Alejandro Acebal

Architect, Alejandro Acebal, used his personal passion for golf as an inspiration for the design.

Apr 4, 2024

Alejandro Acebal Canney, through his namesake firm AC Arquitectos & Asociados, takes a bespoke approach to designing large-scale luxury housing and commercial projects. In contrast to ubiquitous copy-and-paste architecture, Mr. Acebal Canney’s one-of-a-kind endeavors breathe fresh life into the Dominican Republic, where he lives and works.

As the architect behind The St. Regis Cap Cana Resort, he dreamed up a large-scale retreat that almost vanishes into its surroundings from a bird’s eye view. The development includes 200 hotel rooms, 70 Private Residences, that blend into the serene Caribbean Sea and the lush Punta Espada Golf Course, designed by Jack Nicklaus.

What inspiration did you draw upon for the design?

When three sides of this site are surrounded by a Jack Nicklaus personally-designed course, a respect has to be given to not mess it up. In front, the imposing turquoise sea and white sand beaches of the Caribbean. This is a dream site. While recollecting Jack Nicklaus’ site visits when he came to create the designs and inspire the course’s trajectory, my inspiration came to design the hotel as if it were a golf hole within the extensive course. Both St Regis and Punta Espada compliment each other. Both at the top of their game. A marriage to be remembered. This only forms half of the reason when it comes to harmony. The other half is attributed to the esteemed clientele and statesmen engaging with this property. St Regis clientele enjoy beauty and have a taste which cannot be defined in any other way than precise and self assured. Which is why our design was meticulous in achieving the right response from the right market.

What feelings do you hope to evoke via your design?

I like to create spaces which move emotion, evoking the senses, and generating unforgettable experiences. The memories which come back to you when closing your eyes and reliving as if you were still in the space is what brings out the romanticism of successful architecture, for me. As a result, the subtle forms of organic architecture should accompany the enigmatic views of this site, providing continuity and assuming a primary responsibility for leaving guests breathless within their surroundings. That’s the wow-effect right there, and my firm takes pride in making them.

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