Club Med Cefalù is a resort and holiday village located at Cefalù in the south of Italy. The whole complex covers an extension of 160.000 sqm and the built area 30.000 sqm. After sixty years of service on the promontory of the Santa Lucia, the holiday village came to the end of its natural cycle and needed to be completely renewed.
The project has a great location near Cefalù, one of Sicily’s more beautiful historic towns. Throughout the years the complex has grown and there has been the addition of different facilities as response to the development of the area including the landscape which was not always in line with the local flora.
The new program foresaw heavy demands on the site in terms of the amount of construction work planned. The upgrade to a 4star+ resort required more overall built volume. These new requirements had to be compatible with the natural features of the site.
All existing hut style bungalows became luxury resort bungalows. Apart from the new accommodation units and 310 bungalows, the project foresaw the construction of sport facilities, restaurants and staff accommodations.
The assets visible from the sea have a noninvasive nature and a temporary character that can be easily removed in case it is needed. It was established that the existing landscape was going to be maintained, including species that are unique to the area; and that local building traditions and materials were going to be used in order to seamless incorporate to the area.
A significant part of the amenities including fitness area were located underneath the deck next to the pool and poolside bar as well as the existing an amphitheater with a stage area, all of them linked by the piazza. At the top of the hill the sports court, meeting rooms, the restaurant with garden area and deck as well as a specialized restaurant located in the 17th century palazzo. The guests found the reception in the middle of the area destined to the guest rooms and the amenities at the entrance at the top of the hill.
The aristocratic palace needed a new interior design project and landscape project. The restoration and overhaul of the electrical system, structural consolidation, refunctionalization and redevelopment of the aristocratic palace was completed and, new internal road system was developed to link all new assets to the existing ones.
