It all started with a sketch on a napkin and a “what if?” conversation.
In 2003, Richard Hywel Evans was asked to design a private villa on a peninsula of Prickly Bay in Grenada. Every day during construction of the villa, Evans and his client would walk down to the Boatyard, a boat repair and docking facility, for lunch. The place boasted great vistas and clear blue waters, so they’d reflect on what they would do with it if they could acquire it. “I literally did a napkin drawing,” Evans says, depicting various home styles and dockage for yachts. Then, one day, they learned that an acquisition deal had just fallen through. The client turned to Evans and said, “‘Let’s buy it.’”
The result is Prickly Bay Waterside, on what’s widely considered one of the best, calmest anchorages along Grenada’s southern coast. The development, winner of the Americas Residential Property Awards 2009 for Best Development and Best Architecture, is decidedly different than anything else on the island—and arguably in the world.
The Marine Houses at Prickly Bay Waterside mimic moored megayachts jutting out over the water. The five-bedroom, five-bathroom homes also provide dockage for residents’ yachts, thereby serving as “a real high-tech spectacle to match the boats,” Evans explains. They even employ many yacht materials, including fiberglass and carbon fiber.
There are other residential options, too. The Lawn Houses feature long, narrow pools separating them from the Marine Houses. Their contemporary style embraces bowed beams flanking each external side and floor-to-ceiling windows, offering great views.
Speaking of views, if youÂ’re wondering what happened to EvansÂ’ napkin sketch, it still exists. ItÂ’s posted on Prickly Bay WatersideÂ’s website. Richard Hywel Evans Architecture & Design,
44-20-7253-5358, pricklybay.com.