Construction of Yamani Healing, a new eco-design hotel, destination spa and healing centre in Mexico’s Riviera Maya will start later this year, following the announcement of a real estate partnership with US$32m (€29m, £21m) development Los Árboles Cobá.

Mexico City-based architecture practice Estudio Tacubaya has been selected to lead the design of the hotel and healing centre, and UK-based Greg Kewish has been hired as sustainable architect and design consultant. LEED-specialist Robyn Vettriano will work with the architectural team to outline green specifications and design strategies to reduce the retreat’s environmental impact, and ultimately obtain LEED certification.

The US$12.3m (€11.3m, £8.3m) Yamani Healing project will offer a holistic approach to detoxification and will feature a hotel with 38 rooms and 10 suites, three large yoga halls, six cleansing and detox rooms, eight alternative healing and spa treatment rooms, infrared and herbal saunas, a temazcal sweat lodge, and a swimming pool.

“Yamani Healing will be situated in 48 acres of pristine, raw jungle, so we have a real responsibility to protect the land,” Yamani Healing co-founder Heather Henninger told CLADmag. “We have committed to not clearing more than 10 per cent of the land – and whatever trees we do clear, will be used as design materials as much as possible. We will maintain raised walkways throughout the property, so we minimise our imprint on the land itself.”

Yamani Healing will act as the centrepiece of the Los Árboles Cobá development, which includes 420 residential lots, a community centre and more than 1,000 acres of conservation areas.

Henninger added: “Our goal is to be the first carbon neutral resort and destination spa, with the first LEED accredited hotel, in Mexico.”

FEATURE: CLAD people – Heather Henninger and Nathan Stevenson