer an alternative to land-based urbanisation, one of the issues explored in POG.

The architect who received his Master’s degree from Cambridge University and his PhD from the University of Westminster, Britain is also the author of The Skycourt and Skygarden: Greening the Urban Habitat (Routeledge, 2014) and Idea House: Future Tropical Living Today (ORO editions, 2011).

Pomeroy’s book features waterborne projects around the world with an emphasis on sustainable development and low-energy solutions.

Kuala Lumpur Metro Group managing director Datuk Low Tak Fatt, who was present at the launch, said he was pleased to learn that Lexis Hibiscus had been cited as the world’s largest water home development in Prof Pomeroy’s book.

“We chose to work with Prof Pomeroy because of his visionary concepts and innovative designs. We wanted to create an iconic resort and appointed him to spearhead its design.

“His track record speaks for itself, and he has fulfilled our objective of building a unique resort complete with eco-friendly features. Being named the world’s largest water home development adds another feather to our cap,” he said.

Lexis Hibiscus is a five-star resort with extensive facilities that includes eight food and beverage outlets, two ballrooms, 11 meeting rooms, and recreational facilities for both adults and children.

Each of the resort’s 639 rooms (water villas and luxury suites) has its own plunge pool and steam room. Rooms range from the Executive Pool Villa measuring 770 sq ft to the 4,112 sq ft of the Presidential Suite, a four-bedroom duplex with two pools located along the stigma of the hibiscus.

The resort is also home to the tallest fountain in Malaysia, a structure that shoots jets of water as high as 122m.

All 639 villas at Lexis Hibiscus Port Dickson come with a plunge pool on its verandah and a private steam room. — ART CHEN/The Star