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architectssuchasEdTuttleandJean-MichelGathyareengineeringamoodas
muchasasite-specificproperty.
Even thenamesofpropertiesdraw from the local cultureorregion, combining
theSanskritword forpeace,
aman
,witha local term, suchas
ruya
, theTurkish
word fordream, in thecaseofAmanruya locatedamidpine treesandscallopedbays
on theBodrumpeninsula, orAmanbagh,whichwould translateaspeacefulgarden
bycouplingamanwith
bagh
, theHindiword forgarden. “Aswebuiltnewproperties,
weused the ‘Aman’ andconnectedeachproperty insomeway to its location, cul-
ture, orhistory,”Zechaexplains. “Amanpuriwasactually thename that Ihadcon-
sidered forahouse Ihad inBali, beforeAmanpuri’s locationwasactually found.”
Thesedays, Zecha isn’tdoingasmuchscouting for locations; opportunities
seem topresent themselves,whichwas thecasewithAmanSveti Stefan inMonte-
negro.TheMontenegringovernmentdecided to revitalize the island— itwas
forced toclose in the1990safter thedissolutionofYugoslaviaand thesubsequent
civilwar—andselectedAmanresortsas itshospitalitypartner in the restoration
effort.Comespring,Amanresortsopens inGreece, in theexclusiveenclaveofPor-
toHeli on theArgolidaPrefecture.
Some30otherpossibilitiesarealsounderconsiderationandyoucanbesure
theywillfitwellwithin theAmanresortsphilosophy. SaysZecha, “Ibelieve that
wewillfindnewplaces that, forall theirdistinctiveness,will retain theoriginal
goalswestrove forwhenwestartedAmanpuri.”
“
While the commondesign
philosophy is to always be rele-
vant to the placewherewe are,
we do try to contemporize the
purist design inorder tomake it
compatiblewith contemporary
lifestyle.
“This site dictated amoremas-
sive building rather than small
log cabins— firstly— and sec-
ondly, the drama of the site is
the views of theTetons, hence
the expansivewindowwalls.
”
Amangani (Wyoming)
83
celebratedliving.com
WINTER 2011
