Podcast Episode Details
Back to Podcast Episodes
Playa Viva - where Biophilia meets Living Ecology
Nestled along Mexico's Pacific coast, David Leventhal's Playa Viva is redefining hospitality through a radical commitment to regenerative design. More than just a boutique hotel, it's a living ecosystem where architecture breathes, nature flows freely, and every material tells a story of sustainability.
Imagine waking in a treehouse suspended among palm trees, with no doors or windows—just an uninterrupted connection to the landscape. This is Leventhal's vision: hospitality that doesn't just minimize environmental impact, but actively regenerates it.
The resort's structures are poetry in natural materials. Bamboo "bones" form parabolic roofs, carefully woven and raised by hand. Shower floors become canvases of meticulously placed pebbles, each stone positioned with artisan precision. Wall pigments are sourced locally—rich oranges and browns extracted directly from mountain landscapes, mixed with unconventional ingredients like hay, horse manure, and even turtle eggshells.
"We're not just building rooms," Leventhal explains, "we're creating experiences that transform how humans interact with environment."
This transformation begins with radical design choices. Solar panels provide 100% off-grid electricity. Air conditioning is minimised, with innovative systems like the "Evening Breeze" technology cooling only specific areas. The goal isn't comfort through separation, but comfort through connection.
The resort sits on 200 acres of regenerating landscape, including a critical turtle sanctuary. Local community members—many former poachers—now protect endangered turtle species, releasing hatchlings at dawn under careful supervision.
The broader ReSiMar project demonstrates Leventhal's systemic approach to ecological restoration. Starting from mountain headwaters and extending to the coastline, this watershed regeneration initiative has already documented remarkable recoveries, including recent jaguar sightings in the Sierra Madre Mountains.
What makes Playa Viva revolutionary isn't just its sustainable infrastructure, but its philosophical approach. Each design decision emerges from deep respect for place—understanding geological, anthropological, and ecological histories before a single structure is built.
Guests aren't passive observers but active participants in this regenerative narrative. Yoga retreats, farm experiences, and community engagement transform vacationing from consumption to connection. The resort's B-Corp certification and recent Michelin keys underscore its commitment to excellence through ecological integri
Published on 11 hours ago