Jacmel, Haiti, 2007

Designer: Rodney Leon
Architect: AARRIS Architects
Principals: Rodney Leon, Nicole Hollant-Denis

Founded in 1698, Jacmel is a colorful coastal port town in the South of Haiti of 40,000 where peace and tranquility have always reigned. The town has maintained many charming aspects of the late 19th century when wealthy coffee merchants lived in mansions of French colonial architecture, with cast iron pillars and balconies purchased in France. Today, Jacmel maintains a reputation as the cultural capital of Haiti.

Belle Rive is a private resort style residential development that will consist of 94 deluxe townhouse and tower apartments, a 120-room four-star hotel and a private Club.

The residential master plan is designed to establish a model for mixed use sustainable communal living that minimizes the environmental impact upon this lush former coconut tree plantation and maximizes a resident’s access to amenities and resources. The design attempts to democratize the experience of occupants and provide the best of private and communal living. All units have and individual entrances gates close to reserved parking spaces accessed by private yards. At the same time all residential apartments feature expansive terraces so that all residents may enjoy views of the mountains to the north and the ocean to the south and share access to tropical landscape of 24 acres fronting the Caribbean Sea.