Melvin Villarroel: The Visionary Architect of Mediterranean Luxury Who Transformed Marbella
Carmen Duran - Oct 22, 2024 - Marbella Lifestyle
The magazine Pure Life, published by Pure Living Properties, reviews his legacy in a feature article led by his son Pablo Villarroel.
The first issue of Pure Life, published by Pure Living Properties, features a special report on this renowned architect, with his son Pablo Villarroel reflecting on his life, legacy, and the visionary approach that turned Marbella into an international benchmark for exclusivity and beauty.
This report explores the life and legacy of Melvin Villarroel, the architect who seamlessly blended architecture and landscape design to create a style that continues to define luxury in Marbella. His visionary approach transformed the city into a global symbol of exclusivity and beauty.
Villarroel: nature and architecture in perfect harmony
Melvin Villarroel, a Bolivian architect with a Mediterranean heart, arrived in Marbella in 1973, bringing with him a revolutionary idea: architecture should coexist in perfect harmony with nature. This philosophy led him to reject the large towers and apartment blocks dominating other tourist areas in Spain, advocating instead for low-impact urbanism, where, as he often said, “the trees should always be taller than the buildings.”
His first major project, Torre Real, was just the beginning. However, it was with the Puente Romano complex that Villarroel truly left his mark. There, he created a concept that fused the essence of Andalusia’s white villages with lush Mediterranean gardens, producing a unique microclimate and an atmosphere of tranquillity and luxury. The residences at Puente Romano completely transformed the perception of luxury tourism on the Costa del Sol.
The lasting impact of Puente Romano
The Puente Romano project was pioneering for its time, laying the foundations for a new way of understanding architecture on the Costa del Sol. Always in love with nature, Villarroel spent years travelling through the white villages of Málaga’s interior, searching for plants to bring his creations to life. As a result, the gardens of Puente Romano remain a landscaping and biodiversity benchmark, blending with luxury residences in perfect harmony.
When the oil crisis halted construction in 1975, Melvin used this time to thoroughly study traditional Andalusian architecture and its interaction with the natural environment. His persistence and meticulous attention to detail enabled him to create a space where every plant and every architectural structure forms part of a whole, creating a sanctuary of peace amidst the tourist bustle.
Puente Romano’s success was so significant that, when the economy recovered, the project was resumed by Syrian developer Al Midani, who saw in the unfinished work a golden opportunity. Thanks to Villarroel’s vision, Puente Romano not only reached completion but became one of the most prestigious hotels in the world: Puente Romano Beach Resort.
Villarroel’s legacy: a style that crossed borders
Melvin Villarroel’s impact was not limited to Marbella. His architectural style, prioritising harmony between the built environment and nature, soon spread to other parts of the Costa del Sol, such as Estepona, where he designed the iconic Kempinski Hotel. Beyond Spanish borders, his influence reached Tenerife, where he created the Abama Hotel, and even crossed continents with projects in China, where the Shanghai government awarded him for bringing the essence of the Mediterranean to an exclusive residential development.
Throughout a career spanning over 35 years, Villarroel left an indelible mark on Costa del Sol architecture. His work beautified Marbella and defined the type of urban development that characterises the region today. In recognition of his legacy, Marbella City Council named one of its main streets after him, although Villarroel always expressed that his true home was Puente Romano, the place where it all began.
The Villarroel Essence Lives on in His Children
Melvin Villarroel’s passion for architecture and nature was passed down to his four children: Matías, Pablo, Francisca, and Antonia. Each of them, in their own way, has followed the path set by their father, keeping the Villarroel essence alive in all of their projects. As Pablo Villarroel said, “My father’s book is our bible, the essence of our thinking. We do things differently now, but the foundation remains the same. It’s a great responsibility, but I believe Melvin Villarroel would be very proud of how we are maintaining his legacy.”
This architectural legacy remains alive in every corner of Puente Romano and in many of Marbella’s most exclusive developments, such as La Alzambra in Puerto Banús, which continue to symbolise the Mediterranean luxury that Villarroel helped define. His impact on the development of Marbella and the Costa del Sol remains tangible today, and his influence has even inspired a new generation of architects seeking to integrate nature into their designs as masterfully as he did.
You can read the full article on Melvin Villarroel in Pure Life magazine.
The exclusive SALES catalogue by Pure Living Properties features a wide range of properties in some of the prestigious developments designed by Melvin Villarroel. Here are some highlights:
