Laucala Island Resort

Laucala Island, Fiji
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Laucala Island is a small, private oasis lying to the east of Taveuni, Fiji. Just 5km long, it was owned until 2003 by the family of publishing magnate, Malcolm Forbes. The resort has now been transformed by its current owner, Red Bull co-founder Dietrich Mateschitz.

His brief to LHL was to design the interiors of every building on the island – including 25 villas, the Plantation House Restaurant, golf club, pool bar, spa, Sea Grass Lounge and beach bar – and, with architects WATG, to create a truly original, idyllic South Pacific island experience.

Our answer was to take inspiration from the island itself; to create innovative, memorable design pieces using a local, natural, sustainable materials, and generate an unforgettable sense of place that reflects the culture of Fiji.

We developed a palette of materials, gathered inspirational local artifacts and made hundreds of sketches to help form and convey our design ethos for the island. We created ‘jellyfish’ chandeliers with silk shades and magi magi (coconut braid) ‘tentacles’. We designed carved stone washbasins and bathtubs, mahogany hanging rails suspended by magi magi, doors with rustic carvings and turned wood handles, and many other unique pieces that engage guests luxuriously with local crafts and culture.

LHL have revisited the island and completed a soft refurbishment of the original vision, retaining the integrity of the authentic design ethos whilst introducing some exciting new elements such as the custom yin & yang bed at Seagrass Lounge, new rock lounge design, and enhancement of the Villas.