Islas Secas

“‘The tribal villages, souks and markets of the world were our shopping basket and inspiration”.

Islas Secas is a peninsula of 14 islands in the Bay of Chiriqui in Panama. The development is focussed on the largest island, Islas Cavada where LIFE was approached to direct and design the changeover from sleepy fishing lodge to world-class eco-retreat, based on their 15-year experience with the award-winning North Island and a number of other iconic properties on which LIFE had engineered change and the combination of critical and commercial success.

LIFE defined the brief in their Master Plan as requiring the upgrading of existing assets and addition of the following: three new casita villas, two new Spa Villas and flotation chamber, new Dock, new Eco Gallery, renovation of Balboa Bar, Main area Terraza, addition of Pacha Mancha, new Pool area, ghost Butler Station and overall cohesion of new and existing elements to be driven in line with the new Brand DNA as Phase One.

LIFE’s Design and Interiors Philosophy

The design and interiors philosophy of Islas Secas focuses on a couple of guiding principles that informed the whole design of this paradisaical peninsula of islands. It is barefoot luxury in a gypset luxe way. Context is king and to this end LIFE focused on discovering and showcasing Panamanian style in creative collaborations with local artisans and producers as well as in LIFE’s own aesthetic interpretation of the interior language of the property. Provenance is paramount and LIFE focused on sustainable sourcing of materials as well as in stimulating the local economy through commissions to local village communities together with the more finessed finds from further afield.

‘I believe in the DNA of space but also in the spirit of things that have lived before. They carry much of their mythology with them; in the hand-beaten marks of their metal surfaces; in the nicks and welts of worn wood; in the wonderful wear of aged objects, offset by the clean and timeless contemporary lines of our interiors. People often call our work ‘soulful’, even though it’s really just instinct- and experience-based, I now understand why this definition persists’ intimates LIFE Founder, Maira Koutsoudakis.

Bamboo - rusty red, robust and sustainable - is found throughout the property, Large and strong as structural columns in an almost cathedral-like Central American colonnade. To light and textural as a wallcovering, or curved and moulded in furniture, or refined into fibres of the bamboo silk carpets. Its multifaceted malleability fascinating, sustainable and, ultimately, sophisticated in its simplicity.

A more tribal and primal feeling was introduced and the designers tapped into the ancient soul of this site of pre-Colombian culture through both the Gallery and in the patterns, colour and design of furniture and objects. Heritage is made hip as antiques are contextualized; they sit comfortably in contrast to contemporary forms. There is also a celebration of casual culture, where relaxation of the gypset type, of barefoot beach experiences - dining, lounging, star-gazing, giant beach-domino playing - are all designed strategically to relax the guest.

The luxe ante was increased as overcalled marshmallow loungers, deep reclining beds and luxurious materials of ultimate refinement vie against more raw elements and layering of finishes create textural delight in LIFE’s approach of organic modernism for Islas Secas. Raw and refined coexist in thoughtful tension.

Nature is the original playstation. LIFE designed giant beach Scrabble, in-casita games and various beach activities - outdoor cinema lounge, Pargo beach teepees and palm tree swings - to celebrate the sanctity of play.

The hallmarks of the style they created for Islas Secas can be loosely defined as exploring the provenance and poetry of place, marrying the raw with the refined, fusing organic with heritage and contemporary elements in an innovative new offering that always contains that singular unifying element; the essence of soul and the way a space lives after the design is complete. They are about conservation travel, soulful simplicity, the excavation and exploration of local culture, and exploring and experiencing the delight axis.

Designing with the Immediacy of Nature

Over the past 20 years, LIFE has crafted a signature style and aesthetic to their interior and architectural portfolio of projects - especially those in exotic and rare wilderness environments and conservancies - that respects nature as a co-designer in the process of design as well as the sustainable specification of materials and finishes. According to the ancient Wabi aesthetic, which was an unconscious driving force of the design, ‘nothing lasts, nothing is finished, nothing is perfect’.

Our aesthetic direction created for Islas Secas is centered on finding the most basic, natural objects interesting, fascinating and beautiful. Showcasing the wonder of this peninsula of 14 private islands and unearthing that which is truly Panamanian and weaving it into the design, respecting the wisdom and beauty of imperfection, of lightness and impermanence, in these ever-changing natural environments, where things fade, mature, lighten, darken with the elements to a form of authentic, boho beauty.

