Located adjacent to Walt Disney World® and less than 10 miles from Universal Orlando™ Resort, the 1,100-acre Evermore Orlando Resort is a comprehensive redevelopment of the Villas of Grand Cypress landmark property and legacy golf course. Uniquely designed for large families and group gatherings, Evermore offers flats, villas, and houses with up to 11 bedrooms and the luxurious, 4-star Conrad Orlando hotel. At the center of it all is Evermore Bay, an 8-acre manufactured Crystal Lagoon® that is the resort's star attraction, providing numerous water activities surrounded by a lushly landscaped tropical beach paradise. Its stand-out status was only made possible by the collaboration of Landscape Architects and other design experts from Cooper Carry, Dix.Hite+Partners, DTJ DESIGN, EDSA, and Kimley-Horn.

Historical Ties
National multidisciplinary firm EDSA has been involved with the Evermore property - formerly known as the Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress Resort - since 1980, when the 1,500 acres became Orlando's first five-star hotel. Before then, travelers to the area typically stayed in hotels targeted towards budget-conscious families. Over the past 45 years, EDSA has assisted every owner of the property through numerous management changes with both high-level, overall project vision and master planning as well as detailed site design. For the newest iteration of the property, the client wanted to build a modern, world-class resort without compromising the legacy of the existing project assets. The new work also had to create a unified identity across a diverse project site, leading to the development of a 'Florida Expectation' beach environment aesthetic. Topography and landscape were leveraged to express dune-scape heavy environments, with some having a naturalized, native feel while others reveal a more sub-tropical vibe.

Setting The Tone
The Evermore experience begins at one of the two entry points, where guests are greeted with a unique, three-dimensional, sculptural interpretation of the resort's sunburst logo surrounded by custom undulating "dune fencing" and beautiful live oak trees with glowing lanterns - all setting the stage for what awaits on the other side of the entry gate. Designed by national landscape architecture firm DTJ DESIGN, each entry immediately immerses guests in a sense of calm, an intentional contrast to the energy and stimulation of Orlando's many themed attractions. By bringing the essence of a coastal beach retreat inland, DTJ helped shape Evermore into a sanctuary where the journey begins with decompression.

The relaxation process involved creating a visual and spatial contrast, pairing high-design artistic elements with a backdrop of native, lush vegetation. Plant massing, sculptural portals, and integrated architectural walls establish outdoor rooms that guide guests through a rhythm of openness and enclosure, gradually transitioning them from the highway into the heart of the resort. To reinforce the coastal narrative, DTJ incorporated subtle design cues, like dune fencing woven between berms and native plantings, suggesting the movement of wind and tide. These gestures extend all the way to Highway 535, signaling arrival long before guests reach the gate. This sequence of movement under canopy, through outdoor rooms, and into compression zones creates a carefully choreographed arrival that sets the emotional tone for everything that follows.

Upon entering the property, guests are greeted by majestic Live Oak trees, preserved and celebrated as natural landmarks. DTJ carefully designed the entry drive to curve around these specimen trees, protecting their root zones and enhancing their presence. A median island was introduced to allow vehicles to flow around the trees, while decorative lanterns with a hand-painted bamboo finish designed by national multidisciplinary firm Cooper Carry are suspended from the branches. These lanterns are located among other carefully preserved oak trees throughout the resort.

 

Evermore Bay
At the center of the resort is Evermore Bay, an 8-acre, man-made lagoon. National multidisciplinary firm Kimley-Horn provided comprehensive civil and structural engineering services spanning the full lifecycle of the lagoon's development, including the design of the mechanical and treatment equipment building that supports the lagoon's operations. One of the most significant challenges was navigating the permitting process for what would become Central Florida's first man-made lagoon. As Florida's public bathing code had not previously accounted for artificial lagoons of this scale, Kimley-Horn conducted extensive research and worked closely with local and state agencies to develop a permitting strategy that met regulatory requirements while helping shape future code updates.

