Edmonds International
Edmonds International is an architectural firm based in Vancouver and Mexico City. The firm specializes in residential and commercial projects, with a focus on environmental integration and natural preservation.
History and overview
Edmonds International is an architectural firm based in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, and Mexico City, Mexico. Its founder is Michael Edmonds.
Residential projects
In 2022, the firm designed Reflections Villa, a modernist residence in West Vancouver. The V-shaped structure features two glazed wings with a central pond connected to a pool. The site presented several design challenges, including an eastward slope on forested hillside terrain and creeks. The building's orientation was determined by seasonal lighting conditions, maximizing southern light exposure in winter while limiting solar heat gain in summer. The structure was made using a concrete foundation with a dark metal roof, and its exterior walls are largely glazed with reflective glass to expand the sense of space.
The western wing is accessed via a bridge entrance and encompasses the kitchen, dining area, living room, and an office. The eastern wing houses the private quarters, including The Primary suite, three bedrooms, a gym, and a sauna. A lower level contains a media room, garage, and wine cellar. Interior finishes include concrete flooring, white oak, and elm carpentry. Reflections Villa was Edmonds International's first single-family residential project.
Commercial projects
In 2011, Starwood Hotels and Resorts announce that it was opening a Westin Hotel in Santa Fe, Mexico City. The staircase, which would be at the center of the hotel's multi-story lobby, was to be designed by Edmonds International and New York-based firm KrauseSawyer.
In 2023, Edmonds International designed the St. Regis Kanai Resort Riviera Maya, a 124-room hotel in Sian Kaʼan Biosphere Reserve, a biosphere reserve in Playa del Carmen, Quintana Roo, Mexico. The structure comprises circular and semi-circular pavilions situated above a mangrove forest and adjacent to the ocean, with residential areas occupying the semi-circular pavilions and public areas the circular ones. According to Edmonds International, the design references the Pleiades star cluster, which holds significance in Mayan cosmology. Construction was undertaken in coordination with Mexican environmental protection authorities to preserve the surrounding natural landscape, with precast concrete and prefabricated materials used to minimize on-site concrete casting.
Elevated walkways connect the resort's various areas, forming geometric patterns that complement the semi-circular residential structures when viewed from above. Courtyards and walkways incorporate gardens, pools, and water features interspersed with lounge areas and other amenity areas. A cantilevered terrace marks the entrance, leading into a three-story lobby with partially open air ceilings.
In 2024, Edmonds International designed The Riviera Maya EDITION at Kanai, a 182-room resort in Playa del Carmen, also located within the Kanai nature preserve. The project took seven years to complete. Like the St. Regis Kanai Resort, the structure was built above a mangrove forest using foundational stilts to allow water circulation beneath the building, reflecting the same approach to environmental conservation.
Amenities include a sculptural bamboo deck used for yoga, hydrotherapy pools, an oceanside infinity pool, a lagoon-style swimming pool, and a hammam. Two resident biologists are employed at the property to monitor and preserve the surrounding wildlife and natural habitat. The resort's kitchen entrance features a wall displaying film stills from Mexico's Golden Age of cinema, while other areas incorporate Mayan sculptures and ceramics. The interiors were designed in collaboration with Rockwell Group and Ian Schrager Group. The resort includes a penthouse called Sky Rooftop Villa. According to Travel + Leisure magazine, this is the largest penthouse suite in North America.
See also
- List of architecture firms