Our perception of what is valuable and aesthetically pleasing is also one of time-worn, flawed beauty where nature is a co-creator in the design. Where the patina of a worn vessel makes it more interesting and gives the object greater meditative value. Similarly materials that age well such as bare wood, stone and leather become more interesting as they exhibit changes that can be observed over time. This is particularly pertinent in the Panamanian environment, where the harsh natural elements – the sun, the rains, sea spray and sand - are fundamental factors in the design process and the life of the interiors. Solid materials – matt marble, indigenous hardwoods, latte bamboo reeds, washed linens, burnished leathers, aged metals – are all selected for their ability to age gracefully, naturally.

Amongst other things, the European design influence yielded a finesse and luxury, whilst the Central American aesthetic enriched the project with its culture, colour and materiality, to create an enjoyable guest experience in that precious indoor- outdoor environment for which successful island design is renowned.

Sourcing Stories

‘The tribal villages, souks and markets of the world were our shopping basket and inspiration’.

There was an almost old school approach to sourcing and procuring all the exotic items and collections found throughout the property. Having worked for the past 20 years in over 20 countries around the world, the LIFE team has a huge resource of both local artisans and craftsmen in South Africa were they are based, and in the 19 countries in which unique bespoke collections were created or procured due to their historical artisanal allure. LIFE immersed themselves in the Panamanian vernacular and visited numerous local Embera and Guna communities with whom they collaborated to create bespoke products with the local people.

Exceptional furniture pieces were also designed or sourced from further afield where local was not available, functional or relevant. Heavy, antique, timber studded kists from Jaipur; carpets and outdoor rugs created from recycled water bottles with Panamanian mimbre style patterns from Europe; beaten copper baths from the US; antique artifacts from Casco Viejo markets in Panama; liquid art from Belgium glassblowers; contemporary fine bed- and table-linen textiles from the family-run mills in Italy; tropical fans from the Great Lakes region of the US; hand-woven recycled plastic fibre dining chairs from Bali, hand-woven turndown mats and stationery containers made by the artisans in the neighbouring Chiriqui coastal villages.

As designers we really enjoy the art of collaboration with craftsmen at the top of their game in creating bespoke objects that have a timeless, collector’s quality. The furniture maestro Pierre Cronje brought our wany-edged timber and grain-embossed bronze-legged dining table designs to life; likewise, a collection of hand-forged servers and plinths were fabricated in Africa.

The Casitas

LIFE designed the Casitas to be authentic and subtle refuges of calm, awash in tones of sage, teal, linen and white. As the palette is soothing, so too, the materials are understated, unpatterned, textured and of the highest quality. Over-scaled sheer mosquito nets with custom beaded ties engulf beds with two-tone linen bedcovers; reclaimed timber plantation chairs have duck-egg blue linen backs and ties that billow in the wind. Large tropical plants in white planters dapple the light that washes in from the louvred timber walls where the air enters. Circular carpets highlight seating areas with swivelling mimbre woven chairs and petrified wooden stools. Locally hand-stitched mola cushions from the Guna tribe and turn-down mats from the region celebrate local craft culture.

Contemporary European lighting and leather accents add textural interest. According to LIFE’s founder, Maira Koutsoudakis, ‘these are interiors that a blind man could experience. High texture, subtle yet sophisticated, they arouse the senses and calm sensibilities. The casitas have organic texture, heritage nuances, local relevance, layered cues of natural history and that which is light, rare and exotic in the interiors, furniture, books and styling’. The outdoor areas of the casitas are populated with marshmallowy daybeds, linen-covered loungers, sustainably-sourced reclaimed timber tables and deep daybeds, surrounding individual cooling pools.

Signature Palette

What strikes the visitor to Islas Secas is the soulful serenity of space but also the subtle flow of everything in that everything feels as if it belongs. Islas Secas’ Signature Palette, that is, of ‘colori morbidi’, of a very subtle palette of toned-down greige, bone, stone and colours found in – and mottled, muted by – Nature and the Pacific, are then contrasted by the inclusions of sharp, vibrant, citrusy bolts of colour and stripes of strong pigment, ombréd and solid, juxtaposing the subtle sages and teals found in the Pacific Ocean that surround the Islas Secas islands with crisp, deliciously crude jolting Panamanian colour.

‘We designed colours and forms, spaces and experiences with the ‘chiaroscuro effect’ in mind. Thinking always of how natural and artificial light, candle light and sun light would mould and mitigate the experience of spaces at different times of the day or night. How would it feel to lie on a day bed under a canopy of stars, or dine in the dappled light of an outdoor dining sala with billowing drapes that are mottled by the light streaming through them?’

