Four Seasons Langkawi & the Nautique
![Timber rafters and battens form a tight lattice that filters light into the Four Seasons Langkawi Spa.]
The 2,000-square-foot Nautique consists of three levels; the lowest level is equipped with a kitchenette, bathroom and a lounge that opens out to a patio. A master bedroom with an en suite bathroom occupies the middle floor while the top level is an open-air entertainment deck complete with a jacuzzi. The eye-catching timber drum is actually the stair tower, which is framed in balau and clad in merbau. The decking is made of teak while the floors are balau joists with tongue-and-grooved merbau strips. The interiors are furnished with merbau floors, solid teak furniture and cozy sofas. The boathouse, apart from being the owner's ideal retreat, is meant to be a prototype for floating luxury villas that could be tugged to exotic locations and quiet islands for a truly private escapade, without feeling that one is on a boat.
Inspired by the Alhambra Palace in Spain, the design of the Four Seasons on the Malaysian resort island of Langkawi is a combination of Moorish, Arabic and Indian influences in a Malay kampong setting. Latticed timber screens and Moorish architectural features are recurring themes in this resort. High walls with plenty of indoor courtyards to provide privacy are typical characteristics of built forms adopting Moorish architecture.
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Frequently asked questions
What wood species were used to build the Nautique floating villa?+
The Nautique's stair tower is framed in balau and clad in merbau, the decking is teak, and the floors use balau joists with tongue-and-grooved merbau strips. Interiors feature merbau floors and solid teak furniture.
What is the Nautique boathouse designed for?+
The 2,000-square-foot Nautique serves as the owner's private retreat and is intended as a prototype for floating luxury villas that can be towed to exotic locations and quiet islands for private escapes without feeling like a boat.
How is the Nautique laid out across its three levels?+
The lowest level contains a kitchenette, bathroom, and a lounge opening to a patio. The middle floor holds a master bedroom with en suite bathroom, and the top level is an open-air entertainment deck with a jacuzzi.
What architectural style inspired the Four Seasons Langkawi resort?+
The resort's design was inspired by the Alhambra Palace in Spain and combines Moorish, Arabic, and Indian influences within a Malay kampong setting.
What are the defining design features of the Four Seasons Langkawi?+
Latticed timber screens and Moorish architectural features are recurring themes throughout the resort. High walls and numerous indoor courtyards provide privacy, which is typical of Moorish architecture.