Punta de Mar

Punta de Mar is a startup that emerges from an idea of ​​the Mano de Santo architecture team, and that KMZero Open Innovation Hub, has been responsible for developing and promoting as a business.

A floating accommodation that provides a unique experience of integration with the natural environment. Being this the protagonist, the design must allow the user to perceive it directly with the 5 senses.

Designed as a pavilion from which we approach the sea and learn to love it, take care of it and respect it.

The sea mirror of the soul and icon of freedom. The coexistence with this favors disconnection, relaxation and well-being.

A 360º experience thanks to the design and the technology used as a tool that helps us get even closer to nature.

Würth, Technal, Simon, Guardian Glass and Gira are strategic allies in this project participating in the technical development of this which uses technology and innovation to bring nature closer to the user.

With a total area of ​​74 m2, the pavilion is designed for the enjoyment of two people and is divided into two floors, whose design and equipment is minimalist to achieve a deeper and more authentic connection with the destination in which it is located. The first of them, 40 m2, has a stateroom with bathroom and a private terrace, continuing to the interior space. For its part, the second floor is a Chill-Out deck of about 34 m2 that has an area designed for relaxation and comfort of the guests. Both spaces have lighting and piped music, adaptable to the client's taste.

Precisely one of the most innovative points of this initiative is the control of the experience by the user. Through an app, the guest can decide on all domotic aspects of the room. That is, lighting, sound, air conditioning or aromas, among others.

Committed to sustainability

Punta de Mar is a sustainable tourism initiative, since it does not generate waste because it is an installation of modules whose system is the "Plug & Go". In addition, it is integrated into the environment and its materials are of low environmental impact. Another of the strong points is the installation, which is immediate and relocatable, since it can be transported by land and towed by sea, which offers the possibility of lodging it in different natural areas in which to live unique and exclusive experiences.

The Punta de Mar project is based on a novel concept for experience-driven tourism: a floating pavilion that offers guests a holiday at sea. More and more holidaymakers are looking for a unique experience and unforgettable destinations far away from mass tourism. And that's how the idea of a houseboat was born, and jointly developed by architectural firm Mano de Santo and KMZero Open Innovation Hub. Both companies are based in Valencia. Prospective guests can obtain information in advance and rent the houseboat via the team at KMZero Open Innovation Hub.

This location has space for two people who love water, want to relax, and respect nature. Guests can experience the environment with all their senses, while the floating pavilion guarantees privacy, convenience, and wellbeing.

Punta de Mar is surrounded by a vertical, slatted wall that allows light to pass through. Guests have a 74 m² area to relax in across two levels. Besides a cabin and bathroom, the lower level also has a deck adjoining the interior space. Holidaymakers can of course pass the night on the water. And there's a guaranteed sea view from the bed. The second level is a relaxation deck. The furniture has been matched to the colour of the slats. When designing and furnishing the floating pavilion, the team of architects attached a great deal of importance to minimalism. However, this pared-down style has a touch of exclusivity. The real luxury is in its proximity to nature, as all the materials used are eco-friendly and sustainable.

A lot of international companies are involved in this project. The Gira G1 room operating device was installed by Gira, together with the Gira E2 design line. The Gira G1 is the compact, visually-appealing central operating unit for KNX, the internationally recognised standard for wired bus systems. The high-resolution multi-touch display allows all control functions to be intuitively operated by a touch or gesture. Guests can also set all aspects of the building control themselves using an app: from lighting and operation right through to air conditioning. Gira E2 matches the interior design beautifully, thanks to the minimalist look of the design line.

Punta de Mar is a prototype. It is the first floating hotel apartment in Spain. After this start-up, more houseboats are planned worldwide.

Guardian Glass glazed envelope installed at Punta de Mar, a unique advanced floating accommodation in Spain

The architectural studio Mano de Santo and KMZero, Open Innovation Hub, part of Martinez Group, chose Guardian Glass when designing Punta de Mar, the first floating, dynamic and advanced accommodation in Spain. This innovative project, promoted by startup Punta de Mar, aims to take the concept of experiential tourism to another level, of which the first prototype is already placed at the Club Náutico in Denia on the Mediterranean Sea.