‘We would then say that that moment where architecture, interiors, nature and experience fuse in a subtle and sophisticated way is our stand-out favorite feeling.’ We are most happy with the way in which the Interiors and Guest Experiences animate space, bring the property alive; that is, in the way that Islas Secas ‘lives’.

Terraza

The vast volume of the Terraza with its bamboo structure and vertical colonnade is intimated by the inclusion of interiors that have pockets of privacy and also dramatic colour that engages and reflects the azure of the ocean beyond. Long banquettes seats with a jumble of mismatched cushions demarcate the dining area; billowing dyed drapes lift the eye upwards and intimate the great room. Two large circular couches encircle round verde cipolino marble tabletops which have been hand-carved and roughly-hewn by LIFE’s artisans on woven rope supports.

Dining chairs have a woven finish, alluding to the Panamanian culture of ‘mimbre’ weaving. Antique teal colonial kists add a shot of colour and heritage reference. Large hand-blown glass vessels hold glossy bijau leaves and two grand bamboo palms divide the dining area from the Terraza Gallery. Bamboo drinks trolleys invite guests to go on a rum tasting journey, solo save for the sound of ice clinking in copper tumblers.

Salón De Playa I Beach Lounge

Snaking seating follows the curved deck and undulating form of the beach for boho barefoot beach chilling. Deep lounger cushions rest on the fine white sand, a medley of custom scatters create a casual, inviting gypset luxe atmosphere. The traditional mota or pompom found on Panamanian ceremonial dresses is alluded to as it sits, asymmetrically positioned on cushions; multi-hued stripes talk to the vibrant, colourful culture of this Central American country. High gloss turquoise ceramic stools, glass buoys, woven wicker seed pod loungers and over-scaled bean bags populate the beach in little pockets of privacy and have an immediacy with the ocean, the stars, and nature at its most primal.

Doing nothing is something too. In an insta-age obsessed with immediacy and constant action, conscious disconnection, deep relaxation and the memorable pleasure of dolce far niente, of simply doing nothing, is a most worthwhile activity of rest, regeneration, re-centering and reconnection. To this end, LIFE designed a number of slouchy seating scenarios all for that sacred activity: relaxation.

Balboa Bar

LIFE baptised the Balboa Bar after the Spanish explorer, and the theme of exploration and discovery continues in the Library-like spaces of the Games Room and in the art prints, artefacts and books, found in the space, which talk to the history of the Chiriqui islands and the Panama Canal. A wall of iconic Panama hats brings the crunchy warmth of the weave to the white-washed interiors and slouchy linen sofas, and reclaimed ebonized timber plantation chairs invite repose. A brass hanging rail holds shimmering stemware above a woven wicker and timber bar and bamboo chairs.

Tropical louvred shutters allow shafts of light to wash through the white-walled timber room; hand-hewn, sage-hued marble coffee tables add shots of subtle colour to the otherwise monochromatic heritage space. Centerd in the space, LIFE designed a secret Rum Bar drinks cabinet and populated it with traditional tribal Embera masks, rum tasting jars, heritage humidors and muddle sticks made from tribal flutes, all for the curious guest’s discovery.

Spa

The design of the Jungle Spa centres around an open canvas tent that is immersed in the tropical jungle wilderness. To this end, LIFE designed the jungle spa in subtle tones of canvas and linen with a signature verde cipolino marble altar where therapists prepare treatments. The element of stone acts as a counterpoint to the solid timber floors and canvas walls and ceiling, contemporary black light fittings and heritage swing seat under shaded palms. The massage beds are cloaked in sheer ombré teal tones and subtle coloured stripes talk to Panamanian vernacular style. A solid rough-hewn wash hand basin talks to LIFE’s signature ‘raw and refined’ aesthetic and the bamboo thread that runs through all the structures is seen in the outdoor shower screens and bamboo mirrors.

The organic modernism that LIFE is renowned for is also seen in the hand-beaten outdoor baths and in the bespoke Secascent boxes with recycled resin mother of pearl finish and coral pattern that alludes to the remarkable underwater world of Islas Secas. Antique kists and storage units counterpoint contemporary elements, adding an element of heritage and traditional craftsmanship to the interior landscape of the spa. The outdoor pre- and post-treatment ‘Hummingbird Garden’ is a secret garden in close proximity to the Spa, encapsulating two large daybeds swathed in sheer billowing drapes in an ocean of calm.

The Gallery

Few properties can claim that they are built around the sites of ancient pre-Columbian villages. When it rains, small fragments of local pre-Colombian ceramics can be seen in the river beds of Islas Secas. There is so much generic, could-be-anywhere-in-the-worldness on so many resorts and hotels that LIFE wanted to showcase this exceptional uniqueness of Islas Secas by creating a Gallery of lit glass vitrines and an engaging central, wany-edged timber tableau to showcase both specimens of the unique flora, fauna and marine marvels of the region, as well as educate guests on Panamanian craft and culture via the showcasing of pre-Colomobian ceramic reproductions made by the 3-generations-old Batista family in Panama, and woven basketry and bamboo craft of the Embera and Guna tribes of the region in a living Gallery.

Sustainability in Design

‘In the age of fast fashion, fast food and throw away culture, is not the most sustainable, contemporary approach one of respect for ‘slow style’, reuse, reduction and recycling of resources..?’

Where Islas Secas was formerly a simple fishing lodge, it has been reimagined and redesigned as a luxury eco-retreat with many original elements in tact or up cycled in the new design. To this end, as designers we propagate the use of mainly solid, natural materials with good provenance to ensure that pieces become hierloom treasures, handed down from generation to generation. When these things are conceived with a timeless character and the elegant wear and tear of time in mind, their initial cost, footprint and resource use is considered over a longer lifespan, which in itself is a sustainability cornerstone. Added to this, all timber was FSC (Forestry-Standards Council) approved; reclaimed timber and solid stone were also used in select furniture pieces.

We also believe in the repurposing of furniture; to this end, antique armoires from Jaipur were repurposed as Terraza servers; old petrified wood stone stumps became side tables. Weathered timber doors become dining servers as they sit, juxtaposed against contemporary elements. Lanterns use solar-batteries that turn on instinctively at dusk.

In our procurement philosophy we also elected to buy local where possible, to support the Panamanian and global artisanal communities, but also designing and developing the majority of our bespoke furniture, fittings, fixtures from the African continent, buying many antiques and dying artisanal artform artefacts from ‘Third World’ markets and craftsmen, supporting the longevity of traditional craft culture.

Though we have a deep love for objet de curiosité our sourcing ethos from markets around the world insisted that no CITES-banned artefacts or specimens formed part of the Islas Secas interiors. Having worked in the African continent and the Indian Ocean Islands, as well as on a number of notable heritage properties in the UK and Europe, LIFE INTERIORS + ARCHITECTURE + STRATEGIC DESIGN have cultivated a reputation for creating sensible, sustainable design solutions with soul without being ecofascists unaware of the commercial realities of a five star eco-resort.

The Main Pool

Crisp, clean whites and sharp, strong turquoise tones are the palette the designers chose for the pool area which houses three deep lounging cabanas and a number of white lounger beds, both on the weathered greige deck and immersed in the pool. A combination of hand-blown glossy glass and tealy turquoise ceramic stools allow for pool dining and lounging. LIFE commissioned local Panamanian piroga boats which were hand-carved by the local Chiriqui communities and house rolled-up pool towels. Solid carved traditional timber servers have shamanic styling and speak to the pre-Colomian culture of this ancient land in subtle cues.

The Dock

Arriving at the dock off a long pier, the dramatic bamboo structure and bamboo walls bring the warmth of natural, irregular materials to the open-air space which LIFE articulated into two zones; namely the vibrant Surf Bar and the Activities Area. Circular woven carpets, hand-blown glass stools, sharp citrus colours in Panamanian patinas and stripy sports chic athleisure styling find their way into the interiors of this relaxed yet dynamic space. The sounds of vibrant local music, the scent of banana-leaf wrapped raw juices and the feel of cascading water off abundant bucket showers all add to the casual cool of the Dock. Existing sailboat sails have been repurposed as bar stool seats and used as sail loungers in the Outdoor Cinema Lounge experience LIFE designed to recycle and upcycle this nautical material into its second life.

Islas Secas

Creative Lead: LIFE Interiors, Architecture & Strategic Design
Architects: LIFE in collaboration with
Interior Styling & Curation: Maira Koutsoudakis, LIFE Interiors, Architecture & Strategic Design
Services: Concept & Strategy, Spatial philosophy, Art direction, Interior architecture, FF&E directions
Visual Identity
Location: Gulf of Chiriquí, Panama
Completed: 2019-2020
Photography: Maira Koutsoudakis, Tony Pereira, Mariska van den Brink.

Website: islassecas.com