Bacara Resort and Spa, Santa Barbara, CA
Design and Public Approval Processing
Modeled on a Spanish coastal village, the Bacara Resort and Spa is set on a 78 Acre coastal bluff with breathtaking views of the Pacific Ocean and the Santa Ynez Mountains. WHITIN DESIGN WORKS developed the project landscape Concept and Design Development plans and processed the landscape design for approval by the County of Santa Barbara Planning Review Board. The landscape is designed in the historic Santa Barbara Mediterranean tradition, reflecting Santa Barbara's important position as a center for the introduction of exotic and Mediterranean plant species 100 years ago. The Mediterranean coastal landscape envelopes the guest room buildings, each of which is built around a private garden courtyard. Approximately one half of the site has been preserved and restored for endangered species habitat, as the site is an important stop-over on the Monarch Butterfly migration route.