Punta de Mar is a floating platform with a careful, minimalistic architectural design, that is both functional and respectful to the environment. By helping to foster an all-senses experience of its surroundings, the project’s goal is an integration with the natural environment, together with intimacy, comfort, relaxation and a sense of well-being for the guests. This is possible thanks in part to the enveloping glass provided by Guardian Glass, one of the strategic allies on the project, who has facilitated and opted for supply of glass and granted technical support in relation to glass applications for this new pioneering business project located on the Mediterranean coast and which is already the talk of the town.

“We chose Guardian Glass for this project,” says Frances de Paula García, architect from Mano de Santo, “because the company offers the most efficient glass. Bearing in mind the characteristics of this project, where it was necessary to resolve extreme demands, we looked for excellence. Another important aspect is that we have been able to count on their technical support.”

The floating structure used triple glazed Guardian glass that provides superior energy savings, security and acoustic insulation. On the outer surface Guardian SunGuard® SN 70/35 HT selective glass was installed; followed by Guardian ExtraClear®, an intermediate glass layer; and on the inner surface, Guardian ClimaGuard® Premium2 laminated glass is used to reinforce the overall security and energy efficiency. This glass unit provides 61% light transmission and 32% solar factor. This means that the glass allows abundant sunlight in, while blocking most of the heat, providing Punta de Mar with excellent thermal insulation, solar control and a high level of security and sound insulation, creating a core set with very high performance and energy efficiency levels. Not only does the glass facilitate a much more transparent, vivid and unobtrusive view of the surroundings from the inside – such as the sea and natural environment – it also dims the internal-external borders and allows guests to experience total connection with its continuously changing location.

For the project’s interior design, Guardian SunGuard® HD Silver 20 was specified (in wardrobe areas, headboards and bathroom) with the aim of playing with different reflections. Due to its various mirror effects, privacy can be enhanced in these more intimate areas, while creating interesting, fun effects in others, providing a sense of spaciousness and immersion of the outside with the inside.

In this sense, the architect highlights: “The importance of the glass, as well as all the other materials we have chosen, has been essential. With these, we have looked for a total connection with the surroundings. In particular, the glass should have some specific performance in terms of transparency to achieve that [apart from insulation], as well as large dimensions to solve the comfort aspect too. This adds up to the fact that the glass used for the living space of the lodge allows a 360-degree experience. The guest feels enveloped by the surroundings. It’s an experience of total integration and the glass assists in achieving that.”

Likewise, as the perfect complement for the glass, the sliding closures of the project stand out, enabling maximum opening of doors and windows by using reduced aluminium profiles to create unobstructed views and maximising natural light.

Layout and technology conceived for the guest*

With a total area of 74m2, the pavilion is designed for the enjoyment of two people and is divided into two floors, with a minimalist design and equipment. The 40m2 first floor has a stateroom with en-suite bathroom and a private terrace that serves as an extension of the interior space. The 34m2 second floor is a chill-out deck, an area designed for relaxation. Both spaces have lighting and background music.

Another feature of Punta de Mar is that guests have continuous control of their experience by using a home automation app that allows decisions to be made on specific aspects of the accommodation. The innovative technological solutions in this project allow guests to manage the lighting, sound, fragrances and level of security. These controls can be applied from the platform itself or remotely.

It is worth noting that the lighting at Punta de Mar is biodynamic, which means that it reproduces natural light from the outside on the inside, as the day progresses, the light varies its tone to imitate the variations in natural light.

Sustainability commitment*

Punta de Mar is a sustainable tourist initiative that doesn’t generate residues because it is a modular structure with a system based on “Plug & Go”.

Furthermore, it integrates with the surroundings and uses materials with a low environmental impact. Another benefit is that the structure is immediate and towable by water and is easily transported by road.

This means that Punta de Mar could be relocated to different natural landscapes and settings that have available mains and power supply connections (whether marine or private beach hotels) to offer unique and exclusive experiences to guests.

For this Project, the Guardian glass has been processed by Control Glass and installed using Technal aluminium system.