For over three decades, Piero Lissoni has shaped contemporary design with a signature language—a restrained yet expressive aesthetic that enlivens many private residences, cultural institutions, hospitality projects, and more. Celebrated for an approach rooted in proportion, harmony, and an unwavering attention to detail, where simplicity becomes a form of luxury in itself, the Italian architect and founder of Lissoni & Partners has recently brought his philosophy to Turks and Caicos for the Arc at South Bank.
Developed by Windward—creators of some of the islands’ most exclusive waterfront estates—Arc marks the final and most architectural expression within South Bank, a first-of-its-kind oceanfront residential resort and marina in Providenciales. Comprising four distinct neighborhoods—Ocean Estate Villas, Lagoon Villas, The Boathouses, and Arc—South Bank represents a new model of integrated, design-forward island living, with hospitality operations overseen by Grace Bay Resorts.
Courtesy of Windward, Lissoni & Partners, and Grace Bay Resorts.
For his first completed project in the Caribbean, along the shoreline of Long Bay in Providenciales, the six-story residential building marks a pivotal moment for both the architect and the pristine island, redefining what contemporary waterfront living can look like in the region.
Late last year at its topping-out milestone, amid strong buyer demand, Arc introduced a collection of just seventeen Sky Villas designed to dissolve the boundary between architecture and landscape, embracing panoramic water views, villa-style indoor-outdoor living, and a biophilic sensibility suspended above the Caribbean Sea.
Whitewall spoke with Lissoni about translating his design ethos to an island context, the architectural possibilities of Arc’s elevated, ocean-facing form, and how restraint, clarity, and a deep respect for place continue to guide his work—even in one of the world’s most idyllic settings.
Piero Lissoni on Conceiving the Arc
Courtesy of Windward, Lissoni & Partners, and Grace Bay Resorts.
WHITEWALL: Tell us a bit about your latest project, the Arc. You mentioned Noah’s Ark inspired the starting point. How so?
PIERO LISSONI: The Arc is conceived as the vessel of a new community—much like Noah’s Ark, it becomes a place that gathers and protects, a container for a collective future.
WW: What are some special details you wanted to include, including indoor-outdoor elements like a plunge pool, outdoor shower, etc.?
PL: The key feature of this project is the seamless, almost symbiotic relationship between indoors and outdoors. It is as if the terraces extend the interior spaces, and the interiors naturally flow outward. Across the five residential floors, the homes open fully to expansive terraces where lush landscaping becomes part of each private garden. Many units feature private pools or hot tubs, and bathrooms offer outdoor showers and floor-to-ceiling glass doors that frame seductive views of the calm turquoise waters below.
“The key feature of this project is the seamless, almost symbiotic relationship between indoors and outdoors,”
-Piero Lissoni
WW: How does the project speak to the unique environment of Turks & Caicos?
PL: The building integrates harmoniously into its surroundings, responding in a sensitive and proportional way to this specific place. Its low profile gently steps down toward the sea, respecting the natural landscape. Even the wooden louvers on the façade were designed to soften the rigidity of the architecture and blend it more delicately with the environment.
WW: What unique challenges about building on an island did you and the development team have to consider?
PL: Logistics are certainly one of the major challenges, since the island has no local production and all raw materials must be imported. It is essential to work with highly experienced partners who can manage complex supply chains efficiently.
A Design Vision Shaped by Place and Proportion
Courtesy of Windward, Lissoni & Partners, and Grace Bay Resorts.
WW: Your practice is unique in the design world as it offers a 360-degree approach to projects—from architecture and design to even the graphic design. How did you approach this project with a 360-degree vision in mind?
PL: We designed everything, from the architecture to the interiors and even the landscape. Our approach is always based on shifting scales: ultimately, the person who will live here will sit on a chair placed in a room inside a building. Every scale, from the urban to the intimate, becomes part of one coherent vision.
“Our approach is always based on shifting scales,”
-Piero Lissoni
WW: What’s special about Turks & Caicos to you? The island where the Arc is on in specific?
PL: The color of the water is extraordinary—its reflections transform the light, making it truly unique. Also, the vast openness of the panoramas, the endless views, realized an atmosphere that is both expansive and serene.
WW: What else are you working on right now?
PL: We are working on many projects around the world. In the Americas in particular, we are developing several hospitality projects in Mexico and some beautiful private homes, including one in Coconut Grove that is now close to completion.
Courtesy of Windward, Lissoni & Partners, and Grace Bay Resorts.
