Westin Cocoa Beach Resort & Spa

Overview

Opportunity

Solution

Impact

Team

Westin Cocoa Beach Resort & Spa transforms an oceanfront site previously subject to development restrictions into a destination resort blending hospitality, placemaking, and Space Coast identity.

Location

Cocoa Beach, Florida

Client

Driftwood Capital

Expertise

Hospitality Brand Design Retail & Consumer Experience

Opportunity

With low height limits, a dense program, and public beach access at stake, the project demanded a resort experience that could spread outward.

Driftwood Capital saw an opening to create a major four-star destination on Cocoa Beach’s oceanfront, but the site came with unusual pressures. The program had to accommodate more than 500 keys, extensive amenities, retail, meeting space, and a convention component while working within strict height limitations and preserving public access to the beach. The challenge was not only to fit a large resort across a horizontal site, but to make it feel porous, inviting, and rooted in the distinct culture of the Space Coast.

Why This Matters

01
Unlock a Rare Opportunity
As development restrictions loosened, the project created a rare chance to shape a major new oceanfront destination.
02
Balance Density and Openness
Success depended on fitting an ambitious program into a constrained site without losing beach access, visual permeability, or the relaxed character expected in Cocoa Beach.
03
Embrace the Space Coast
The project mattered because it could not feel generic; its identity needed to reflect surfing culture, local memory, and the aspirational legacy of nearby NASA.

Carlos Rodriguez Sr., Chairman and CEO of Driftwood Capital.

Solution

By lifting the building, opening a clear view corridor, and shaping a terraced podium, the design turns horizontal constraints into a connected resort landscape.

The design response uses massing as both problem-solver and experience-maker. Elevating portions of the building creates porosity through the site and preserves a direct visual connection from arrival to the ocean. A shaped podium defines a central courtyard while carving out smaller outdoor zones for recreation, gathering, and retreat. Across the resort, sleek lines and curvilinear forms draw from NASA’s legacy and Cocoa Beach’s surf culture, while warmer tones and textures soften the scale of the development and support a more relaxed guest experience.

From brief to build: aligning site strategy, architecture, interiors, and public access to create a resort that feels open, memorable, and rooted in place.

The process centered on reconciling density with openness. Gensler’s work spanned site strategy and planning, architecture, and interiors, requiring the team to think simultaneously about building form, circulation, guest experience, and the public realm. The design team used the site’s constraints to organize a stronger arrival sequence, clearer spatial hierarchy, and a mix of shared and private zones across the property.

Embedded in the Landscape

Nestled between the Banana River and the Atlantic Ocean, the resort’s design echoes its coastal setting.

Impact

The project repositions Cocoa Beach with a new resort and conference destination that strengthens tourism, expands hospitality offerings, and expresses a distinct local identity.

Westin Cocoa Beach Resort & Spa turns a large-scale development into a place-based destination, pairing economic impact with a guest experience shaped by beach culture, public access, and regional character.

What Changed Because of This

01
Resort Experience
A predominantly horizontal resort becomes more dynamic through lifted massing, terraced outdoor spaces, central courtyards, and framed ocean views that strengthen arrival and guest movement.
02
Public Connection
Preserving a clear beachward view corridor and site porosity helps the project feel more open, welcoming, and connected to Cocoa Beach beyond the property lines.
03
Regional Destination
By combining guestrooms, amenities, retail, meeting space, and conference functions, the project expands Westin Cocoa Beach Resort & Spa’s hospitality into a larger lifestyle and events destination.

Design begins and ends with human experiences and brands that deliver seamless experiences while capturing people’s time, attention, and spending.

Recognition

01

Hotel Management

Covered the Westin Cocoa Beach Resort & Spa topping-off milestone, highlighting Gensler as lead designer for the $420 million, 502-key resort.

02

Citybiz

Attended the Westin Cocoa Beach Resort & Spa topping-off milestone, noting the project is 45% complete and highlighting Gensler as lead architect and design partner.

03

THP News

Spotlighted the $420 million Westin Cocoa Beach Resort & Spa, highlighting Gensler’s role as architect and interior designer, inspired by NASA and surf culture.

Team

Project Leadership

[FPO] Dawn Gunter

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[FPO] Dana Muller

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[FPO] Shamim Ahmadzadegan

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[FPO] Doug Schuette

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FAQ

01

What is Westin Cocoa Beach Resort & Spa?

Westin Cocoa Beach Resort & Spa is a new oceanfront resort and conference destination in Cocoa Beach designed by Gensler for Driftwood Capital.

02

Where is Westin Cocoa Beach Resort & Spa located?

The resort is being developed on North Atlantic Avenue in Cocoa Beach, Florida, on the former International Palms Resort site.

03

What amenities will Westin Cocoa Beach Resort & Spa include?

Planned amenities include a spa, multiple pools, dining venues, retail, meeting and event space, and recreation offerings including tennis, pickleball, and a surf pool.

04

When will Westin Cocoa Beach Resort & Spa open?

The resort is set to open in 2027.

05

What is Gensler’s role in the project?

Gensler is leading the design of the resort, with project materials describing work across site strategy, architecture, and interiors.

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Related Expertise

Hospitality Brand Design Retail & Consumer Experience

Westin Cocoa Beach Resort & Spa transforms an oceanfront site previously subject to development restrictions into a destination resort blending hospitality, placemaking, and Space Coast identity.

With low height limits, a dense program, and public beach access at stake, the project demanded a resort experience that could spread outward.

Why This Matters

By lifting the building, opening a clear view corridor, and shaping a terraced podium, the design turns horizontal constraints into a connected resort landscape.

From brief to build: aligning site strategy, architecture, interiors, and public access to create a resort that feels open, memorable, and rooted in place.

The project repositions Cocoa Beach with a new resort and conference destination that strengthens tourism, expands hospitality offerings, and expresses a distinct local identity.

What Changed Because of This