Nestled along Mexico's Pacific coast, David Leventhal's Playa Viva is redefining hospitality through a radical commitment to regenerative design. More than just a boutique hotel, it's a living ecosystem where architecture breathes, nature flows freely, and every material tells a story of sustainability. Imagine waking in a treehouse suspended among palm trees, with no doors or windows—just an uninterrupted connection to the landscape. This is Leventhal's vision: hospitality that doesn't just minimize environmental impact, but actively regenerates it. The resort's structures are poetry in natural materials. Bamboo "bones" form parabolic roofs, carefully woven and raised by hand. Shower floors become canvases of meticulously placed pebbles, each stone positioned with artisan precision. Wall pigments are sourced locally—rich oranges and browns extracted directly from mountain landscapes, mixed with unconventional ingredients like hay, horse manure, and even turtle eggshells. "We're not just building rooms," Leventhal explains, "we're creating experiences that transform how humans interact with environment." This transformation begins with radical design choices. Solar panels provide 100% off-grid electricity. Air conditioning is minimised, with innovative systems like the "Evening Breeze" technology cooling only specific areas. The goal isn't comfort through separation, but comfort through connection. The resort sits on 200 acres of regenerating landscape, including a critical turtle sanctuary. Local community members—many former poachers—now protect endangered turtle species, releasing hatchlings at dawn under careful supervision. The broader ReSiMar project demonstrates Leventhal's systemic approach to ecological restoration. Starting from mountain headwaters and extending to the coastline, this watershed regeneration initiative has already documented remarkable recoveries, including recent jaguar sightings in the Sierra Madre Mountains. What makes Playa Viva revolutionary isn't just its sustainable infrastructure, but its philosophical approach. Each design decision emerges from deep respect for place—understanding geological, anthropological, and ecological histories before a single structure is built. Guests aren't passive observers but active participants in this regenerative narrative. Yoga retreats, farm experiences, and community engagement transform vacationing from consumption to connection. The resort's B-Corp certification and recent Michelin keys underscore its commitment to excellence through ecological integrity. Leventhal's background in media and technology might seem an unlikely pathway to ecological design. Yet his journey reveals how personal transformation drives systemic change. "Change happens little by little," he reflects, "until it happens all at once." This philosophy permeates every aspect of Playa Viva. The manta ray-inspired treehouses, the infinity casita with its locally sourced manufactured wood, the organic farm—each element represents a deliberate choice to work with, not against, natural systems. For travellers seeking more than a temporary escape, Playa Viva offers a glimpse of possible futures. Here, luxury isn't about isolation and excess, but about deep, meaningful engagement with living landscapes. As climate challenges intensify, Leventhal's model provides a compelling blueprint. Regenerative design isn't a luxury—it's a necessity. By reimagining hospitality as a collaborative dance with ecological systems, Playa Viva demonstrates that sustainable travel can be both profoundly beautiful and transformative. The resort whispers an essential truth: humans aren't separate from nature, but integral participants in complex, interconnected living systems. And in that understanding lies our most profound opportunity for healing—one treehouse, one turtle, one thoughtfully placed pebble at a time. https://www.playaviva.com https://oceanfdn.org/projects/la-tortuga-viva/ Have a listen to the podcast we did with Louis Thompson, partner of Nomadic Resorts mentioned by David. Louis and his partner designed rooms at Playa Viva https://journalofbiophilicdesign.com/podcast-journal-of-biophilic-design/nomadic-resorts-biophilic-design-hotels If you like this, please subscribe! Have you got a copy of the Journal? You can now subscribe as a member of the Journal of Biophilic Design or purchase a gorgeous coffee table reference copy or PDF download of the Journal journalofbiophilicdesign.comor Amazon and Kindle. Biophilic Design Conference www.biophilicdesignconference.com Credits: with thanks to George Harvey Audio Production for the calming biophilic soundscape that backs all of our podcasts. Listen to our podcast on Audible, Amazon Music, Spotify, iTunes, YouTube and all the RSS feeds. https://www.facebook.com/journalofbiophilicdesign/ https://twitter.com/JofBiophilicDsn https://www.linkedin.com/company/journalofbiophilicdesign/ https://www.instagram.com/journalofbiophilicdesign