projects

Following an international architectural competition, ReardonSmith was appointed to design an entirely new marina resort on the site of a decommissioned naval base in the Bay of Kotor along the spectacular coastline of Montenegro. The aim is to create nothing less than the world’s premier destination for superyachts. However, Porto Montenegro will be more than a playground for billionaires and holidaymakers who want a taste of the high life. It will be a thriving town with a strong residential community and a vibrant destination in its own right.

A key to ReardonSmith’s success in winning this extraordinary project was the team’s interpretation of the massing of several historic towns in the region. The proposal respected both the local architectural inheritance and the natural habitat while creating something genuinely new and avoiding pastiche. In master planning the resort, the practice took as its guiding influence the seminal work of American urban planner Kevin Lynch, who described the human need to balance clarity and surprise in the city environment.

The first phase is focusing on the waterfront development and will include a 350-berth marina, a Four Seasons hotel, casino, cinema, hospitality and retail together with 60,000 sq metres of prime residential space. Virtually all the existing structures will be demolished and their stone and brick crushed to form aggregate; timbers will also be re-used. New construction will predominantly be in local stone and render with roofing in terracotta and clay tiles.