Marriott - Tribute Portfolio

At Tribute Portfolio, Sasihithlu, the landscape design was shaped by a unique coastal setting and a deeply personal narrative. The site sits between the Arabian Sea and the Shambhavi River, in a region where the rivers meet the sea and the landscape carries a strong memory of water, trade, fishing, and coastal life. The primary challenge was to create a hotel landscape that was not merely decorative, but rooted in the culture, movement, and natural character of Mangaluru’s shoreline.

We approached this project through the story of Jay Anna, his journey from the estuary at dawn to the harbor at dusk. This narrative became the foundation for the entire landscape experience. Every space was designed as a moment within this journey, from the arrival sequence and driveway to the gathering lawns, river-facing pockets, pool deck, and sculpture zones. The landscape draws from the language of waves, fish scales, boats, laterite stone, tropical planting, coastal pathways, and the quiet rhythm of the shore.

This design approach allowed us to create a layered and immersive hospitality experience. The entrance becomes a soft threshold, with tropical planting, a lawn mound, and a cascading water wall that reflects the movement of the sea. The driveway paving guides guests through the site with subtle directional patterns inspired by the form of a fish fin. The arrival plaza uses water, sculpture, and planting to establish a strong sense of place, while the ground-level landscape offers formal and informal gathering lawns, trellis walkways, seating edges, pathways, and light sculptures that encourage guests to move, pause, and discover the landscape at their own pace.

At the upper level, the pool deck represents the horizon, a space of openness, aspiration, and looking beyond. The infinity edge pool, lounge areas, pool bar, stepped planting, and fisherman-on-boat sculpture extend the project’s central story into a more elevated and memorable guest experience. The landscape is not treated as a collection of amenities, but as a continuous journey that connects the hotel to its riverfront setting, coastal culture, and emotional narrative.

What makes the landscape of Tribute Portfolio truly meaningful is its ability to transform a hotel environment into a story-driven coastal experience. The final outcome is calm, immersive, contextual, and rich in memory. It brings together arrival, leisure, gathering, water, planting, materiality, and storytelling in a way that strengthens the identity of the project. The landscape does not simply surround the hotel, it gives the project its soul, creating a destination that feels deeply connected to Sasihithlu, Mangaluru, and the life of the coast.