Last year we reported that award-winning actor and environmentalist Leonardo DiCaprio had unveiled plans for an eco-resort in Belize called Blackadore Caye Resort. (He purchased the 104-acre island in 2005.) New details have recently been released about the project-- which is expected to be unveiled in late 2018. Award-winning architect Jean-Michel Gathy has been recruited to design the resort; Gathy is known for ultra-luxe projects by Aman resorts, GHM, and One&Only. There will be 36 residential homes and 36 bungalows where guests can rest and recharge (the in-room circadian lighting is one of the restorative amenities).
As reported by Bloomberg, the construction will utilize as many local materials as possible, and will start in early 2017. Environmental sustainability continues to be a “top priority” and so there will no longer be overwater bungalows. The resort will be powered by renewable energy (solar panels will be installed), and there will be an on-site treatment center for rainwater and waste. Blackadore will follow a “no-fossil-fuel and "no-chemical" policy. A team of ecologists and marine biologists has been recruited to oversee environmental rehabilitation, as the island had suffered from deforestation and overfishing over the years.