Gettliffe Architecture
Nezua: An Exploration of Values 2012
The vivid Nezua vision of a place where people come to embrace and celebrate Nature, while restoring their own well-being and balance, stirs our imagination and makes us eager to be part of the creative process with you.
Sustainable Tourism and the Cultural Creatives Our primary clientele, the “cultural creatives,” are the same people that are drawn to sustainable tourism. Cultural creatives prioritize investment in experience and ideals over material status. Architecturally, they want a sustainably built environment that connects them to nature, and they enjoy the clarity of uplifting spaces that are artful and inspiring, yet expressive of a unique local identity. We understand, and have been creating for years, the same spirit of place that ecotourists seek in their destinations. Nature and Sustainability “Embracing Nature” is key to the Nezua vision. Much of our work is characterized by fluidity between the built and natural environment. Natural light becomes part of the design palette; sun, shade and breeze conspire to create sensual delight. Carefully framed views and transitions to inviting outdoor areas connect people to refreshing natural elements. We incorporate the highest standards of environmental sustainability while creating artistic spaces that inspire, relax and rejuvenate users.
An International Clientele... Nezua’s commitment to positive impact on local communities is in line with the ecotourism principle of respecting and interpreting the local culture. Working for an international clientele, including on international projects spearheaded by avid travelers and philanthropic organizations, has sharpened our ability to work sensitively with diverse cultural values and aesthetic standards. ...and A Nicaraguan Connection Our multi-cultural team includes a Nicaraguan principal as well as another Nicaraguan architectural staff member, and we are in the process of establishing a professional presence in Nicaragua which may soon include a branch office. Collaboration and Process We are collaborators; we cocreate with our clients the architectural expression of their values and dreams in a process of deep exploration and creativity. Engagement with institutional and community partners ensures that every design respects and responds to the local environmental and social context. We have led many architectural, consultant, and contractor teams in the successful implementation of complex projects, and have a rich network of relationships within the field of sustainable tourism. “Nezua is a belief that we are capable of anything when we work together.�
Retreat It is a current that runs through nearly all of our work. People come to us to co-create places of refuge, joy, and connection that restore, refresh, rejuvenate, and energize. We offer here some of the architectural design principles that we have found to be essential in creating places that promote a deep sense of wellbeing in those that experience them.
Nicaragua’s Pacific Coast
Vacation Home Crestone, Colorado. USA
Inspiration and Perspective. Clarity and Simplicity.
Natural Light. Connection to Nature.
Residences Boulder, Colorado. USA
The Creation of Thermal Delight Using Sun, Shade, and Natural Ventilation. Commitment to an Ethic of Sus足tainability.
Blackbird Caye Eco-Village Turneffe Island, Belize
Master Plans that Celebrate the Natural Context. Planning from the User’s Eye View. Inviting Nature to Have a Voice in the Design. Minimizing Site Impact; Maximizing Site Enhancement.
Shanidiin Farm Boulder, Colorado. USA
Vacation Ensemble Los Suenos, Costa Rica
Creating Convivial Centers of Activity. Drawing Friends and Family Together.
Balancing Privacy and Community with Places for Pleasant Connection. Addressing Individual and Common Needs through Close Collaboration
Project meeting with Trees, Water & People. Center for Climate Change. La Paz Centro, Nicaragua. > Greyrock Co-Housing Fort Collins, Colorado. USA <
Designing in Harmony with the Local Culture, Resources, and Identity.
Center for Climate Change La Paz Centro, Nicaragua
The People... We are uniquely equipped to mediate the architectural space between two worlds: that of the Western ecotourist and that of Nicaragua, a beautiful and vital country poised to benefit richly from carefully planned sustainable tourism developments.
...and the Process An organic and collaborative evolution: From the deep listening and discovery inherent in the programming phase, through the synchronistic inspiration of conceptual design. From the rich interweaving of information and ideas during design development, to the rigorously accurate communication of the construction documents. From the cacophony of activity as the vision is transformed into physical reality, to the contented sigh of the Nezua visitor becoming One!
Reaching out to the world from Boulder, Colorado, our multicultural team creates socially and ecologically responsible designs that are moving, uplifting, and bring new perspectives to life.
Alejandra Baltodano, AIA Dominique Gettliffe, AIA 3014 Bluff Street Boulder CO 80304 303.449.9155 info@gettliffe.com www.gettliffe.com
Gettliffe Architecture