THE PROBLEM
Many resort renovations struggle outdoors – especially with
awkward angles, steep topography, and harsh, over-paved
spaces. Inappropriate solutions can affect the bottom line.
WHAT WE DO
We partner with architects to adapt buildings, hardscape, and terrain to how guests actually move, rest, and spend outdoors.
This framework is what makes landscape design succeed.
Unlike hotels, resorts spread amenities and operations across topography and acreage. Get the bones right before a single plant goes in the ground.
And renovation is a puzzle: engineering solutions around existing structures, utilities, mature trees, and decades of layered decisions.
SOLUTIONS WE OFFER
ROI & REVENUE GENERATION
Outdoor real estate re-designed to generate revenue. Wedding venues, rental cabanas, poolside dining, and spa treatment areas positioned where terrain, access, and guest desire converge.
LIABILITY & RISK MANAGEMENT
Reduce slips, trips, and blind spots while maintaining luxury. Thoughtful design helps lower risk exposure while keeping spaces welcoming and intuitive for guests.
BRAND & COMPETITIVE EDGE
Signature moments that anchor your brand story. Pools, plazas, and photo-worthy spots designed to differentiate your property and become the images guests share. Spaces where guests form lasting memories, carrying your brand’s essence with them-fueling loyalty and inspiring word-of-mouth.
GUEST EXPERIENCE
Increase guest delight with strategic outdoor design. Intuitive circulation and wow-worthy views that reveal themselves at the right moments.
OPERATIONS
Smart Site Layout reduces friction for staff and services. Levels and routes optimized for wheeled carts. Strategic hardscape design provides landscape screening where it’s needed most.
TRANSPORTATION
Arrivals, dropoffs, and service routes are organized so vehicles stay efficient but visually quiet. Buffers, planting, and routing protect the guest experience while keeping logistics smooth.
WHO WE HELP
“For more than a decade, Joan has supported renovations on a dozen Sandals and Beaches resorts.
Even on our toughest sites, Joan helped us create more views and more usable space that we didn’t realize we had.
Her hardscape and landscape design make the buildings and the site work together to create one cohesive resort experience.”
— Eleanor Miller, Director at Sandals Resorts
HOW WE WORK
With 30 years of experience in commercial landscape architecture and outdoor design, Joan has dedicated her career to transforming complex resort & luxury residential properties into unforgettable experiences.
A graduate of the University of Georgia, Joan has worked on some of the most challenging projects across the US Southeast, the Caribbean, and China. Her expertise spans diverse climates, terrains, and cultural contexts.
Her clients rely on her and her team for the most complex projects in the world—where steep terrain, aging infrastructure, and multiple amenities demand surgical precision and creative vision. Joan’s approach integrates architecture, landscape, and operations into cohesive outdoor environments that drive revenue and delight guests.
WHO WE ARE
With 30 years of experience in commercial landscape architecture and outdoor design, Joan has dedicated her career to transforming complex resort & luxury residential properties into unforgettable experiences.
A graduate of the University of Georgia, Joan has worked on some of the most challenging projects across the US Southeast, the Caribbean, and China. Her expertise spans diverse climates, terrains, and cultural contexts.
Her clients rely on her and her team for the most complex projects in the world where steep terrain, aging infrastructure, and multiple amenities demand surgical precision and creative vision. Joan’s approach integrates architecture, landscape, and operations into cohesive outdoor environments that drive revenue and delight guests.
WHERE WE WORK
We help resort owners renovate all over the world. We are based in Atlanta, Georgia, USA, where Delta airline’s global headquarters offers frequent flights to the world’s premier tourism destinations.
Our past experience covers many Caribbean islands as well as the US Southeast and China.
Discover the essential steps to transform your property’s outdoor spaces. Download our free checklist and learn how to maximize guest experience, unlock hidden revenue, and avoid costly mistakes.
Download our exclusive Outdoor Resort Design Checklist
We respect your privacy. Your information will never be shared.
© 2026 Resort Design Studio LLC is owned by Joan Piccalo and JP Design Studio LLC
