SYMBION

Despite being a diverse island country rich in history, culture and natural environment, Samana in the Dominican Republic lacks access to essential utilities due to its location. To transform Samana as a luxurious and comfortable remote paradise while being practical and affordable, the project proposes a new way of living in which human activities and sustainability are symbiotic, in a contained bubble. Embracing water recycling as a gradual process, the project expresses the linearity parallelly to the water management as a whole. Being the service spine of the project, the central walkway establishes the programmatic hierarchy, organizing programs in terms of privacy, openness and visual connectivity, while containing essential services for the off-grid circulation. Water is treated in a living system that uses plants, bacteria and microorganism to recycle wastewater into clean water.The system is chemical free, uses zero net energy, and creates a closed-loop hydrological cycle. They are expressed and become continuations of the living quarters, which sculpt the walking experience on the walkway in this sequential compound. To provide an experience of living in an untouched landscape, the project strategically layout the farm and emerges from the ground. Negotiating the level differences on two ends, the central spine blends the compound into the landscape. The farm is laid out in a radial pattern, organized based on their visual appeal and farming efficiency. Flowers are planted adjacent to the living quarters, which are positioned to access different views, followed by fruits and vegetables and other food plants at the periphery of the farmland for easy access to the workshop and main road. The project access water through collecting rain water and pumping from Aquifer. Roofs are pitched and oriented for maximum solar exposure and natural ventilation.