The Next Wave: Destination Design for Surf-Anchored Developments

By Bruce Greenfield, Partner, AO

Surf parks are entering a new era. What began as stand-alone attractions centered on the thrill of riding a perfect wave is evolving into fully integrated destinations resulting in holistically designed environments that blend surf action with symbiotic mixed uses, lifestyle amenities, and indoor/outdoor experiences. The lagoon remains the centerpiece, but its role is expanding, acting as the heart of environments that include hospitality, recreation, dining, residential, retail, wellness, and cultural uses.

This evolution reflects a shift in how people value recreation: not as a single attraction, but as part of an immersive daylong or weekend-long journey. The most successful surf-anchored developments are those that combine the energy of the waves with the comfort of resort-style amenities, the social draw of restaurants and entertainment, and the long-term vitality of residential and mixed-use communities.

At leading design and architecture firm AO, we see this evolution as both natural and necessary. With a dozen active surf-anchored developments in our design pipeline, our teams continue to expand on architectural best practices, applying lessons from decades of expertise across retail, residential, hospitality, mixed-use, landscape design and placemaking. The result is a new destination paradigm: surf parks as anchors for thriving communities of recreation, hospitality, and commerce.

Designing Holistic Destinations

The heart of every surf-anchored development is, of course, the lagoon. But to truly succeed, the lagoon must be more than a spectacle. It must act as a catalyst for a comprehensive, 360-degree destination experience. Restaurants, bars, shops, hotel rooms, residences, and gathering spaces should radiate from the lagoon, creating a dynamic synergy where each element amplifies the others.

AO’s approach to placemaking ensures that the surf experience is framed and celebrated, while the surrounding program is intentionally designed for accessibility, wayfinding, and comfort. Guests should flow seamlessly between wave-viewing terraces, boardwalks, beaches, resort-style pools, event lawns, and wellness amenities without ever losing sight (or sound) of the action.

Surf as the Anchor, Lifestyle as the Draw

The magic of surf-anchored developments lies in the balance between individual program components and the overarching whole. Each piece, whether hotel, retail, residential, or dining, must succeed independently. Yet when designed together, each is elevated by the surf experience. Guests sipping cocktails at a rooftop bar, couples strolling retail promenades, families checking into a resort suite – all benefit from the energy of the waves.

AO’s creativity lies in orchestrating these experiences so that the surf action enhances the entire development and vice versa. It’s a win-win: the lagoon generates energy and identity, while the complementary uses extend dwell time, diversify revenue, and create unforgettable memories.

The AO Advantage

Designing for this next generation of surf-anchored destinations requires more than technical expertise. It calls for a wide-angle view of how diverse program elements can support and enhance one another. Each component must work on its own terms, but the real success lies in how they come together to form a cohesive whole centered on the surf experience.

This is where AO shines. Our strength in destination surf-anchored developments comes from the intersection of experiences across retail, hospitality, residential, and entertainment. We’ve transformed malls into open-air lifestyle centers, designed hotels that prioritize the guest journey, and created residential communities with resort-style amenities that balance aspiration with efficiency. Equally important is our collaborative design process, bringing owners, consultants, and contractors together early to build consensus and explore options. This approach consistently produces solutions that are both functional and imaginative, and that feel inevitable once realized.

AO’s work across sectors has shown us that memorable places emerge when function and delight are given equal weight, and when collaboration shapes the outcome from the earliest stages. For surf-anchored developments, this means creating destinations where the lagoon is not just a backdrop, but a catalyst for connection, culture, and community. The wave may draw people in, but it is the richness of the environment that makes them want to stay.