The design phase presented unique technical challenges. Holding 17 million gallons of water and reaching depths of up to 12 feet, the lagoon required precise engineering to ensure structural integrity, water quality, and guest safety. Kimley-Horn collaborated with Crystal Lagoons® and other partners to integrate treatment systems, mechanical infrastructure, and sub-grade storage areas seamlessly into the landscape. These systems were designed not only for functionality but also to preserve the aesthetic appeal of the resort's beachfront atmosphere.

A notable disruption occurred during Hurricane Ian (2022), which temporarily halted progress and required significant cleanup before construction could resume. Kimley-Horn's responsiveness and coordination with contractors helped maintain momentum toward the resort's December 2023 opening.

While the crystal-clear, Caribbean-blue water bustles with activity during the day, this area transforms into a calming, magical environment at dusk. Cooper Carry worked closely with the project lighting designers and fabrication team to create signature custom, laser-cut tiki torches with integrated flickering LED lighting located along the water's edge.

A Home Away From Home
Florida-based landscape architecture firm Dix.Hite+Partners joined national firm LRK Architects to master plan the 80+ resort residences arranged to immerse guests in the character of Orlando's historic, tree-lined neighborhoods. Located on the site of a former golf course, these hotel homes front traditional neighborhood streets, with alleys doing much of the heavy lifting in terms of parking and utilities. Several clusters feature a common mews to accommodate larger gatherings and allow more private space for wedding parties, family reunions, or corporate retreats.

The repurposed golf course offered some beautiful existing canopy trees. The street tree planting scheme was to provide street enclosure and ultimately shade 60 percent of sidewalks for pedestrian comfort walking to and from resort activities. Dix.Hite created neighborhood park spaces that offer home-away-from-home respite from a day at the lagoon or nearby theme parks. Each home is no more than a five-minute walk from one of these many mini parks. The client readily embraced the robust Florida native palette that embodies the principles of the OUTSIDE Collaborative's New Yard Pattern Book, which was coauthored by Dix.Hite. The goal was to reduce water consumption and pesticide use, increase soil health and biodiversity, and create pollinator and wildlife habitats. One way of accomplishing this was to place turf only in areas that were usable for programmed or spontaneous group activities. Plant spacing and massing were also increased to make the most of the budget while shifting maintenance needs from mowing and edging to weeding, thus further reducing emissions and noise from maintenance equipment not befitting a serene resort environment.

Dix.Hite also developed the residential amenity prototypes for each of the eight-unit types that can accommodate larger family or corporate retreats between 11 and 35 people. The units are mainly accessed from the alleys, where most of the parking is provided. Each unit has a covered gate entry with keypad security while the front of the houses faces a traditional neighborhood setting with on-street parking for guests or additional vehicles. The rear amenities include swimming pools with a spillway feature wall that is part of the pool barrier and also a space-saving device to set on the rear "property line." Other standard amenities include firepits, artificial turf flex lawn, pavers, and smaller seating areas.

Showing The Way
Evermore's graphics program is the thread that weaves everything together, providing continuity throughout the entire resort and touching every part of the property, from branding to landscaping and architecture. As the resort sits next-door to world-class theme parks, Cooper Carry's Experiential Graphics team created an environment where guests can truly unwind after a day of overstimulation, offering a relaxed, 'shoulders down' atmosphere.

With a resort as expansive as Evermore, it was imperative to provide clear, concise directional messaging in a wayfinding program that was reflective of the overall design narrative. The colors and branding used within the signage program varies based upon location within the property to align with the different uses. Cooper Carry integrated natural-looking materials, organic shapes, and a playful attitude into the signage design to create a unique and memorable guest experience.

The use of natural materials for signage applications in a high-moisture environment proved to be a challenge for both longevity and durability. Cooper Carry's designers worked closely with the fabrication team to customize and incorporate "Polygem," a unique thematic application used to emulate board-formed concrete and natural wood.

Setting The Bar High
Today, the Evermore Bay lagoon is a signature feature of the resort, offering guests rope swings, water slides, poolside cabanas, and two expansive beaches. It stands as a testament to what's possible when engineering excellence meets visionary design. The firms involved are proud to have played a role in creating this world-class destination that has set a new standard for resort projects. Evermore opened its doors in January 2024 and quickly garnered rave industry reviews, becoming a standout vacation destination in Orlando.